Cooper quits saddle

Profile: Liam Cooper

Jump jockey Liam Cooper has retired from riding on medical advice.

The 25-year-old had suffered recurring concussions and was warned by a specialist that another heavy fall could have brought irrevocable damage.

The Cumbrian-born Cooper had been attached to Jonjo O'Neill's yard and was the stable's second jockey behind champion rider Tony McCoy.

"When the specialist gave me his advice, it came as a shock - it's hard to take - but you have to look at the longer term," said Cooper.

"It used to take 24 or 48 hours to overcome a concussion, but they have been taking longer the more I have had.

"One more heavy fall and I could have been history."

Cooper revealed he had not yet made any plans for his future.

"I am going to take stock of everything and see what comes to me," he said.

Liam has been a very big cog in the wheel here and it is a real blow to lose him Jonjo O'Neill

"There is plenty of work to do here for Jonjo and he has said there will always be a position here for me."

Cooper's biggest success came when Intersky Falcon landed the Christmas Hurdle on Boxing Day last year.

He also won the Grade One John James McManus Memorial Hurdle at Tipperary and the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle on the same horse.

The jockey also had a terrific record over the Grand National fences, riding Clan Royal to victory in the Tote Becher Chase last November.

The same partnership were unlucky runners-up in this year's Grand National itself after Cooper lost his whip five fences out and the horse veered off a straight line on the run-in.

Cooper's background is steeped in racing - one of his uncles is David Goulding, a former top northern professional while another uncle, John, won the Scottish National on Astral Charmer before turning to training.

Cooper started by mucking out his uncle John's small stables and spent a year with Ian Balding before linking up with O'Neill.

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Hanbury began training more than 30 years ago

Classic-winning trainer Ben Hanbury will hand in his licence at the end of this year.

Hanbury, whose Midway Lady won the 1986 Oaks and 1,000 Guineas, said it was a "business decision" not to continue training.

The 58-year-old, whose principal owner was Sheikh Hamdan, recently sold his Newmarket stables to Stuart Williams.