Champion jockey announces shock retirement aged 22 and says ‘I lost the war’

CHAMPION conditional jockey Luca Morgan has quit the sport aged 22 saying he finally ‘lost the war’ with the scales.

Morgan was crowned the best rookie jumps jockey in the country last April after hammering nearest rival Harry Kimber.

PA

Morgan has quit racing just seven months after being crowned champion conditional[/caption]

But just seven months later he has announced his shock retirement – saying the daily grind against making weight had taken its toll.

He wrote on Twitter: “A say but today my dream since I was very small and my career since I was 16 comes to an end.

“It’s been an amazing journey that I’ve loved every second of.

“I’ve had a war with the scales since I started and it’s time to do what’s right for me and my body.

“What Ben Pauling, Sophie and all the brilliant owners and team have done for me has been unbelievable and I am indebted to them completely.

“I lived my dream and I will always be proud of what I achieved.”

Morgan banged in 91 winners from 606 career rides while his biggest success was a Listed win on Fiercely Proud in a bumper at Cheltenham back in January.

He won £934,206 in prize money and only returned to the saddle at the end of last month after a summer off.

His best season came in 2022-23 when he recorded 46 winners and well over £500,000 in prize money.

Morgan looked set to follow in the footsteps of AP McCoy, Richard Johnson, Harry Cobden and more after being crowned champion conditional.

Winning the presitgious award is usually seen as a stepping stone to greatness.

But the tolls of constant dieting to make weight can quickly take their toll.

At least Morgan was able to show his funny side when the going got tough.

He joked he was a ‘bloody crook’ after falling off a horse right before the line in a race at Uttoxeter last July.