Top female jockey Miyashita retires

Nagoya — Hitomi Miyashita, who owns the Japanese record for the most victories by a female jockey, retired on Tuesday from professional horse racing, saying she feels no regrets.

The 34-year-old Miyashita spoke at a news conference held at the regional Nagoya Racecourse where she had trained.

"I've continued my career up until now because I love horses. I have no regrets," said Miyashita, who cited the International Lady Jockey Invitational, which she won atop Ima Firecracker at Busan Race Park in August 2009, as her most memorable race. "That was the first time I really pumped my fist for joy."

Miyashita debuted in October 1995. In July 2005, she matched the record of 351 victories held by Makiko Yoshioka, a former jockey who was active at the Masuda Racecourse in Shimane Prefecture.

Miyashita, who had been training in South Korea at Busan Race Park since 2009 before returning to Japan in April this year, has collected a total of 626 victories in regional Japanese races.

She made the decision to call time on her career after returning to Japan. Miyashita is currently three months' pregnant and said she looks forward to her new life with her child while also supporting her husband, jockey Nobuyuki Oyama, 42.

"I want to help my husband from now on and I will be happy if our child becomes a jockey," she said.

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