Following the passing of former jockey and trainer Shaun Keightley at the age of 62, racing has been rocked by grief, know his cause of death
Numerous others paid tribute to the Cheltenham Festival champion horseman, describing his passing as “tragic.”
Ex-Jockey And Horse Trainer Shaun Keightley Cause Of Death, Obituary, Age, Family, Career
Career summary
Shaun Keightley, former jockey and trainer has passed. May he rest in peace. #RogersPrincess https://t.co/YOr83RH3mv pic.twitter.com/wDqKPLKmrU
— Gary Kelly (@maxcouch) December 24, 2022
RIP Mr Shaun Keightley #rogersprincess pic.twitter.com/6sGwVBkB9Q
— History of Horse Racing (@horsevault) December 24, 2022
More than 200 winners were ridden by Keightley over jumps and the Flat. However, some people may remember him most for his contentious suspension from the sport in 2005. After the Red Lancer race at Wolverhampton in October 2003, Keightley received a three-year suspension and a two-year licence application prohibition. His cause of death is not known yet.
62 year old Keightley was the only trainer to receive a warning off the course following an incident in 20 years. He was found guilty of infringing five regulations, including telling jockey Pat McCabe to “ride Red Lancer in such a way as to ensure that it would lose and/or not be placed” rather than on the merits of the horse. That may have clouded an otherwise incredibly successful racing career, which included victories up until the previous year.
The peak may have occurred in 1989. At the Cheltenham Festival in March of that year, he rode Rogers Princess to victory in the Coral Golden Hurdle Final. Three months later, he and Weldnaas took first place in the Listed John Of Gaunt Stakes on the Flat at Haydock. Over two seasons before and after the prohibition, he trained around 50 winners from his stall close to Newmarket.
Tributes flooded in after his tragic death
Having won 25 races for Keightley, Josephine Gordon acknowledged her sorrow over his departure. She stated to the Racing Post: “It makes me sad. He was a beloved and well-respected individual who excelled as both a jockey and a horseman. We will miss him.”
Even as his sickness took its toll, former Newcastle Star turned trainer Mick Quinn noted, “He was always looking on the bright side of life.” Darryll Holland, a trainer, added: “I don’t believe he expressed how unwell he was, and I had only recently texted him. It’s terrible.”