Respected Group One-winning Perth jockey, Peter Knuckey, has officially retired, marking the end of a storied career that spanned three decades and produced nearly 2,000 winners.

Knuckey, 50, who first gained national attention after winning the Perth Cup as an apprentice, rode his final race at Geraldton last December. While retirement arrived earlier than he initially planned, health issues prompted Knuckey to make the decision to step away from the saddle.

Reflecting on his illustrious career, Knuckey expressed immense pride. "It’s time to move on," he said to The Races WA. "It’s been pretty good for 30 plus years. It never felt like a real job. That’s the part I’m going to miss most, the banter at the track. But, you can’t do it forever and I’ve still got my health to consider. I have my family to think about, who have supported me all the way. Mum, my brother, Will, and my two beautiful girls, Lizzie and Helena. I couldn’t have done it without their love and support."

Knuckey leaves behind a legacy as one of Western Australia's most talented and accomplished jockeys. Throughout his career, he won 1,923 races and achieved 3,853 placings from 19,297 starts. His natural lightweight allowed him to claim one Group 1 success, 13 Group 2 wins, 20 Group 3 victories, and 92 Listed races. Knuckey also enjoyed success in Melbourne and internationally, notably winning the Group 2 Memsie Stakes at Caulfield with Island Morn and the Group 3 Stayers Stakes in Singapore with The Hornet.

In 1993, Knuckey was named Perth’s Champion Rider and Leading Apprentice in both 1992 and 1993. His career peaked with a Group 1 victory on Old Nick in the Fruit 'N' Veg Stakes, now known as the Northerly Stakes, and he became a household name after winning the Perth Cup on Field Officer in 1993. This victory was particularly special as it mirrored the achievements of his father, Peter Sr., who won the Perth Cup aboard Azennis in 1950 and Beau Scot in 1954.

Over his career, Knuckey amassed 126 stakes races wins, but he regards winning the Perth Cup as an apprentice as his career highlight. "Of course it is," Knuckey said. "I can still remember that race from the time we jumped out of the gates. I was 18, it’s our best race and the crowds were huge those days. Everyone remembers the Perth Cup."

Knuckey's impressive list of major Perth wins includes three Karrakatta Plates, three WA Sires, an Asian Beau, a Champions Fillies, a Ted Van Heemst Stakes, a Winterbottom, and a Lee Steere Stakes. Despite these accolades, one race eluded him. "I wanted to win a Railway (Stakes)," Knuckey admitted. "I’ve run three seconds and at some stages of the home straight they all looked like they were going to win. I remember saying to my nanna if I win a Railway I would retire the next day and be happy. Comfort Me finished second twice and ran his heart out. Platinum Rocker was another nice horse for Simon Miller."

Among the top Perth horses led to victory by Knuckey were Field Officer, Old Nick, Whispering Brook, Power Princess, Diffraction Platinum Rocker, Roman Time, Fabergino, and Baby Paris. When asked to nominate his favorite all-time horse, Knuckey chose a chestnut gelding trained by John Price. "Arctic Park won 17 races and I won 15 of them," Knuckey said. "I missed his first ride when I was suspended. That’s the most I’ve ever won on a horse. Whispering Brook won five in a row, she was a star two-year-old and a good one."

Knuckey credited loyalty from long-serving trainers such as Adam Durrant, Simon Miller, George Daly, Shane Edwards, Steve Wolfe, and in later years Gordon Spowart and Willie Parker as crucial to his success. He holds special reverence for Colin Webster, who he describes as the doyen of WA racing and a significant mentor. "My dad always said Colin Webster is the Theo Green of WA," Knuckey explained. "Theo Green back in those days had all the star apprentices in Sydney. That’s why he got me into that stable and he was right. Colin’s advice was always to keep working hard and that’s the guidance I give to other people. There are a lot of jockeys who were probably more talented but didn’t have the work ethic which takes you a long, long way. That’s the way he brought us up, you keep working hard and you make your own luck."

Six months after his last race, Knuckey is adjusting to life outside of racing and exploring new options for his professional life. "I don’t think I’m missing it as I thought I would," Knuckey said. "It was a good job, but you didn’t think of it as a job. I can move into something else, but it might not be with racing. I haven’t decided where I’m going to head to. I’m keeping those options open and see what is around the corner. Racing has been good to me and somewhere along the line I think I will come back to the sport. To what capacity I don’t know and when it will be I’m not sure either."

From the moment he entered the jockey’s room as an apprentice, Knuckey won over racing fans and his peers with dedication and commitment. He preferred to let his work in the saddle speak for him, and hopes his contribution to racing has been significant. "There’s been a lot of good jockeys come and go and I’ve been lucky to last 30 plus years," Knuckey said. "I didn’t like making a fuss, I just wanted to be a hard worker. On the track we were all competitive, but off the track we were all friends. I pretty much wanted to get on a horse and get the job done. Whether it was Ascot, Belmont, Geraldton, Albany, getting the job done is what I liked to do. The owners had their say but I wanted to make sure I could do the best job for the trainer. I’m pretty sure with my dad, who I didn’t see race, was well respected and I pretty much followed in his footsteps. He was always supportive and the main thing he would say is make sure you put yourself in good circles and keep your nose clean."

As Peter Knuckey bids farewell to the racing world, his career will be remembered for its dedication, skill, and remarkable achievements.