Hall of Fame jockey Darren Beadman got back into the saddle for the first time in six years — but he won’t be making any shock comeback to riding.

Beadman visited Lonhro at Darley Stud in the Hunter Valley last weekend to make the occasion of the former champion racehorse’s 20th birthday, climbing into the saddle and walking the great horse around the stallion parade yard.

It was the first time Beadman has been on horseback since his career-ending fall in Hong Kong back in 2012.

“Lonhro’s aged better than me,’’ Beadman said. “He looks magnificent. He still has a bit of muscle tone and he still has that presence about him.

“It was the first time I’ve been in the saddle since my fall in Hong Kong but I can assure you I won’t be making any comeback.’’

Beadman was Lonhro’s regular rider, the combination winning 16 races together including 10 at Group 1 level.

The John Hawkes-trained Lonhro was retired at the end of his five-year-old season having won 26 of his 35 starts including 11 Group 1 races, earning $5.79 million prizemoney.

Lonhro was voted Australian Horse of the Year in 2003-04, was the nation’s champion sire in 2009-10, and has earned Hall of Fame honours. He is the sire of a string of outstanding gallopers including Pierro, Kementari, Impending, Beaded, Denman, Exosphere and Mental.

“He has given a lot of people a lot of joy over the years and it was great to see him looking so fit and well,’’ Beadman added.

Beadman is regarded as one of the all-time great jockeys, riding 86 Group 1 winners including two Melbourne Cups on Kingston Rule (1990) and Saintly (1996), two Golden Slippers on Inspired (1984) and Guineas (1997), and the Cox Plate on Saintly (1996).

He was seven-times Sydney’s premier rider and in 2006-07 rode an all-time record 164 Sydney winners.

Beadman then rode in Hong Kong until his fall in 2012. He now works alongside trainer James Cummings at Godolphin.