JOCKEY FINDS NEW CALLING

Dual Caulfield Cup-winning jockey Nick Hall will be back at the races next seasonworking as a barrier attendant.

The 36-year-old spent three years living in obscurity in India and Costa Rica but has worked on the racing fringes the past 18 months, with forays into breeding, industry skills training and most recently working as a track rider for Anthony and Sam Freedman.

The nine-time Group 1 winner, who retired in 2018 with weight and hip issues, has worked three jump-out mornings behind the barriers as part of the traineeship.

“I’ve had a few people (trainers and jockeys) have a second look when they see me leading horses around, it’s good, it’s nice,” Hall told Racenet.

“I really have enjoyed the barriers, I think that’s the right spot for me actually, let’s hope so. It’s always hard to try and find what you’re going to do after, I guess, but it’s been good.”

Hall, son of champion jockey and 1992 Melbourne Cup winner Greg Hall, rode 742 winners.His biggest wins included the Caulfield Cup twice, Fawkner (2013) and Jameka (2016), and the Blue Diamond Stakes (Star Witness) and Australian Cup (Zipping) in 2010.