Barrow-Born Jockey Charlotte Jones Retires After Fairytale Final Win at Cartmel
Barrow-born jockey Charlotte Jones has retired from racing after ending her career in perfect fashion with a winner at Cartmel Racecourse.
Jones, 31, announced her retirement after riding Zumbi to victory at the Cumbrian track on Wednesday, May 27, 2026.
The win brought the curtain down on a successful career in the saddle. She retires with 86 career winners, including 38 at Cartmel.
For a local jockey who built much of her career in Cumbria, it was a fitting place to say goodbye.
Final Ride Ends in Victory
Jones partnered Zumbi in a handicap chase at Cartmel and guided the horse to victory in what became her final ride.
The win was especially meaningful because Cartmel has played such a major role in her career.
It was the track where she had her first ride, her first winner, her first ride over fences and where she later rode out her claim.
After the race, Jones confirmed she was retiring from the saddle with immediate effect.
Her final win gave the moment a fairytale ending and brought an emotional response from those connected to the yard and the racecourse.
From Barrow to the Racing World
Jones was born in Barrow-in-Furness and did not come from a racing background.
Although she had ridden horses from a young age, she did not sit on a racehorse until she was 20.
Her path into racing began when she joined trainer Jimmy Moffatt’s Cartmel yard on work experience while studying equine science in 2015.
From there, she worked her way into the sport and became one of the most recognisable female jump jockeys in British racing.
Her rise was built on hard work, technical skill and a strong partnership with Moffatt’s yard.
Long Partnership With Jimmy Moffatt
Much of Jones’s career was closely linked with Cartmel trainer Jimmy Moffatt.
Almost all of her winners came for the Moffatt yard, and the partnership became one of the best-known local racing stories in Cumbria.
Moffatt has described her retirement as the “end of an era” for the yard.
He paid tribute to her work ethic, talent and determination, noting that she came into racing without the background many jockeys have.
Jones’s final success on Zumbi was also for Moffatt, making the closing chapter even more fitting.
Career Highlights
Jones retires with several major achievements to her name.
Her first winner came at Cartmel in 2017 on Lough Kent. She later rode out her claim at the same track with a double in 2024.
One of her strongest seasons came in 2022-23, when she rode 23 winners.
She also enjoyed notable success at Aintree, including a valuable handicap hurdle win on Bingoo.
Another famous moment came at Newcastle in 2021, when she rode The Steward to a remarkable wide-margin victory.
That race became hugely popular online and helped bring Jones wider attention beyond regular racing fans.
Why She Has Decided to Retire
Jones has said the timing felt right.
She has spoken about wanting to leave the saddle while she still felt wanted and respected as a jockey.
She has also dealt with a back injury, which made her think seriously about her long-term health and future.
The decision does not appear to mean she is leaving racing completely.
Jones has suggested she may look towards training in the future, with plans to work with pre-training horses and point-to-pointers before considering a full training licence.
A Role Model for Young Riders
Jones’s career stands out because she built it without the advantages of a racing family background.
That makes her story especially important for young riders who may not see a clear route into the sport.
She showed that it is possible to start later than many others, learn the racing world through hard work, and still reach a high level.
Her achievements at Cartmel also helped shine a light on Cumbrian racing.
For many local fans, she became a familiar and popular name at the track.
A Fitting Farewell at Cartmel
Retiring after a winner is rare in racing.
For Jones, doing so at Cartmel made the moment even more special.
The course was central to her journey, from her early rides to some of her proudest professional achievements.
Her final race now becomes another important moment in that story.
Jones leaves the saddle as one of Cumbria’s most successful racing figures, with a career built on local roots, resilience and a strong bond with one of the county’s best-known racing yards.
Her final ride gave supporters the ending every jockey would hope for: one last winner, at the track that helped define her career.
