Jim Crowley reaches incredible 2000 British winners landmark

News | 30^th August 2020

Jim Crowley secured his 2,000^th career victory in Britain with Modmin at Goodwood Racecourse today, becoming only the fifth current flat jockey to reach the milestone.

Jim Crowley joins fellow flat racing weighing room colleagues, Frankie Dettori, Ryan Moore, Joe Fanning and Jamie Spencer to have achieved 2,000 British victories, combining his wins over jumps and flat.

Crowley had won four races back to back at York racecourse on Friday 21^st August to take him within in two wins of the landmark.

The wins included a second Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes on the fastest horse on the planet, Battaash, and another Group success on Enbihaar in the Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup.

He picked up another winner yesterday at Newmarket on Zahartty to move within one of 2000 before Modmin delivered at his local track.

👏🏻 Winner no. 2️⃣0️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ in Britain for @JimCrowley1978

A magnificent landmark reached by the jockey as he steers @tregoningracing's Modmin to an impressive victory at @Goodwood_Races

Results & free replays ➡ https://t.co/sBcsavpOzF pic.twitter.com/BpJZJ0Qyav
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 30, 2020

On reaching the landmark, West Sussex-based Crowley, said: “I never dreamed of riding this amount of winners in my career, but it’s fantastic to have done so and to be joining some racing greats in reaching the landmark.

“When I started off as a Jump Jockey, particularly when I was with Sue and Harvey Smith in Yorkshire, it was magic up there and I learned so much from them and was such a good time in my life”

“But at the same time I never in a million years thought I would end up being Champion Jockey and then going on to ride 2,000 winners.”

On his decision to switch codes and turn to flat racing in 2006, Jim said: “It was such a big decision. I never really got to the heights I wanted to over jumps, I kept getting injured and had my collarbone removed after breaking it for the tenth or eleventh time.”

“I was lucky to have my sister-in-law in Amanda Perrett who had some great horses and showed me fantastic support, as did other trainers and owners.”

“I’ve then gone on to win some fantastic races, most notably the Juddmonte International and Coral Eclipse with Ulysses and all of the wins with Battaash. It has been a great journey and long may it continue. I’m still hungry and want to ride in and win as many races as I can.”

Jim Crowley, who is number one jockey to Sheikh Hamdan al-Maktoum, has enjoyed the most success with trainers Ralph Beckett (224) for whom in the past he was retained jockey, and sister-in-law Amanda Perrett (140).

Angus Gold, Racing Manager to Sheikh Hamdan al-Maktoum, said: “Reaching 2,000 winners is an unbelievable achievement for Jim, and even more unique in that it has come over both jumps and flat.”

“He has been fantastic for us over the last four years or so and we have shared many great days as a team.”

“He’s everything we wanted in a stable jockey, and you’d have to say in terms of highlights, the ones that stand out most recently are obviously the superb wins with Mohaather and Battaash.”

“But as an example of just how good of a jockey Jim is, was a win at Wolverhampton the other week with Daheer who is trained by Owen Burrows.”

“He is considered a very ordinary horse but the way Jim rode him to victory was fantastic, and proves it’s not just about the big occasions and why having a stable jockey in Jim is so important to us.”

“He’s such a good guy to work with, a very knowledgeable jockey with a great racing brain, who is very thorough in his work and a joy to be around.”

Amanda Perrett commented: “It is a remarkable achievement. From his days on the jumps he has shown tremendous hard work and dedication, which is paying off now. He is a world-class jockey and we are all very proud of him.”

The win with Modmin marked his 77^th success at Goodwood Racecourse, with his highest performing tracks to date being Kempton Park (324) and Lingfield Park (302).

Jim Crowley was crowned 2016 Champion Flat Jockey following a total of 148 wins that season and has claimed 128 Group & Listed victories amongst the 2,000.

Most recently enjoying a fourth successive Group 2 King George Qatar Stakes and second successive Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes with superstar sprinter, Battaash.

Crowley began his career as a jump jockey with 253 of the 2,000 wins coming over jumps, most notably victory in the Grade 3 Sandown Handicap Hurdle with Ungaro.

In total, Crowley has earned over £27 million in prize money for connections of the horses he has ridden.