Tom Doyle hangs up his boots Tom Doyle called a halt to his career in the saddle after riding at Navan this afternoon. The jockey had his last ride on Zardsky, who pulled up, in the Newgrange Handicap Chase. The talented pilot will be remembered as a master of the front-running ride and has enjoyed great success since returning home after spending eight years plying his trade in England. “I've been riding 16 years and I've really enjoyed it but things have gotten a bit quiet and the time has come to do something else,” said the jockey after returning following his final mount. “I've a few young horses at home and hopefully I'll have a few runners in point-to-points and see how we get on.” Doyle started his career as an amateur working for Dusty Sheehy and partnered his first winner aboard Blackburn in a Fairyhouse bumper in 1997. He moved to England a few years later and hit the headlines in 2004 when the Paul Webber-trained Patricksnineteenth won the Grade 1 Scilly Isles Novice Chase at Sandown. Continued success in England also seen him land a Cheltenham festival winner on the David Arbuthnot-trained Oscar Park in the Pertemps Handicap Hurdle in 2007. That summer Doyle returned home and proved a top class pilot who was used by a number of yards including Michael Bowe, Michael Hourigan, Oliver McKiernan etc. He partnered Trafford Lad to score for old boss Dusty Sheehy in the Grade 1 Barry And Sandra Kelly Memorial Novice Hurdle and also in the Grade 1 Drinmore Chase. Other top level successes include Oliver McKiernan's Follow The Plan in the Punchestown Gold Cup and Betfred Bowl Chase and Moon Dice in the Galway Hurdle for Paul Flynn.
