2026

Paul Mulrennan

admin February 10, 2026

Born on April 22, 1982, in Ealing, West London, Paul Mulrennan graduated from the British Racing School in Newmarket before joining Brian Meehan in Lambourn, Berkshire, briefly, and heading north to become apprenticed to Patrick Haslam in Middleham Moor, North Yorkshire. He rode his first winner, Perchancer, trained by Haslam, in an apprentice handicap at Southwell on April 9, 2001.

Mulrennan subsequently joined Mick Easterby in Sherrif Hutton, North Yorkshire. On May 1, 2004, he won the Thirsk Hunt Cup on Blue Spinnaker, trained by Easterby, as “a little-known 5lb claimer” and, on May 17, 2006, rode out his claim on the same horse in a handicap at York. Of Blue Spinnaker, Mulrennan said, “…in many ways he was one of the horses who got my career going.” Early career highlights also included his first Pattern winner, Gentleman’s Deal, also trained by Easterby, in the Group 3 Winter Derby at Lingfield on March 24, 2007.

Fast forward to June 16, 2019 and Mulrennan reached the milestone of 1,000 career winners on British soil on Camacho Chief, trained by Michael Dods, in a handicap at Doncaster. Of his long, lucrative association with the County Durham handler, he said, “…I have a great relationship with Michael Dods and we’ve enjoyed many good days together especially with Meccas’s Angel.” Mecca’s Angel provided Mulrennan with his first, and second, Group 1 winner, courtesy of back-to-back victories in the Nunthorpe Stakes in 2015 and 2016. Mulrennan also won back-to-back victories in the Group 3 Palace House Stakes at Newmarket on Mabs Cross, trained by Dods, in 2018 and 2019.

Mulrennan rode his first Royal Ascot winner, Dandino, trained by James Given, in the King George V Stakes on June 17, 2010. He rode over a hundred winners in a year for the first time in 2014 and has since repeated that feat in 2016, 2022, 2024 and 2025. Dods remains his principal benefactor, but he has another long-standing ally in the form of Jim Goldie, who is based in Lanarkshire, Scotland and for whom he has ridden nearly as many winners. On June 17, 2025, the pair combined to win the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot with American Affair. The progressive five-year-old thus became a first Royal Ascot and Group 1 winner for Goldie, who has held a training licence since 1995. Mulrennan quipped afterwards, “The last time I had a Royal Ascot winner [the aforementioned Dandino], I had jet black hair!

Paul O’Brien

admin February 9, 2026

Born on October 15, 1991 in County Cork, Ireland, Paul O’Brien rode in point-to-points in his native country for a few years before moving across the Irish Sea to become conditional jockey to Donald McCain, in Cholmondeley, Cheshire, in February 2012. He rode his first winner under Rules, Mulligan’s Man, trained by McCain, in a novices’ hurdle at Perth on September 26, 2012. Thereafter, his career has been one of steady progress through the ranks.

After 18 months with McCain, which yielded just two winners, O’Brien was offered the job as conditional jockey to Rebecca Curtis in Newport, Pembrokeshire, for whom he had previously ridden out while still an amateur in Ireland. He rode seven winners in 2013/14, all for Curtis, before moving on to Colin Tizzard in Milborne Port, Dorset. It was not until 2017/18, though, that O’Brien broke into double figures for the season, by which time he had moved on again, to Charlie Longsdon in Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire.

After riding 14 winners in 2017/18, O’Brien rode 10 more in 2018/19, including his first Graded winner, Castafiore, trained by Longsdon, in the Grade 2 Altcar Novices’ Chase at Haydock on January 19, 2019, and 10 more in 2019/20. He finally rode out his claim on Takeit Easy, trained by Pam Sly, in a conditional jockeys’ handicap hurdle at Wetherby on October 13, 2021. Afterwards, he said, “I wouldn’t say it was on my mind but I was aware that I only had one left.”

The following year, 2022, O’Brien joined forces with Harry Derham – then in his first season in the training ranks – in Upper Lambourn, Berkshire and, as stable jockey, has continued to flourish ever since. Early on, Derham said of him, “For a trainer just starting out to have someone to help school and work the horses on a regular basis has been fantastic. He now knows all of my horses inside out and in return for him supporting me I am going to do the same to him on the track.”

In 2024/25, O’Brien rode a career-best 52 winners and, on November 15, 2025, recorded his second Grade 2 victory on One Horse Town, trained by Derham, in the Prestbury Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham. Interviewed in April 2025, he included Givemefive, on whom he won the Masterton Holdings Hurdle at Cheltenham on October 26, 2024 – thereby giving Derham his first winner at Prestbury Park – and Washington, on whom he won a valuable handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse on December 1, 2024, among his career highlights so far.

