Jimmy Coogan was born in Ireland on July 28, 1956. He was a successful apprentice in his homeland during the mid-1970s.
His victories in 1975 included the Killiney Handicap at Leopardstown and the Herbert Lodge Handicap at the Curragh, both on Willy Willy, plus the Abbotstown Handicap at Phoenix Park on Daffodil Fields.
In 1976 his big wins included two valuable races at Phoenix Park, namely the Castleknock Sprint Stakes on Willy Willy and the Ardee Stakes on Princess Pixie. He rode several winners in 1977 including two at the Tralee Festival meeting.
Jimmy came to Britain to try his luck as a National Hunt jockey during the 1977/78 season. It was a relatively short stay, lasting less than two full seasons. He did, however, manage to ride one winner from just 11 rides during the 1978/79 campaign, that being on the Neville Crump-trained Harvest Day in the two-mile St Peter’s Handicap Chase at Catterick on November 4, 1978.
He later became a trainer in Ireland.
