Racing’s nice guy and Group 1 jockey Michael Cahill to retire on Saturday

Michael Cahill has been riding since Melbourne Cup day 1980 but the five-time Group 1 winning jockey and racing nice guy will take his final rides on Saturday.

Retiring jockey legend Michael Cahill, pictured in 2013 after what he says was his best big race ride, scoring the Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic aboard Real Surreal. Picture: Darren England

Malcolm Fraser was Australian Prime Minister, Jimmy Carter was US president and it was the day that Beldale Ball won the Melbourne Cup.

It was also the day that a 15-year-old kid from country New South Wales rode his first winner, saluting on mare Lady Swan at Orange.

Fast forward 45 years and Michael Cahill, a five-time Group 1-winning jockey and one of the good guys of Australian racing, will take his last race rides at the Gold Coast on Saturday.

The 6o-year-old, who won the 2005 Stradbroke Handicap on St Basil and also has a pair of Group 1 Doomben 10,000 wins to his name including one on Falvelon, had always been planning to retire in 2025.

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But his retirement has come slightly earlier than he foresaw, with Racing Queensland keen for him to immediately start a new job as a coach and mentor of the next wave of promising young apprentice jockeys.

Asked to nominate the highlights of his long and distinguished jockey career, Cahill didn’t take long to ponder.

True to the character of one of the nicest blokes in racing, he didn’t nominate any of his Group 1 wins.

Michael Cahill high fives the crowd on St Basil after winning the 2005 Stradbroke Handicap.

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“The Wellington Boot is the biggest two year old race in country NSW and I won it in 1994 for my father Ossie on a filly called Life Begins, that holds a special place in my heart,” Cahill said.

“Dad was a trainer and he had been a successful country jockey and my brother and I were both apprenticed to him.

“The other race that stands out for me is winning the Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic on Real Surreal in 2013.

“It meant a lot to me because I regard the Gold Coast as my home track and it was probably my best ride in a big race.

“Everyone wants to talk about Group 1s and they are good too.

“At the end of the day, they are great to win, but they are still a horse race.

“Sometimes it doesn’t have to be a Group 1 win to get a big thrill or a sense of achievement out of it.

“Don’t get me wrong, winning the Stradbroke Handicap was great, that’s Queensland iconic race.

“And winning two Doomben 10,000s was pretty good too.

“I rode my first winner when I was still at school, on Melbourne Cup day 1980.

“I remember quite clearly she was the first horse I rode at trackwork, she was the first horse I rode in a barrier trial and she was my first winner.

“I think I won about eight races on her, she was a pretty good country mare.”

Michael Cahill after winning the 2013 Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic on Real Surreal.

Cahill, who moved from NSW to Queensland in 1995, says he has been “semi-retired” since making the decision 18 months ago to ride at his local Gold Coast track on Saturdays rather than in the metropolitan Saturday scene in Brisbane.

He got a taste of his new job with Racing Queensland this week and said he can’t wait to impart his knowledge on the next crop of young riders and help them with their skills.

The Michael Cahill name will disappear from race books after this Saturday, but there is a chance another Cahill could be seen in the riding scene in Queensland in coming years.

Cahill’s 15-year-old son Harry is keen to follow in his father’s jockey footsteps.

Michael Cahill, the champion jockey who will retire on Saturday, rides a winner recently at Murwillumbah recently. Picture: Grant Peters / Trackside Photography.

“Harry is passionate and he wants to do it, it’s in his blood, so if he wants to do it then I will support him as much as I can,” Cahill said.

“He strapped his first horse last Sunday at Murwillumbah and is about to start riding track work.”

Apart from his success in Australia, Cahill has ridden overseas including in Hong Kong, Singapore, Macau and the UK.

He will be honoured by the club and participants at the Gold Coast Turf Club on Saturday.

Originally published as Racing’s nice guy and Group 1 jockey Michael Cahill to retire on Saturday