01 December 2009 Former champ Rachael Green retires
by Carolyn Tanner
RACHAEL GREEN: aboard Rye Brook, her final winner
photo: Tim Holt
One of the country's top lady riders, Rachael Green, who was national champion in 2006, has retired from riding between the flags.
Her final tally of 117 Point-to-Point winners has been bettered, since records began, by only 13 women. Her initial victory came in 2002 at Ston Easton on Ski Seal, trained by her partner Anthony Honeyball's mother Sue.
At that time, Rachael was working for Robert Alner, but more recently she was head girl at Richard Barber's yard, a position she gave up earlier this year in order to help Anthony, who holds a full licence.
"I've ridden some really nice horses," she said, naming the prolific Rimpton Boy as a special favourite, "but if I wasn't going to ride for Richard I didn't want to ride at all." And she was quick to stress the support she had received from the trainer and all his owners.
She has also recorded 14 successes under Rules, and has not completely ruled out the possibility of riding some of Anthony's charges in the future.
Like many retired riders, she admits she will probably find it hard to watch the sport in which she was involved, but should still be an occasional racegoer. "I'll still go Pointing if time allows," she smiled, "even though I'll now have to pay to get in!"
