Grade 1-winning jockey, Dungarvan’s Niall Houlihan has brought his riding career to an early end at just 25, telling the Racing Post he feels “blessed” to have lived his dream in the saddle and is determined to look ahead with optimism.

Houlihan’s biggest day in the sport came aboard Editeur Du Gite in the 2023 Clarence House Chase, but his career was curtailed after a fall at Fontwell in April left him unconscious.

Subsequent medical examinations revealed issues that led specialists to insist he should not ride again, bringing an abrupt conclusion to his seven-year spell as a professional.

Reflecting on the diagnosis, Houlihan explained:

“Fontwell was the fifth or sixth time I’d been knocked out or suffered a concussion, so Jerry Hill decided to send me for an MRI scan on the brain. I went into London at the start of May and the scan showed some irregularities. It was all gibberish to me but I went to see a neurologist who explained that while the tests showed my brain still worked fine and normal, which I was very thankful for, he felt it wasn’t safe for me to ride competitively anymore. I went for a second and third opinion and again they said that while there was no impact to the normal pathways of how I think and use my brain, they feared the repercussions of another bad fall. Ultimately the risks going forward were too great and Dr Hill directed that my licence would not be renewed, forcing me into retirement.”

Born in Dungarvan, Houlihan moved to Britain in 2018 to join Gary Moore’s yard in West Sussex. His very first ride for the stable yielded a winner -Eragon De Chanay at Sandown – and over the years he notched up exactly 100 victories. Among them were two Desert Orchid Chase wins on Editeur Du Gite, plus the unique distinction of being the only jockey to guide Moore’s star Goshen to success over fences.

Looking back on his journey, Houlihan said: “I still think I’ve massively overachieved. When I left Ireland at 18 I weighed 11 stone and it wasn’t a guarantee that I’d be a jockey. I thought I’d give it one year and if it wasn’t working out I had a university course in Ireland to take on. Thankfully in the first season I had seven winners and it took off nicely. The entire Moore family took me under their wing and gave me a lot of opportunities. There’s been some great days and hopefully I paid them back. I’m grateful for what they’ve done for me and I’ve also received great support from my uncle Pat [Phelan], who trains in Epsom, and local trainers Nick Gifford, Richard Rowe, Andy Irvine and Sheena West.”

Although no longer able to race-ride, Houlihan will stay involved at Cisswood Stables with Gary and Josh Moore while considering future avenues within the industry.

“When I left Ireland my main aim was to be successful in racing and the aim is still the same,” he said. “I might be down but I’m not out. I’ve been to a few sales over the summer and love the breeding side of the industry. Beyond that I love riding out young horses and whatever I do I want to do it properly. It’s a bonus if I can make a living out of it.”

For the latest Waterford News and Sport, tune into WLR News on the hour and download the WLR App for news on demand.