AFTER winning at Hamilton, Hawick jockey, Ryan Nichol, announced his retirement from the saddle.

The 25-year-old – whose younger brother Craig was champion conditional in 2015/16 – won the opening amateur riders’ handicap at the track on June 29.

He rode favourite, Donnachie’s Girl, for Hawick-based trainer, Alistair Whillans.

Ryan now plans to pursue a new career and will work for former jumps jockey, Paul Robson’s funeral director business in his hometown.

“It’s a little bit different,” admitted Ryan. “I’m getting older and have to move on.”

Ryan had a good year on the point-to-point circuit and has also ridden several winners under Rules.

He was delighted his last ride was a winning one. “I had to give her a squeeze as there was a horse coming, but she was never going to be headed, she was pricking her ears,” said the winning jockey.

“It’s a good point to go out and I’m very grateful to Alistair (Whillans) for the opportunities he gave me,” he concluded.

Iain Jardine, who also hails from Hawick, won the five-furlong handicap with 16-1 chance Desert Ace. The winner, with cheekpieces back on, made all under a well-judged ride by Tom Eaves.

Keith Dalgleish is also from the Borders town, but is now based near Carluke, and he completed an across-the-card double the same evening.

The handler won the concluding six-furlong handicap at Hamilton with Hee Haw and also saddled War Department to land the seven-furlong handicap on the all-weather at Newcastle the same evening.

In-form Irvine jockey, Danny Tudhope, notched up his third success in two days with a double at Carlisle on June 28.

He rode Elusive Beauty to win the Listed fillies stakes, before riding Showboating to a 9-1 victory in the one-mile handicap. The previous afternoon he had ridden Sunglider to a 4-1 win in the 1m 2f handicap at Beverley's track.

Keith Dalgleish continued his great form and he saddled Whatsthemessage to an 8-1 victory in the seven-furlong fillies’ handicap at Carlisle.

St Boswells-based owners, Paul and Clare Rooney, ended June with a winner when the Mark Johnston-trained Titi Makfi headed the fillies’ handicap at Chester, last Friday night.

Danny Tudhope was back in the winner’s enclosure after riding Justanotherbottle to victory at Doncaster on July 1, and added another success to his tally the following day at Pontefract, when Don Valentino won the six furlong stakes.

At Hamilton’s evening fixture on July 3, Hawick jockey Bruce Lynn rode Exotic Guest to win the opening amateur riders handicap.

Keith Dalgleish continued to be the in-form trainer when produced the winner in the concluding one-mile handicap, with 4-1 chance Amy Blair.