Big Orange's owner Bill Gredley retains Callum Shepherd to ride his horses

Classic-winning owner Bill Gredley has signed Callum Shepherd as a retained rider for the 2020 Flat season.

Gredley, who most recently was in the limelight with popular stayer Big Orange, last retained a rider when all-conquering American Steve Cauthen rode his horses in the 1980s.

The Newmarket-based property developer's famous yellow, black and white colours also have been carried to the highest success by Eclipse winner Environment Friend and User Friendly, who won the Oaks, Irish Oaks and St Leger in 1992.

Gredley, who hopes to have 50 horses in training for 2020, said: "Callum will be our retained jockey for 2020. He’s in the process of moving to Newmarket where most of our horses are in training and he's a hard worker.

"He rode out for Michael Bell a lot last year and we're happy to have him on board."

Callum Shepherd: only eight winners away from a 200th successCredit: Edward Whitaker

Shepherd, 22, confirmed he is moving to Newmarket, having made a successful transition from a leading apprentice, when with Charlie Hills in Lambourn, and riding out his claim when finishing 2018 with 57 winners.

"I'm obviously delighted," he said. "It's exciting to have a nice group of horses that I’ll be riding and help getting them into the winner's enclosure in a more involved way.

"It's been clear through latter stages of the season that Newmarket is the place for me given links with other trainers, and being there full-time can only help strengthen them.

"They [Bill Gredley's] are famous colours with an impressive roll of honour. I’d love to be able to make a mark in this role.”

He is enjoying his best year in prize-money terms from 47 winners and the new partnership got off to the perfect start with 40-1 winner Stepney Causeway at Chelmsford last week on a day Gredley and his son Tim also had a juvenile hurdle winner at Warwick with the Dan Skelton-trained Allmankind.

Shepherd has enjoyed a meteoric rise, now just eight winners short of 200 in only his fifth full year riding with the support of the likes of Hills, Ed de Giles, Mick Channon and Brian Ellison while also attracting the attention of Godolphin.

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