Tom O'Brien (jockey)

Tom O'Brien (born 1986) is an Irish jockey who competes in National Hunt racing.

Son of Wexford-born Jim O'Brien, O'Brien began his career in racing riding out for Shay Slevin before starting to ride out for his uncle, Aidan O'Brien, where he rode champion horses such as High Chaparral and Rock of Gibraltar.

After riding in point-to-points, O'Brien moved to England in 2004 in the hope of getting more rides.

In the 2005–06 season, Tom was crowned Champion Amateur rider with 32 winners [1] and turned professional in June of that year, winning two races at his first professional race meeting.

In 2005, O'Brien had his first big race win on Captain Corelli in the Tommy Whittle Chase at Haydock Park.

In 2007 and 2008, O'Brien rode McKelvey in the Grand National, coming second to Silver Birch in 2007.[2] At the 2009 Cheltenham Festival, O'Brien rode Silk Affair to a win in the Fred Winter Juvenile Novices' Handicap Hurdle.[3]

O'Brien is a regular jockey for Philip Hobbs and Peter Bowen and is based in the South West of England.

Major wins

Great Britain

References
  1. Sophie Brown (2006-10-20). "Racing's new star". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2009-02-28.
  2. Nick Townsend (2008-03-30). "O'Brien aims to take final step with his second crack at National service". The Independent on Sunday. Retrieved 2009-03-15.
  3. Michelle Fortune (2009-03-11). "Affair pure as silk in Winter". Setanta Sports. Archived from the original on March 17, 2009. Retrieved 2009-03-15.


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