Jockey Walter Swinburn has announced his retirement. The 38year-old told his fellow jockeys of his decision after riding at Kempton on Saturday.
'He rode at Kempton and went into the jockeys' changing room and said `that's it, I'm not riding again' and he rang me this morning and told me that he was packing up,' said his agent John Hanmer.
'I think it's basically the weight. He was riding well and he had plenty of rides.'
Swinburn had ridden five winners since his return at Wolverhampton last month. He had taken a break from race-riding in August 1998 after having recurring problems with his weight and the three-times Derby winning jockey only returned when he believed the time was right.
He had done plenty of riding out at Jeremy Noseda's stables in Newmarket and had been over to Aidan O'Brien's yard at Ballydoyle.
When asked what Swinburn had planned Hanmer replied: 'Nothing for the time being. I think that's it. I was quite surprised but not totally surprised because he's done it twice before.
'It had gone so well, but there it is.'
