‘It’s time’ – popular owner-rider David Maxwell makes retirement decision

Owner and amateur jockey David Maxwell has been forced to retire from the saddle due to an injury picked up at Aintree in April.

Maxwell, who became a familiar sight on UK and French racecourses in recent years riding his own horses, fractured his back for a fourth time and at the age of 47 admits his healing powers are not what they once were.

He rode 75 winners under Rules in Britain, had a Grade Three victory in France – and “for two seconds” thought he was going to win the 2024 Grand National on the Henry de Bromhead-trained Ain’t That A Shame.

“I am 47, the bone is taking such a long time to heal and you feel those injuries more and more,” said Maxwell, whose horses currently trained in the UK are heading to the sales.

“I’m afraid it’s just time. I’ve been through all of the stages of grief this summer, denial, acceptance but it just time I’m afraid.

“I actively cannot watch other people ride my horses. I just can’t do it. When I told Josh Moore I was having to pack it in he said the hardest part of retiring he found was other people riding horses that were his rides and he was still training them.

“I’ll keep a couple on in France, but the ones here are going to the sales and I’ll probably buy some more after I’ve gone cold turkey for a bit and then I’ll buy some young ones I’d say.”

Looking back on his career Maxwell highlighted his ride on Ain’t That A Shame as his most memorable.

“I genuinely thought I was going to win crossing the Melling Road!” said Maxwell.

“I will never forget that moment for as long as I live. For two seconds I was thinking ‘I’m going to win’ but then I looked round and realised I wasn’t.

“That two seconds of thinking I was going to win, or being honest the whole thing, were just the best.”

He added: “The injury isn’t going to prevent me from doing anything, I could probably still ride if I was prepared to take the whacks, it’s more just the age I’m at, you just can’t keep abusing the body – in theory I do this for fun.

“I don’t think we’ve left too much on the table, I wasn’t going to be doing this when I was 50 so why did I need to eke out one more year.”