Paddy Brennan (jockey)

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Paddy Brennan (born 13 April 1981)[1] is an Irish jump jockey. He was champion conditional jockey in the 2004/05 season and won the 2010 Cheltenham Gold Cup on Imperial Commander. As of 2021 he is based in Gloucestershire, where he is stable jockey at Fergal O'Brien's yard.

Early life[]

A native of Ardrahan, County Galway, Brennan was a keen GAA player with dreams of becoming a county hurler.[2] Although not from a racing background, he had a pony and went hunting.[3] Brennan started out in racing at the yard of trainer Jim Bolger with the intention of being a flat jockey but decided to switch to jumps on account of his weight.[3] He moved to the UK in 2000 to join Paul Nicholl's stable at Ditcheat, Somerset.[4]

Career[]

In the 2004/05 season Brennan became champion conditional jockey and achieved his first Grade 1 success with Ashley Brook in the Maghull Novices' Chase at Aintree in April.[3][5] His first win at the Cheltenham Festival came in 2006, when he rode 40/1 outsider Shamayoun to victory in the Fred Winter Juvenile Novices' Handicap Hurdle.[6] He rode more than a century of winners in a season for the first time in 2007/08.[5]

In November 2008 Brennan had his first ride on Imperial Commander for Nigel Twiston-Davies, winning the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham.[7] In March 2009 the partnership was successful in the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, and the following year they won the Cheltenham Gold Cup, beating Denman by 7 lengths, the favourite Kauto Star having fallen four out. After the race Brennan said "It's by far the best day of my life. I'm speechless. It was a dream the whole way".[8] Later that day, Brennan rode Pigeon Island to victory in the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase. When Pigeon Island retired from racing, Brennan gave him a home.[9]

In April 2015, Brennan achieved his best placing in the Grand National, when 25/1 chance Saint Are, trained by Tom George, came second to Many Clouds.[10] In October 2015 Brennan rode the Colin Tizzard-trained Cue Card for the first time, winning the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby. He went on to partner Cue Card in a further 14 races, with victories in five races, all of them at Grade 1 level. There were however disappointments in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, when Cue Card fell at the same fence, 3 out, in 2016 and 2017.[11][12]

On 16 November 2016 Brennan rode his 1,000th winner on Colin's Sister at Warwick.[13]

Personal life[]

Brennan married nurse Lindsey Hunting in 2013 and has three children.[14] Nacarat, winner of the Betway Bowl at Aintree in 2011, was a guest at the wedding reception.[15]

Cheltenham Festival wins (6)[]

Other major wins[]

United Kingdom Great Britain

Republic of Ireland Ireland

References[]

  1. ^ "Many happy returns...". Racing Post. London. 13 April 2013.
  2. ^ "Brennan is the toast of Ardrahan". Connacht Tribune. 22 May 2013.
  3. ^ a b c "Brennan bows to genes and rises to new level". The Guardian. 31 December 2005.
  4. ^ "Paddy Brennan keeps temper in check to concentrate on being a winner". The Times. 24 December 2009.
  5. ^ a b "Paddy Brennan". Racing Post.
  6. ^ "Brennan samples first Festival victory". RTÉ. 14 March 2006.
  7. ^ "Imperial has measure of his Power Gold Cup rivals". Irish Independent. 16 November 2008.
  8. ^ "Imperial Commander lands Cheltenham Gold Cup". BBC Sport. 19 March 2010.
  9. ^ "'My mum says: 'Give it time'... Paddy Brennan on that Cue Card fall". The Irish Times. 13 March 2017.
  10. ^ "Grand National 2015: Where did your horse finish?". BBC Sport. 9 April 2016.
  11. ^ "Cue Card". Racing Post. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  12. ^ "'Nothing beats winning' – a rising star, a battle-scarred veteran, two Cheltenham journeys". The Guardian. 12 March 2018.
  13. ^ "Paddy Brennan: Jockey rides 1,000th winner on Colin's Sister at Warwick". BBC Sport. 16 November 2016.
  14. ^ "What a month! Paddy Brennan celebrates a 496/1 treble on day one of the November Meeting just days after the birth of his daughter". GloucestershireLive. 16 November 2018.
  15. ^ "A racing cert". bridemagazine.co.uk. 26 February 2014.
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