Let’s start with one of the most famous names in the long list of successful Irish jockeys, Ruby Walsh or Rupert to give him his full first name. The second child to Dad, Ted Walsh, himself an amateur jockey and Mum, Helen, Ruby Walsh has 2756 wins behind him and is now third in line only to Sir Anthony McCoy and Richard Johnson as the most successful winners in Irish and British history. Patrick James John Eddery or Pat for short, rode three winners in the Derby, had 4,632 wins on the British Flat circuit and became champion jockey on eleven occasions. He sadly passed away at only sixty-three years old on the 10th of November 2015. He was often photographed wearing a traditional irish cap purchased from a company like https://www.shamrockgift.com/mens-clothing/irish-flat-caps.
It’s not only the male Irish jockeys who are incredibly successful at this somewhat dangerous vocation, but the Irish ladies also have a natural talent for National Hunt horse racing. Case in point, Rachael Blackmore, a female Irish jockey who became the first woman ever to win the prestigious Grand National in all its 182-year history! Not only that but she was the first female to have six victories at the Cheltenham festival in 2021 and then also won the Gold Cup in 2022.
“Jonjo O’Neil” or John Joseph O’Neil to give him his full name was a successful jockey winning 900 races in his illustrious career and is now an equally successful racehorse trainer. He trained the winner of the March 2012 Gold Cup, Synchronised.