Patrick Kinsella

Patrick Kinsella

National Hunt jockey Patrick Joseph Kinsella rode for many years in Britain, accumulating a total of 18 winners during the 1930s and immediate post-war years. 

Prior to that, he had ridden several winners in his native Ireland, the chief contributor being handicap hurdler Betty R, on whom he won five times: at Limerick, Waterford & Tramore and Leopardstown in 1931, followed by Waterford & Tramore and Tralee in 1932. Their two Tramore successes comprised back-to-back renewals of the Directors’ Handicap Hurdle, while their 1931 Boxing Day victory in Leopardstown’s Stewards’ Handicap Hurdle was the most prestigious. 

Other Irish successes included Defendant in the October Hurdle at the Curragh, back in the days when the headquarters of Irish racing staged the occasional race over hurdles; and El Kantara over fences at Limerick Junction.

Having crossed the Irish Sea, his first ride in England was at Wolverhampton on November 8, 1932, when Blood Orange was among the fallers in the 21-runner Stanton Selling Handicap Chase. It was not until the end of that season that he enjoyed his first British success at Southwell on June 3, 1933, when Well Hit beat three rivals to take the Upton Selling Handicap Hurdle. Trained by Joseph Hall at Russley Park, the seven-year-old Well Hit beat Anchor Watch, ridden by his owner, Billy Bissill, by five lengths. 

Just two days later, Patrick again got the better of Mr Bissill by winning the Bungay Selling Chase at that Suffolk venue on Esperance. In what was a match race, Mr Bissill’s mount, the 3-1 on favourite Baysman, fell, leaving the nine-year-old Esperance to come home alone. 

From then on, Patrick had plenty of rides and the occasional winner, achieving a best score of five in the 1936/37 campaign, He won four races on the chaser Chesterton, also trained by Joseph Hall, and had one ride in a big race when partnering Torrish in the 1937 Welsh Grand National at Cardiff, but the eight-year-old refused. 

Patrick continued his career shortly after World War Two and rode two more winners, the last of which was on Robinson, in the Pulborough Three-Year-Old Hurdle at Fontwell Park on September 23, 1947, beating Vince Mooney on Comrant by a length. 

Patrick Kinsella’s British wins were, in chronological order:

1. Well Hit, Southwell, June 3, 1933

2. Esperance, Bungay, June 5, 1933

3. Heart Of Gold, Uttoxeter, March 29, 1934

4. Dame Fortune, Derby, February 19, 1935

5. Torrish, Worcester, April 25, 1936

6. Chesterton, Stratford-on-Avon, October 3, 1936

7. Avonmouth, Uttoxeter, October 13, 1936

8. Downsman, Nottingham, October 26, 1936

9. Forward, Nottingham, December 14, 1936

10. Le Boulanger, Bungay, May 17, 1937

11. Three Fates, Wetherby, November 6, 1937

12. Chesterton, Wolverhampton, December 27, 1937 

13. Gay Battler, Hethersett, June 6, 1938

14. Chesterton, Leicester, January 9, 1939

15. Chesterton, Newbury, January 21, 1939

16. Luxborough, Southwell, December 7, 1940

17. Novgorod, Hereford, April 22, 1946

18. Robinson, Fontwell Park, September 23, 1947