Injury forces Kirsty Milczarek retirement

A neck injury has forced jockey Kirsty Milczarek to retire at the age of 29.

The Newmarket-based rider suffered the problem at Brighton racecourse last year when she hit her head on the stalls.

Despite having undergone a lengthy surgical procedure in a bid to return to the sport, Milczarek has been advised that another fall could leave her paralysed.

"To be told your career has ended was shocking. I guess deep down there was always a possibility that I would never be able to race-ride again but I always pushed those thoughts to the back of my mind," she told GBI Racing.

"It's a unique injury and there just isn't the medical history to know exactly what processes to go through. I am still in a reasonable amount of pain and I have a persistent ache in my neck. Doctor Hill, who has been fantastic, told me that I if I had a fall in a race, there is a chance I could be paralysed."

Milczarek, who successfully overturned a two-year ban for corruption in 2012, made her racing debut 10 years ago.