Wexford-born O'Brien began his career in racing by riding out for his uncle Shay Slevin before starting to ride out for another uncle, Aidan O'Brien, where he rode champion horses such as High Chaparral and Rock of Gibraltar.[1] After riding in point-to-points, O'Brien moved to England in 2004 to work at the stable of Philip Hobbs in Minehead, Somerset.[1] He has remained at the same stable since 2004, becoming first jockey for Hobbs when Richard Johnson retired in 2021.[2]
In the 2005/06 season, O'Brien was crowned champion amateur rider with 32 winners, Captain Corelli in the Tommy Whittle Chase at Haydock Park. He turned professional in June of that year, winning two races at his first professional race meeting.[3] In the 2006/07 season he was champion conditional jockey.[2]
In 2007 O'Brien rode McKelvey, trained by Peter Bowen, into second place behind Silver Birch in the Grand National.[4] In the 2008 Grand National, McKelvey unseated O'Brien at the twentieth fence, went on to jump the next fence riderless, fell and was euthanized.[5]
In August 2021 O'Brien reached a landmark of 1,000 winners in Britain and Ireland, one of only seven current jump jockeys to do so.[6] All but one of the wins were in Britain; O'Brien's only victory in Ireland was on I Hear A Symphony for Philip Hobbs at the Punchestown Festival in 2008.[7]
^ ab"Jump racing hails new rider from clan O'Brien". The Guardian. 13 September 2006.
^ ab"Wexford jockey Tom O'Brien expresses gratitude at reaching 1,000th winner". Irish Examiner. 23 August 2021.
^Sophie Brown (20 October 2006). "Racing's new star". BBC Sport. Retrieved 28 February 2009.
^Nick Townsend (30 March 2008). "O'Brien aims to take final step with his second crack at National service". The Independent on Sunday. Retrieved 15 March 2009.
^"Television coverage of McKelvey leaves legacy of hope". The Sunday Times. 9 April 2008.
^ abc"A huge achievement' - Tom O'Brien hits 1,000 winners in Britain and Ireland". Racing Post. 22 August 2021.
^"Clonroche jockey O'Brien on board 1,000th winner". Irish Independent. 24 August 2021.
^"Tom O'Brien dashes from winner's enclosure to hospital for birth of son". Racing Post. 13 March 2022.
External links
Tom O'Brien statistics in Racing Post
This Irish horse racing biographical article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
brien, jockey, brien, born, 1986, british, based, irish, jockey, competes, national, hunt, racing, wexford, born, brien, began, career, racing, riding, uncle, shay, slevin, before, starting, ride, another, uncle, aidan, brien, where, rode, champion, horses, su. Tom O Brien born 1986 is a British based Irish jockey who competes in National Hunt racing Wexford born O Brien began his career in racing by riding out for his uncle Shay Slevin before starting to ride out for another uncle Aidan O Brien where he rode champion horses such as High Chaparral and Rock of Gibraltar 1 After riding in point to points O Brien moved to England in 2004 to work at the stable of Philip Hobbs in Minehead Somerset 1 He has remained at the same stable since 2004 becoming first jockey for Hobbs when Richard Johnson retired in 2021 2 In the 2005 06 season O Brien was crowned champion amateur rider with 32 winners Captain Corelli in the Tommy Whittle Chase at Haydock Park He turned professional in June of that year winning two races at his first professional race meeting 3 In the 2006 07 season he was champion conditional jockey 2 In 2007 O Brien rode McKelvey trained by Peter Bowen into second place behind Silver Birch in the Grand National 4 In the 2008 Grand National McKelvey unseated O Brien at the twentieth fence went on to jump the next fence riderless fell and was euthanized 5 O Brien achieved his first Cheltenham Festival win in 2009 when he rode Silk Affair to victory in the Fred Winter Juvenile Novices Handicap Hurdle 6 O Brien won the Welsh Grand National on Dream Alliance trained by Hobbs in 2009 and Elegant Escape trained by Colin Tizzard in 2018 6 In August 2021 O Brien reached a landmark of 1 000 winners in Britain and Ireland one of only seven current jump jockeys to do so 6 All but one of the wins were in Britain O Brien s only victory in Ireland was on I Hear A Symphony for Philip Hobbs at the Punchestown Festival in 2008 7 O Brien and wife Hayley have two sons 8 Major wins Edit Great Britain Challow Novices Hurdle 1 Souffleur 2009 Tolworth Hurdle 2 Finian s Oscar 2017 Elixir Du Nutz 2019 Liverpool Hurdle 1 Thyme Hill 2021 Kauto Star Novices Chase 1 Thyme Hill 2022 References Edit a b Jump racing hails new rider from clan O Brien The Guardian 13 September 2006 a b Wexford jockey Tom O Brien expresses gratitude at reaching 1 000th winner Irish Examiner 23 August 2021 Sophie Brown 20 October 2006 Racing s new star BBC Sport Retrieved 28 February 2009 Nick Townsend 30 March 2008 O Brien aims to take final step with his second crack at National service The Independent on Sunday Retrieved 15 March 2009 Television coverage of McKelvey leaves legacy of hope The Sunday Times 9 April 2008 a b c A huge achievement Tom O Brien hits 1 000 winners in Britain and Ireland Racing Post 22 August 2021 Clonroche jockey O Brien on board 1 000th winner Irish Independent 24 August 2021 Tom O Brien dashes from winner s enclosure to hospital for birth of son Racing Post 13 March 2022 External links EditTom O Brien statistics in Racing Post This Irish horse racing biographical article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Tom O 27Brien jockey amp oldid 1129655630, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
