The greatest jockey recoveries of all time!

Features | 1st February 2019

On average, a jump jockey will fall from a horse once every 14 rides. So it is little wonder that many of them do everything they can to avoid hitting the deck.

However, some jockeys simply try that little bit harder to stay on their mounts!

17 year old Jack Kennedy “defies gravity” to recover

The rising star shows great composure and skill to stay on the horse Bilko who made a big mistake in failing to clear the hurdle. Kennedy keeps his balance during the stumble while shifting to the right position to then swing his right leg round, and continue as if nothing happened.

You may well hear much more about Kennedy – he already has over 100 career wins to his name!

Racing legend Ruby Walsh regains control and wins

The race looked in the bag for the 2-7 favourite, Killultagh Vic, with one fence to go but a poor landing saw Blair Perrone and Lord Scoundrel both pass.

That might have signalled the end for a lesser jockey, but Ruby Walsh showed all his experience and refused to panic at the final fence to power down the home straight and win, when even the commentator said “he’ll never recover from that”.

Trainer Willie Mullins said in the aftermath “that was extraordinary from both horse and rider”.

You’re not wrong, Willie!

Brilliant sportsmanship from Danny Mullins who helps rival Jody McGarvey to stay on board

Helping a competitor is something you rarely see in sport, but jockeys are a different breed of athlete to any other, as Danny Mullins displayed here.

Despite vying for position and having an enormous appetite to win, Mullins spots McGarvey in trouble and pulls him back into the saddle to save him from what seems a certain fall.

Jockeys are a close-knit bunch, despite the competition.

Over in New Zealand, jockey Aaron Kuru falls, remounts and goes on to win!

Jockey Aaron Kuru, gets dropped off the horse only to remount and go on to win, an incredible riding feat.

The shear determination after falling at the first to get back up and go on and win is testament to the jockeys’ winning mentality.

Davy Russell in the middle of the pact makes “one of the recoveries of all time”

Leading Irish jockey Russell – riding the grey in the middle – is experienced enough to have seen it all in racing, but even he must have been amazed at his own powers of recovery here.

As his mount clatters in to the top of the fence, Russell seems destined to be chucked off the side of the horse, yet maintains his balance, using his core and leg strength to haul himself back into the saddle.

One fan tweeted “Davy Russell take a bow son. I take my hat off to you sir!”

Jockey handles two stumbles in a row

This clip shows the willingness and determination of jockeys to carry on and keep pushing no matter what, despite a poor performing or misbehaving horse. The commentating quite rightly adding “it’s rodeo stuff!”

 

From across the pond, Rajiv Maragh stays on despite a horrible start by Cool Samurai

To the flat racing, where Maragh shows the ability to stay relaxed and cool under pressure when his horse almost falls over when exiting the stalls. He reacts quickly to compensate by leaning back too far. Despite the near miss, Maragh shows determination to chase the front pack down.

One thing all of these jockeys have in common will be their immense core strength which has allowed them to make the recoveries. Take a look at what they eat to help them maintain this with our Jockey Diets.