Luke Morris

admin February 9, 2026

Born on October 20, 1988, Luke Morris hails from Blewbury, near Didcot, South Oxfordshire, but moved to Newmarket when he was seven and started riding out for Michael Bell when he was 12. He subsequently graduated from the British Racing School and became apprenticed to Bell, riding his first winner, Caerphilly Gal, trained by Patrick Gilligan, in a banded stakes race at Southwell on

November 22, 2005.

After riding a single winner in his inaugural year, Morris increased his annual tally to 13 winners in 2006 and 38 in 2007, the year in which he rode his first high-profile winner, Juniper Girl, trained by Bell, in the Northumberland Plate at Newcastle. He subsequently joined Stan Moore in Upper Lambourn, Berkshire, riding out his claim in late 2008 and, as a freelance jockey, rode his first Group 1 winner, Gilt Edge Girl, trained by Clive Cox, in the Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp on October 3, 2010.

On April 30, 2011, Morris took his first Classic ride, finishing a modest fourth (behind Frankel) in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket on rank outsider Slim Shadey, trained by Moore. The following year, he became stable jockey to Sir Mark Prescott at the historic Heath House Stables in Newmarket, a position he has occupied ever since. Remarkably, Prescott has had just three stable jockeys – George Duffield, Seb Sanders and Morris – since taking over the licence at Heath House, following the retirement of Jack Waugh – in 1970.

Morris rode his first domestic Group 1 winner, Marsha, trained by Prescott, in the Nunthorpe Stakes at York on August 25, 2017. He has the distinction of having ridden over a hundred winners in every season, bar one, since 2011 and has been all-weather champion jockey three times, in 2014,

2015 and 2017. In recent years, Morris is probably best known for his association with the grey mare Alpinista, trained by Prescott, on whom he won six consecutive Group 1 races, culminating in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp on October 2, 2022.

On January 17, 2023, Morris reached the milestone of 2,000 career winners in Britain on Colors Of Freedom, trained by Archie Watson, in a handicap at Southwell, where he had ridden his first winner just over 17 years previously. Reflecting on his landmark success, he said, “I am very lucky to have lots of loyal contacts, great trainers and owners as well as an understanding family who have always supported me. This something that I’ve wanted to do since I was six and they’ve been supportive since the very start.”

David Egan

admin February 9, 2026

Born on June 19, 1999 in Kildare, Ireland, David Egan is the son of jockey John Egan and trainer Sandra Hughes, the grandson of trainer Dessie Hughes and the nephew of jockey Richard Hughes. He grew up in his native land, where he competed in pony racing from an early age and rode out for his grandfather and, later, Rathbride trainer Willie McCreery during weekends and school holidays. He also rode out for David Elsworth when on holiday in Britain but, in 2015, made a permanent move across the Irish Sea to live with his father.

Egan attended the British Racing School in Newmarket and subsequently became apprenticed to Roger Varian at Kremlin House Stables on the Fordham Road. He rode his first winner, Etienne Gerard, trained by Nigel Tinkler, in an apprentice handicap at Windsor on July 4, 2016. Egan rode just seven winners in his inaugural year, but in 2017 upped his annual tally to 61 winners, including 53 in the qualifying period for the apprentices’ championship, which were sufficient to give him the title, albeit by just a single winner from his nearest rival, Kieran Shoemark.

Egan rode out his remaining 3lb claim on Keeper’s Choice, trained by Denis Coakley, in a handicap at Newbury on June 14, 2018. At that stage, he said, “It’s great. Hopefully we will keep things rolling over now I’ve lost the claim as that is what every apprentice looks for. I’ve got great people supporting me to help bring me to the next level.” On August 2, 2018, Egan rode his first Pattern winner, Pilaster, trained by Varian, in the Group 2 Lillie Langtry Stakes at Goodwood.

In 2019, Egan, 20, signed a retainer with prominent Saudi Arabian owner Prince Abdul Rahman Abdullah Faisal, took his first ride in a British Classic – finishing third in the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket on Qabala, trained by Varian – and rode his first Royal Ascot winner, Daahyeh, also trained by Varian, in the Albany Stakes.

In 2021, Egan completed a notable double on Mishriff, owned by Prince Faisal and trained by John Gosden, winning the most valuable race in the world, the Saudi Cup, at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in February and the Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan, Dubai in March. He lost his retainer in July 2022 but, riding freelance, he won the St. Leger Stakes at Doncaster on Eldar Eldarov, trained by Varian, later that year and the Irish equivalent on the same horse in 2023. In December 2023, he replaced Kevin Stott as first-choice jockey to Amo Racing, and so began a lucrative association that was extended twice in 2025, to the end of 2026 and, again, to the end of 2028.

