Just a week after taking a few horses in work at Summerveld, 49 year old former SA Champion Jockey Anthony Delpech has announced that his riding career is officially over.
Anthony Delpech – won’t ride again (photo: hamishNIVENPhotography)
He had been sidelined since last April, after a severe fall in the SA Classic left him with a disc herniation and damaged spinal cord which required surgery.
There was also serious nerve damage, and his recovery has unsurprisingly been slow due to the severe nature of these injuries.
Although his excursion to the track went well and Anthony reported feeling strong, the euphoria was short-lived. Subsequent advice from his doctor spelled out that continuing to ride would aggravate his difficulties and leave him at risk of permanent damage. Therefore Anthony has taken the difficult decision to retire from the saddle on medical grounds.
