Cathy Gannon
Flat jockey Cathy Gannon was born in Donaghmede, Dublin, Ireland on September 23, 1981. One of eight children of a taxi driver, she learned to ride at an early age, riding bareback in the streets of north Dublin.
Flat jockey Cathy Gannon was born in Donaghmede, Dublin, Ireland on September 23, 1981. One of eight children of a taxi driver, she learned to ride at an early age, riding bareback in the streets of north Dublin.
When aged 15 she enrolled at RACE, the Apprentice Jockeys’ School in County Kildare. She admitted to knowing nothing about racing at the time. Indeed, she’d hardly ever used a saddle until then.
When aged 15 she enrolled at RACE, the Apprentice Jockeys’ School in County Kildare. She admitted to knowing nothing about racing at the time. Indeed, she’d hardly ever used a saddle until then.
After graduating from RACE, she joined the Curragh stable of leading trainer John Oxx. She had her first ride at Wexford in 1998, finishing third. She rode her first winner at Tipperary later the same year.
After graduating from RACE, she joined the Curragh stable of leading trainer John Oxx. She had her first ride at Wexford in 1998, finishing third. She rode her first winner at Tipperary later the same year.
Standing barely 5ft tall, she became Ireland’s first female champion apprentice jockey in 2004. By doing so, she also became the inaugural winner of the Irish Times/Sports Council of Ireland Sportswoman of the Year.
Standing barely 5ft tall, she became Ireland’s first female champion apprentice jockey in 2004. By doing so, she also became the inaugural winner of the Irish Times/Sports Council of Ireland Sportswoman of the Year.
However, that proved to be a false dawn and she struggled without the aid of her claim. She relocated to England in 2006 with no offers of work or accommodation, knowing only that, with more racing, it should offer more opportunities. It proved a successful move – she rode 48 British winners in 2009.
However, that proved to be a false dawn and she struggled without the aid of her claim. She relocated to England in 2006 with no offers of work or accommodation, knowing only that, with more racing, it should offer more opportunities. It proved a successful move – she rode 48 British winners in 2009.
Cathy scored her biggest success when winning the Group 3 Round Tower Stakes at the Curragh aboard the David Evans-trained Dingle View on October 26, 2010 on a rare trip home to Ireland.
Cathy scored her biggest success when winning the Group 3 Round Tower Stakes at the Curragh aboard the David Evans-trained Dingle View on October 26, 2010 on a rare trip home to Ireland.
In 2011 she rode 71 winners from 781 mounts earning almost £400,000 in prize money. She received the ‘Lady Jockey of the Year’ award at the annual ‘Lesters’ Awards. However, on October 12 that year, she fractured a femur at Nottingham, when a two-year-old named Forever Janey jinked at the winning post on the way to the start and unseated her.
In 2011 she rode 71 winners from 781 mounts earning almost £400,000 in prize money. She received the ‘Lady Jockey of the Year’ award at the annual ‘Lesters’ Awards. However, on October 12 that year, she fractured a femur at Nottingham, when a two-year-old named Forever Janey jinked at the winning post on the way to the start and unseated her.
Sadly, that marked the start of a spate of injuries. In April 2012, while preparing to return to race-riding, she broke her jaw in a fall on the gallops.
Sadly, that marked the start of a spate of injuries. In April 2012, while preparing to return to race-riding, she broke her jaw in a fall on the gallops.
Nonetheless, she went on to ride a total of 440 winners. What proved to be last of them came on Thora Barker for David Evans in a two-year-old race at Wolverhampton on April 25, 2016.
Nonetheless, she went on to ride a total of 440 winners. What proved to be last of them came on Thora Barker for David Evans in a two-year-old race at Wolverhampton on April 25, 2016.
In July 2017 she was forced to announce her retirement from the saddle, aged 35, having been unable to recover sufficiently to race-ride after sustaining multiple fractures of all her toes on her left foot at Lingfield in May 2016.
In July 2017 she was forced to announce her retirement from the saddle, aged 35, having been unable to recover sufficiently to race-ride after sustaining multiple fractures of all her toes on her left foot at Lingfield in May 2016.
She planned to return to Ireland and become a jockey coach, having already embarked on that career during her time out of action in England.
She planned to return to Ireland and become a jockey coach, having already embarked on that career during her time out of action in England.
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