Grand National-winning rider Ryan Mania to return after being retired for five years

Grand National-winning rider Ryan Mania is to make a shock return to the saddle.

Mania guided Auroras Encore to glory at Aintree in 2013 but quit just 18 months later, at the age of 25, having ridden 192 winners.

He cited problems maintaining his riding weight and saying that he "no longer got a kick out of winning" as his principal reasons to retire.

He has recently been working as assistant trainer to Sandy Thomson, his stepfather-in-law, but the first Scottish-born rider to win the Grand National in more than a century is now ready to revive his career as a jockey.

“The main reason is that I retired for all the wrong reasons,” the jockey told the Yorkshire Post.

“My weight was really bad. I couldn’t see a way out and I just lost the plot. I’ve been thinking about it properly since I rode in a charity race for the Countryside Alliance at Aintree three years ago.

“I was then committed to a new job with the hunt, which I really enjoyed, and there was a lot going on – I had got engaged to Annie. I kind of regret not resuming riding back then but it was important to put family first.

“Even before Sandy offered me the job, I kept thinking that I would like to see if it was even possible to get my weight down for my own peace of mind.”

Mania was riding in the Grand National for the first time when winning aboard the Sue Smith-trained Auroras Encore, who went off at 66-1.

Many top riders have ended their careers never having won the world's most famous race but Mania cracked it at the first attempt, hitting the front at the final fence and winning by nine lengths from Cappa Bleu, with Teaforthree and Oscar Time the next pair home.

The following day he was back in the headlines after suffering a heavy fall at Hexham and being airlifted to hospital.

It was feared he had hurt his neck and back but after two days in hospital he left having suffered only minor injuries.

He rode a career-best 53 winners from 339 rides the following season but the next campaign was still in its infancy when he called it a day.

At the time he said: “I am sad to be be stopping, but it has been at the back of my mind for some time. People don’t always see the sacrifices jockeys have to make if they are to make the weight. I thought I’d be able to carry on until Christmas, but my mind is made up.

“I rode four winners the other week and I just didn’t get that kick out of winning. I want to be at a level when I am riding winners regularly at Cheltenham, and the other big races, and I just can’t see that happening on a regular enough basis to make it worthwhile.”

Now, though, the bug is back and he is ready to resume.