Joanna Morgan© Photo Healy Racing
Pioneering female rider and trainer Joanna Morgan hopes to stay in racing in some capacity after she announced she is to give up her licence.
The County Meath-based handler is looking to go out on a high in her own inimitable way by having her last runner, Duchess Andorra, in the snow at St Moritz next month.
Morgan, 61, broke new ground in her lifetime in racing. She was the first woman to ride in an Irish Classic when piloting Riot Helmet in the 1976 Irish Derby and was the first to be placed in one when she was third on El Cito in the Irish St Leger in 1980.
She rode a winner on every continent, was the first woman to ride at Royal Ascot and trained a winner at the big meeting when Roca Tumu landed the Britannia Handicap in 2013.
After riding more than 200 winners, she decided to concentrate on training in 1997. Probably the best horse she trained was the speedster One Won One, winner of the Group Three Phoenix Sprint Stakes in 2002.
"I'm giving it up for no real reason except that my heart wasn't in it. I don't know why. You have to be so passionate and it's such a commitment," she said.
"I just felt I couldn't tackle it for another season. Having said that, I've never had as good as owners or a nicer bunch of horses going into next year, but I just couldn't hack it.
"My last runner will be Duchess Andorra at St Moritz on February 22. That will be something to look forward to. We're all going so hopefully she might win. I'll have her in two races - a Listed race over six and a half furlongs and a mile race.
"It will be great. The owner's very game and it will be fun.
"I'd hope I'd get some sort of a gig doing something to keep myself busy. Something not quite as full on. I can't vegetate altogether."
She reflected on her long career as a rider and a trainer.
"One Won One was a great horse and took us all over the world to Dubai, Hong Kong, the States. He ran until he was 11 and won 12 races," she said.
"San Sicharia was one of the good fillies we had. She won a Group Three (Chartwell Fillies' Stakes) in Lingfield (in 2009).
"I had a winner in every continent as a jockey. I rode a winner in Kenya very early on in my career. I had winners in America, Japan, Dubai and Australia as well. In Dubai they used to race on a camel track. It was great experience.
"At that time it was an extraordinary thing for a woman to ride in Classics and at Royal Ascot. It's moved on since those days and there's definitely a place for women riders."
