Adrian Heskin
Adrian Heskin
Adrian Heskin
Dual Cheltenham Festival and Grade 1-winning rider Adrian Heskin was born in Kilworth, County Cork on 22 April 1992.
Dual Cheltenham Festival and Grade 1-winning rider Adrian Heskin was born in Kilworth, County Cork on 22 April 1992.
He joined trainer Michael Hourigan and had his first ride for him when finishing eleventh of 14 on Fashion Parade in a Cork bumper on 8 August 2008. His first winner was Mystical Breeze in the Johnstown Handicap Hurdle at Nass on 14 March 2009.
He joined trainer Michael Hourigan and had his first ride for him when finishing eleventh of 14 on Fashion Parade in a Cork bumper on 8 August 2008. His first winner was Mystical Breeze in the Johnstown Handicap Hurdle at Nass on 14 March 2009.
He sprang to prominence when becoming the youngest Cheltenham Festival-winning rider after guiding A New Story to victory in the 2010 Glenfarclas Cross-Country race as a 7lb claiming 17-year-old. That record was later equalled by Jack Kennedy, who was born on exactly the same date in 1999, when winning the 2017 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle on Labaik.
He sprang to prominence when becoming the youngest Cheltenham Festival-winning rider after guiding A New Story to victory in the 2010 Glenfarclas Cross-Country race as a 7lb claiming 17-year-old. That record was later equalled by Jack Kennedy, who was born on exactly the same date in 1999, when winning the 2017 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle on Labaik.
A month later after that initial Cheltenham success, Adrian recorded his first major victory in England in the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown aboard Hourigan’s Church Island.
A month later after that initial Cheltenham success, Adrian recorded his first major victory in England in the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown aboard Hourigan’s Church Island.
The next couple of years confirmed his status as one of the most promising talents in Ireland. In 2014 he was retained by prominent owner Barry Connell and provided him with his first Cheltenham winner, courtesy of the Mags Mullins-trained Martello Tower in the 2015 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle.
The next couple of years confirmed his status as one of the most promising talents in Ireland. In 2014 he was retained by prominent owner Barry Connell and provided him with his first Cheltenham winner, courtesy of the Mags Mullins-trained Martello Tower in the 2015 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle.
However, just over a year later, Connell cut ties, prompting Adrian to cross the Irish Sea and join Gloucestershire trainer Tom George in September 2016. They got off to a perfect start, a winner with their first runner together, Kilbree Kid at Perth, just nine days after arriving at George’s yard.
However, just over a year later, Connell cut ties, prompting Adrian to cross the Irish Sea and join Gloucestershire trainer Tom George in September 2016. They got off to a perfect start, a winner with their first runner together, Kilbree Kid at Perth, just nine days after arriving at George’s yard.
He became the retained jockey for leading owner Max McNeill at the start of the 2016/17 season, ending the campaign on a high with Grade 1 victory on The Worlds End in the Sefton Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree. They went on to enjoy further Grade 1 glory with The Worlds End in the 2019 Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot.
He became the retained jockey for leading owner Max McNeill at the start of the 2016/17 season, ending the campaign on a high with Grade 1 victory on The Worlds End in the Sefton Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree. They went on to enjoy further Grade 1 glory with The Worlds End in the 2019 Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot.
In between those two Grade 1 victories, Adrian suffered a broken leg when Paxman fell at the second last flight in a Taunton novices’ hurdle on 13 December 2018, ruling him out of that season’s Cheltenham Festival.
In between those two Grade 1 victories, Adrian suffered a broken leg when Paxman fell at the second last flight in a Taunton novices’ hurdle on 13 December 2018, ruling him out of that season’s Cheltenham Festival.
Adrian won nine races on Max McNeill’s Threeunderthrufive including four Grade 2 novice chases and the £60,000 Swinley Handicap Chase at Ascot. He won five on Kiltealy Briggs, and rode Tritonic to win the Grade 2 Adonis Juvenile Hurdle at Kempton Park and the £60,000 Betfair Exchange Trophy Handicap Hurdle at Ascot.
Adrian won nine races on Max McNeill’s Threeunderthrufive including four Grade 2 novice chases and the £60,000 Swinley Handicap Chase at Ascot. He won five on Kiltealy Briggs, and rode Tritonic to win the Grade 2 Adonis Juvenile Hurdle at Kempton Park and the £60,000 Betfair Exchange Trophy Handicap Hurdle at Ascot.
The McNeill-Heskin partnership ended after the 2022/23 season, the decision to end the retainer being described by McNeill’s racing manager Iain Turner as a “rationalisation” of his operations.
The McNeill-Heskin partnership ended after the 2022/23 season, the decision to end the retainer being described by McNeill’s racing manager Iain Turner as a “rationalisation” of his operations.
Adrian returned to Ireland where he got off the mark for the season by winning a Listed mares hurdle at Gowran Park aboard Magical Zoe on 29 September. He won a Grade 2 novices’ chase at Limerick over Christmas on Hauturiere for perennial champion trainer Willie Mullins.
Adrian returned to Ireland where he got off the mark for the season by winning a Listed mares hurdle at Gowran Park aboard Magical Zoe on 29 September. He won a Grade 2 novices’ chase at Limerick over Christmas on Hauturiere for perennial champion trainer Willie Mullins.
However, he struggled to get a foothold back in Ireland and registered just four wins for the 2023/24 season, the last of which was on Gaillimh A Run for trainer John Queally in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Maiden Hurdle at Tramore on 21 April 2024. That was also his final ride.
However, he struggled to get a foothold back in Ireland and registered just four wins for the 2023/24 season, the last of which was on Gaillimh A Run for trainer John Queally in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Maiden Hurdle at Tramore on 21 April 2024. That was also his final ride.
Just a couple of days after the 2023/24 season ended at Punchestown on 4 May, Adrian announced his retirement from race-riding at 32 years of age. He rode 436 winners under rules, enjoying a career-best 54 in Britain during his first term with McNeill in 2016/2017.
Just a couple of days after the 2023/24 season ended at Punchestown on 4 May, Adrian announced his retirement from race-riding at 32 years of age. He rode 436 winners under rules, enjoying a career-best 54 in Britain during his first term with McNeill in 2016/2017.
Adrian and his wife Danielle have a farm at their home in Kilworth. He also plans to continue the family’s tradition of breeding National Hunt stock, his father having been responsible for breeding the good chaser Nick Dundee.
Adrian and his wife Danielle have a farm at their home in Kilworth. He also plans to continue the family’s tradition of breeding National Hunt stock, his father having been responsible for breeding the good chaser Nick Dundee.