Andrew Tinkler rode more than 400 winners, tackled seven Grand Nationals, and gave years of loyal service to Nicky Henderson. He bowed out at Fontwell in 2019 and has since switched codes to become an integral part of William Haggas’s team — bringing jump‑jockey grit to one of the most polished Flat operations in the land. Georgia Cox put the questions to Andrew for the IJF.
“How did you know it was the right moment to call time on your career in the saddle?”
“I wasn’t doing quite as well as I wanted, and I’d invested quite heavily with Charlie and Fran Poste in the point‑to‑pointers. Pure bad luck meant that when Covid hit, point‑to‑pointing was deemed a non‑professional sport. So while the wheels were back in motion under Rules, point‑to‑pointing came to a halt. The investments didn’t go completely down the swanny, but they didn’t have the legs I’d stopped riding for, and they weren’t going to support me in the way I’d hoped. As I say, I wasn’t doing quite as well, so I couldn’t wait to get off the rollercoaster at the time. But when I did stop, life stood far too still. When you retire as a jump jockey, you’re relatively young, and I hated the word “retire,” because you’re a long way off drawing your pension yet”.
“How did the move to Newmarket come about?”
“I’d ridden a few bumper horses for David Elsworth, and at the time we’d moved to North Hampshire, so Newmarket was a commutable distance. I rang David and said, “Can I come and ride out a couple of mornings?” He said, “No, I haven’t got enough horses and I can’t pay you enough. If you’re going to ride out for anyone, call William Haggas.” The next morning I was at Somerville Lodge, and from day one it clicked. The whole operation fascinated me, and I knew it was something I was, from then on, engrossed by. What was meant to be a week turned into a summer stint — and now that’s turned into three and a half years. It’s also where I’ve met one of my best mates, Michael Hills. He likes winning gallops, I know when he’s going to cut the corner off and I don’t mind getting beaten half a length, so we’re a good combination. My role at William’s now is one I wouldn’t swap for the world”.
“You were born into a Malton racing family and shaped on northern schooling grounds. Now you’re in the bustle of Newmarket — how different has that shift been?”
“I always love going back to Yorkshire — it’s where my roots are. I still go back every now and again to see Uncle Nigel. Quite recently he asked me to gallop a few but didn’t tell me their ratings or the trips they ran over. Then he asked me, “What’s the first one?” I said, “Nice horse, feels fast,” and it turned out I got that right”.
Then the second one — I said, “That’s alright, probably wants a mile and is rated about mid‑80s,” and he replied, “Okay, 55 is alright then, is it?” That made me chuckle.
Newmarket — I love it here. The atmosphere and the feeling around the place, even when you get to the Craven meeting and then it rolls into all the festivals. Now I get my adrenaline kicks from riding very good horses in work, and I get a lot of fulfilment and satisfaction from seeing them do well on the racecourse”.
“What’s the biggest difference between the rhythm of a jumps yard and the precision of a top Flat operation?”
“I think riding work on the Flat is much more intense. I really wish I’d spent a summer here mid‑career, because it definitely strengthened my tactical awareness and timing, and I genuinely feel it’s made me a better rider. I’d strongly encourage any young jockey wanting to sharpen their skills to spend time in a top Flat yard during the summer — you can only benefit from it”.
“We often speak about what the IJF does for those riding and injured, but what does it do for you?”
“As a jockey you always knew they were there, and their support was only a phone call away — which, as a self‑employed person, is a massive comfort and genuinely heart‑warming. But even now I’ve stopped riding, I’ve felt the benefits from the IJF even more, as you’ve got more time to use the facilities, have a cup of tea, watch the racing, have a chat with people”.
“You’ve got every generation of the sport coming through the same corridors — today’s riders, the fully retired who still rely on the IJF, and the kids just starting out — all at different stages of the same journey. There’s a real sense of community in that?”
“I think to come into the IJF’s Peter O’Sullevan House, Newmarket and see the likes of Billy Loughnane, Jonny Peate and Callum Shepherd working hard. They never think they’ve “made it” — they’re always grafting. That’s inspirational, and it’s important for the younger lads to see that the people they look up to are working hard. It’s a really healthy environment, a place I genuinely look forward to coming to and I feel so much better for being here. It’s a hive of activity. The spirit of the place is brilliant — they put a lot on and go the extra mile. It’s a really special place”.
“What’s your best tip for Cheltenham?”
“Be Aware in the Grand Annual”.
“And a horse to follow for the season?”
“Nigel’s horse — shame he never told me the name! All joking aside, Saber Strike is one of many to look forward to”.
Georgia Cox writing for the Injured Jockeys Fund
|