Clifford Lee

admin February 9, 2026

Born on February 11, 1996 in Sidcup, Kent, Clifford Lee attended the British Racing School in Newmarket before becoming apprenticed to local trainer Ed Walker. He took his first ride on Duke Of Destiny, trained by Walker, in a handicap at Nottingham on April 29, 2014 and rode his first winner, Persona Grata, also trained by Walker, in an apprentice handicap at Wolverhampton on December 2, 2014. After a single winner in 2014 and another in 2015, Lee moved north to join Karl Burke in Coverham, North Yorkshire and rode his first winner for his new boss, Felix Leiter, in a handicap at Lingfield on May 25, 2016.

Thereafter his career has been one of steady progression, as his stock has risen alongside that of Burke. Lee rode 24 winners in 2016, 39 in 2017 and 32 in 2018, thereby riding out his claim and, as stable jockey at Spigot Lodge, he has continued to flourish. On June 18, 2021, Lee rode his first Royal Ascot winner, Significantly, trained by Burke in the Palace of Holyroodhouse Stakes. He said afterwards, “It’s unreal, to be honest. “This is what I’ve been aiming for since I left school.” On May 21, 2022, he rode his first Pattern winner, El Caballo, in the Group 2 Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock. On August 18, 2022, he added a second, Swingalong, in the Lowther Stakes at York; at the time of writing, he has since added 25 more to his career tally.

On October 26, 2025, while suspended and on holiday in Scotland, Lee suffered a serious neck injury in a fall from a cross-country motorbike. According to Burke, “He [Lee] wasn’t doing anything stupid. He was apparently going at less than ten miles an hour, but it flipped over and he landed on his head.”

Lee was placed into an induced coma after breaking his first cervical (C1) vertebrae but, at the time of writing, is reportedly recovering well amd hopes to return to competive race riding in late Februrary or early March 2026. Describing his injury, he said, “It was a straight break. The way I’d landed was like throwing a dart into a dartboard. My spine had gone through the C1 and split it in four places.”

Prior to his accident, Lee had ridden a career-best 94 winners in Britain in 2025 and his first Group 1 winner, Venetian Sun, in the Prix Morny at Deauville on August 24. Ironically, he had also won on his last four rides.

Ciaran Gethings

admin February 8, 2026

Born on December 15, 1994 in County Wicklow, Ireland, Ciaran Gethings owed his start in racing to local trainer Philip Rothwell, based in Tinahely, who bought him a pony on which to learn to ride as a 10-year-old and for whom he subsequently rode out regularly after school and during school holidays. Gethings left school at 15 and moved to Kildare, where he attended the Racing Academy and Centre of Education (RACE) and worked for Friarstown trainer Conor O’Dwyer.

On completion of his work placement, believing that he would find better opportunities on the opposite side of the Irish Sea, O’Dwyer contacted Somerset trainer Philip Hobbs on Gethings’ behalf. Gethings, 16, duly joined Hobbs as an amateur rider but, according to the ‘Racing Post’, did not take his first ride for Hobbs until March 22, 2013. He rode his first winner, Woodford County, in an amateur riders’ handicap chase at Newbury on November 27, 2014.

Gethings turned conditional specifically to ride War Sound, trained by Hobbs, in the valuable Swinton Hurdle at Haydock on May 9, 2015 and the six-year-old duly justified favouritism, giving his jockey a winner – not to mention a decent payday – on his first ride in his new role. He remained with Hobbs until the summer of 2017, but left to become conditional jockey to Tom George in Slad, Gloucestershire. Explaining his decision, Gethings said, “…my claim was down to 3lb and I thought it best to spread my wings a bit. I rode a winner at Perth for Tom and things just went from there. He holds my licence and things are going great.”

Shortly after winning the Welsh Grand National Trial at Chepstow on Wild West Wind, trained by George, on December 9, 2017, Gethings said, “… the aim now is now ride my claim out by the end of the season.” That he did, en route to a career-best 33 winners in 2017/18 as a whole.

Tom George aside, Gethings also formed a profitable association with Buckinghamshire trainer Stuart Edmunds, to who he became, for all practical purposes, stable jockey. All told, Gethings rode 114 winners for Edmunds, including the biggest winner of his career so far, Arizona Cardinal, in the Topham Chase at Aintree on April 12, 2024. However, the pair have since parted company, as Gethings explained, “Last season [2024/25] I had four months out through injury, and I probably lost a few rides. I got to February [2025], and I just wasn’t enjoying it at all, and that’s why I said to Stuart that I should go.”