Champion jockey Donnacha O’Brien announces retirement from riding

Two-time Irish champion and multiple Group 1 winning jockey Donnacha O’Brien (right) has announced his retirement from the saddle to embark on a training career.

The 21-year-old rode his first Group 1 winner aboard Intricately, trained by his brother Joseph, in the 2016 Moyglare Stud Stakes and secured three classic wins last year.

O’Brien’s final Group 1 success came aboard Magical in the Champion Stakes at Ascot in October.

In a statement on Twitter, he said: “After thinking about things for a while, I have decided to concentrate on training next year. Riding has been very good to me and I owe everything to the people around me. I want to give special thanks to the Magnier, Smith and Tabor families, along with my own family, for all their support.

“I look forward to training a small group of horses next year and will hopefully build from there.”

Career highlights

Donnacha partnered Saxon Warrior to win the 2000 Guineas for his father Aidan, before the pair again struck gold with Forever Together in the Investec Oaks at Epsom in June.

He then steered Latrobe to lift the Irish Derby for his brother later that month, while Magna Grecia gave O’Brien what was to be his final classic success in this year’s 2000 Guineas back in May.

O’Brien rode his first winner aboard Quartz for his father at Dundalk in September 2014 when he was just 16, going on to become champion apprentice in 2016 and riding out his claim in April 2017.

He chalked up his first century of winners last year in claiming the riders’ title, and he finished this season on 111 to match brother Joseph in winning back-to-back championships.