MIKE de Kock, saddened by the news of Anthony Delpech having to retire this week, has paid tribute to his 49-year-old former stable jockey.

Mike commented on Friday: “Anthony and I had much success together, he won three July’s, a Met and a Triple Crown for me, and many other Gr1 races.

“When Anthony was injured and not riding for the stable it was a big loss to us. As so often happens in life, one realises and appreciates the value of individuals and their expertise when you lose them. His big-race experience and professionalism is being missed by Mike de Kock racing and I’m sure also by Mary Slack who had built up a good relationship with him before his injury.

De Kock and Delpech, formidable strike force.

“Many of us forget that being a jockey is a dangerous profession. One knows that you have a dangerous job when you are followed by an ambulance while you are doing it, this speaks for itself!

“There are many armchair critics of jockeys (as we’ve seen of late), and I’ve also been one in my time, but one forgets that they are sitting on a 500-plus kg animal with its own mind travelling at 60km an hour, controlling them is already almost a miraculous act.

“As we’ve seen with Anthony, and other jockeys injured in recent times, they are always just one fall away from retirement. They’re always on the edge of danger.

“I think Anthony should look back at what he has achieved, instead of looking ahead in time to what he will be missing. He is still young, he is still healthy and has a lot to offer the game, I hope that racing won’t lose his expertise.  I trust we’ll see a lot of him in future.

“We wish Anthony, Candice and their family well, it won’t be easy given what has happened, but I am sure he will get through this.”