‘It Has Felt Like Forever’ – Irish Jockey Eddie Ahern, 45, Begins Riding Work After Serving 10-Year Ban

Professional Irish jockey and former champion apprentice Eddie Ahern is returning to the sport after a ten-year-long ban. Ahern was gone from the racing arena for a decade, but now he is ready to make his mark again.

The forty-five-year-old jockey was serving a 10-year ban placed on him by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA). His ban ended in May, and since then, he has been exploring all his options. He will restart his riding career for William Haggas. But several challenges ahead of the jockey will make his return quite difficult.

The Challenges Surrounding His Return

Last year in May, the Tipperary native suffered a serious leg injury. The rejection of a nail incision further aggravated his injury, leading to an infection in his broken leg. He had to undergo several days of hospitalization. This led to a lengthy recovery process, during which Ahern could feel his hope of returning to the life of a jockey slowly slipping away. While Ahern has made significant progress in his rehabilitation, he is still not sure if he can make a comeback anytime soon. Though the 45-year-old rode work on Saturday morning for the first time, he has not announced his return yet.

There are also concerns about whether his leg will be able to withstand the demands of professional riding again. He still has “a bit of a limp” and cannot even run properly. In an interview, the ace jockey shared the story of his recovery saying “It Has Felt Like Forever”. He started eating a healthy diet and weighed himself regularly to make sure he was getting back in shape. He is still overweight, and with the limp, he says it would be impossible to run three miles. But he has not lost his optimism and still trusts that he will surely get rid of his “dad-bod”.

Ahern’s Determination To Overcome The Challenges

The BHA had found Ahern guilty of three offenses. They charged him with conspiring to commit fraud, purposefully failing to ensure a horse, Judgethemoment, was ridden fairly at Lingfield in January 2011, and relaying confidential information in exchange for a reward. Ahern confessed later that he thought “the punishment was harsh.” Now that he has served his suspension, he wants to get back to racing. It has been his lifelong passion, and he has really missed being on the saddle.

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Ahern and his partner, accomplished showjumper Holly Smith, have leased a yard in Leicestershire. Smith is currently in the process of rebuilding her collection, and the Irish star has been training the horses. He hopes to continue the business on the side while pursuing his own racing career. Ahern, also known as “Betfair Eddie”, thanked Haggas for giving him the opportunity to prove himself again. But he is aware of the fact that his lack of training, bad leg, and time away from the racing world may pose challenges. Also, his age may not permit him to compete at the same level as before. The jockey knows this in his heart and calls it “a young man’s game”. Nevertheless, Ahern remains determined to “get back into riding racehorses.”

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