Injury forces Robert Thornton into retirement

Jockey Robert Thornton has revealed that he intends to look back on his career with "pride" after being forced to retire from horse racing through injury.

In April last year, Thornton suffered a fall at Chepstow, fracturing his vertebrae which has resulted in "Choc" spending the past 17 months on the sidelines.

He had hoped to make a return to the saddle, but "ongoing issues with his neck and upper limbs" have brought an end to his 20-year spell in the sport.

The 37-year-old is quoted by BBC Sport as saying: "I'm sad to be retiring, but I've had a career I can look back on with pride."

During a successful career, Thornton had 15 winners at the Cheltenham Festival, with one of his biggest victories coming on Katchit in the Champion Hurdle in 2008.