A graduate of the British Racing School, Hanagan sat on a horse for the first time aged 14, having previously harboured ambitions of playing football professionally, only to be told he was too small and light.

[1] His introduction to horse racing came through his father, Geoff, who had hoped to be a jockey and, having failed to make the grade in Newmarket, later rode out on weekends for local Warrington-based trainer Terry Caldwell.

In a BBC interview in 2003, Hanagan recalls the moment he realised he wanted to be a jockey: "My dad used to ride out at Terry Caldwell's yard and I followed him down one weekend…that was how it all started.

"[7] The 2002 season also saw Hanagan record the biggest win of his career at the time on Vintage Premium in the John Smith's Cup at York, leading trainer Fahey to comment "If this boy is not champion jockey one day I will give up the game.

[8] His wins that year included victory in the historic Northumberland Plate at Newcastle on Mirjan, which came as a massive boost to Hanagan, who days earlier had incurred a 28-day ban at the Jockey Club for repeatedly not riding to his draw in races.

These victories included major sales races at York and Doncaster, but most importantly a win in the Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère at Longchamp, providing Hanagan with the first top-level success of his career.

[16] In 2012 he became the retained jockey for owner Sheikh Hamdan, whose filly Taghrooda, trained by John Gosden, provided Hanagan with his first and only Classic win in the Oaks in 2014.

[19] In 2021 and 2022 Hanagan and Fahey won back-to-back victories in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot with Perfect Power and, after having ended their formal association, The Ridler.