But it not only made Canberra jockey Kayla Nisbet realise how much she loved the sport, but also got her thinking about life after racing.

Now the 29-year-old will hang up the silks after a career spanning 13 years since she made her debut as a teenager.

She'll saddle up for the next stage of her career - working as a form analyst for Sky Racing, where she'll continue to be a presence at Canberra's Thoroughbred Park and the other tracks in the district.

Her announcement comes less than two weeks after she won one of the biggest races of her career - the $1 million Country Championships at Randwick on April 6.

But Nisbet said her decision had already been made before she guided the Doug Gorrel-trained Asgarda to victory.

She'll ride for the final time at her home track of Thoroughbred Park on Friday before hanging up the whip at the Wagga Gold Cup Carnival on May 2-3.

Nisbet was offered the Sky Racing job last June, but she revealed she'd started thinking about life after racing even before that.

In January 2023, she was banned for her involvement with a professional punter.

While she'd spent plenty of time out of the saddle - due to broken bones and an epilepsy diagnosis - she could still at least go to the track and be around her friends and colleagues.

But the ban meant she couldn't even do that - and her thoughts turned to what she could do instead.

"That was really tough. That felt like the end of the world at the time, which I look back now and it really wasn't," Nisbet said.

"Two months - it did drag on a bit, but it was tough.

"Obviously when I've had time off before it's been through injury so you know you're coming back at some point.

"And you're not forced out of the industry - you're still able to go to the races or associate with people in racing.

"But having been put out through disqualification ... you're really forced out.

"I do think in ways it was a good thing because it makes you appreciate being able to do something you love."

Nisbet has racked up 589 winners across her career, having first talked about being a jockey when she was just six years old.

She's become a student of the form over the back half of her career and felt it was a fitting end to ride Asgarda one last time - in the Wagga Town Plate.

The tragic death of Italian jockey Stefano Cherchi two weeks ago made her realise how fortunate she was to be finishing on her own terms.

"My whole career I achieved a lot more than I ever thought I would have," Nisbet said.

"That was just perfect. I never would've dreamed I would've won a race like [the Country Champs] and obviously I've known my career was coming to an end so to bow out like that was really thrilling."

Leading Canberra jockey Kayla Nisbet is poised to walk away from her racing career at the age of 29, declaring it's time for "the next chapter" after more than a decade in the saddle.

But Nisbet - who has racing in her blood after following her father John's career path - won't be lost to the industry. The popular hoop has been the face of Canberra racing for much of her career and now she's preparing to dip her toe into form analysis with Sky Racing.

Nisbet will announce her impending retirement on Wednesday morning, deciding to end the rollercoaster journey after making her debut as a 16-year-old.

Nisbet has broken her leg, wrist and foot, was diagnosed with epilepsy and copped a two-month ban last year for incidents linked to a professional punter.

Her retirement comes just two weeks after riding the winner in the $1 million Country Championships final at Randwick after teaming up with Doug Gorrell aboard Asgarda.

"It was my dream growing up to be a jockey, and I am really proud of what I achieved in my professional career riding, although it's now time for me to look ahead at the next chapter," Nisbet said.

"When the opportunity at Sky Racing came up, I thought it was the perfect fit to combine my passion with a different career path within the same industry."

Nisbet will team up with Gorrell and Asgarda again at the Wagga Gold Cup on May 2 before starting her stint with Sky Racing on May 6.

Nisbet's win on Asgarda made her the first female jockey to win the Country Championships final.

"It's a huge thrill. I was just saying, we say time and time again what a great initiative this has been for country participants, but to be able to win it is a huge thrill," Nisbet said after the race.

"It's given all country participants an achievable goal to strive for and to be able to win it is very exciting."

She has ridden more than 600 winners and she is preparing for an emotional send off at Canberra this week when she rides at her home track for the final time on Friday.

Nisbet rode in her first race as an apprentice in 2011. She had her first crack at Sydney the following year, and then her Group One debut in 2014. She also had a stint in Melbourne as part of trainer David Hayes' stables before returning to the capital to continue, and now finish, her career.

She will transition into the television role over the coming months and will spearhead coverage of Canberra and regional meetings.

"We are thrilled Kayla has accepted the role to join our team at Sky Racing," said Sky's general manager of racing Adam Brownlee.

"Kayla brings a wealth of knowledge, and unique insights to our team. We congratulate her on a stellar career in the saddle and look forward to welcoming her on air in a few weeks.

"She knows the region [and] she'll be able to give punters a unique insight."