Martin Lynch
Jump jockey Martin Lynch was born in Ireland on June 6, 1958. He achieved his first major victory on Royal Dipper in the Morgiana Hurdle for trainer John Fowler. He rode 33-1 shot Barney Maclyvie in the 1981 Grand National at Aintree but they parted company at the first fence.
Jump jockey Martin Lynch was born in Ireland on June 6, 1958. He achieved his first major victory on Royal Dipper in the Morgiana Hurdle for trainer John Fowler. He rode 33-1 shot Barney Maclyvie in the 1981 Grand National at Aintree but they parted company at the first fence.
In 1985 he partnered Seskin Bridge to win the Thyestes Chase and the Leopardstown Chase for the President of Ireland and trainer Peter McCreery, and also finished second on him to Rhyme ’N’ Reason in that year’s Irish Grand National.
In 1985 he partnered Seskin Bridge to win the Thyestes Chase and the Leopardstown Chase for the President of Ireland and trainer Peter McCreery, and also finished second on him to Rhyme ’N’ Reason in that year’s Irish Grand National.
Martin came to ply his trade in Britain in 1988. During his first couple of seasons he rode winners for several trainers including Mark Wilkinson, Bob Champion and Terry Casey, recording his most notable success on Casey’s Celtic Barle in the 1989 Sidney Banks Memorial Hurdle at Huntingdon.
Martin came to ply his trade in Britain in 1988. During his first couple of seasons he rode winners for several trainers including Mark Wilkinson, Bob Champion and Terry Casey, recording his most notable success on Casey’s Celtic Barle in the 1989 Sidney Banks Memorial Hurdle at Huntingdon.
In the 1989/90 season his main supply of winners came from trainers John Chugg and John Webber. He won three times on Chugg’s good chaser Master Rajh, while for Webber he won four on Elfast, including the Steel Plate and Sections Young Chasers’ Final at Cheltenham, and also landed Stratford’s Roddy Baker Gold Cup on Auntie Dot.
In the 1989/90 season his main supply of winners came from trainers John Chugg and John Webber. He won three times on Chugg’s good chaser Master Rajh, while for Webber he won four on Elfast, including the Steel Plate and Sections Young Chasers’ Final at Cheltenham, and also landed Stratford’s Roddy Baker Gold Cup on Auntie Dot.
However, he is perhaps best remembered for his partnership with Towcester trainer John Upson, on whose Nick The Brief he won Haydock’s Peter Marsh Chase in January 1990 and followed that by winning the Vincent O'Brien Gold Cup at Leopardstown the next month.
However, he is perhaps best remembered for his partnership with Towcester trainer John Upson, on whose Nick The Brief he won Haydock’s Peter Marsh Chase in January 1990 and followed that by winning the Vincent O'Brien Gold Cup at Leopardstown the next month.
Martin won four out of four on Master Rajh the following season, culminating in the Emblem Chase at Kempton. He also won twice more on Auntie Dot and was due to ride her in the 1991 Grand National, but he had a fall at Towcester the previous week and was unable to take the mount. The mare finished third under Mark Dwyer behind Seagram and Garrison Savannah. In 1992, with Adrian Maguire injured, Martin picked up the spare Grand National ride on Gold Cup winner Cool Ground and completed the course, finishing tenth behind Party Politics.
Martin won four out of four on Master Rajh the following season, culminating in the Emblem Chase at Kempton. He also won twice more on Auntie Dot and was due to ride her in the 1991 Grand National, but he had a fall at Towcester the previous week and was unable to take the mount. The mare finished third under Mark Dwyer behind Seagram and Garrison Savannah. In 1992, with Adrian Maguire injured, Martin picked up the spare Grand National ride on Gold Cup winner Cool Ground and completed the course, finishing tenth behind Party Politics.
The 1991/92 campaign was his most successful in Britain with 23 wins. He won Haydock’s Edward Hanmer Chase on Auntie Dot; scored a Boxing Day double at Wolverhampton; landed the Louise Stockdale Challenge Cup Chase at Towcester on Bit Of A Clown; and, on March 12, 1992, achieved his sole Cheltenham Festival success on John Webber’s Elfast in the Mildmay of Flete Challenge Cup Chase. He also won five races on Webber’s chaser Tildebo.
The 1991/92 campaign was his most successful in Britain with 23 wins. He won Haydock’s Edward Hanmer Chase on Auntie Dot; scored a Boxing Day double at Wolverhampton; landed the Louise Stockdale Challenge Cup Chase at Towcester on Bit Of A Clown; and, on March 12, 1992, achieved his sole Cheltenham Festival success on John Webber’s Elfast in the Mildmay of Flete Challenge Cup Chase. He also won five races on Webber’s chaser Tildebo.
Martin looked all set for another good season in 1992/93 but then injuries intervened. He had ridden just seven winners when suffering a pelvic injury in a fall at Stratford in February. Just one day after returning to the saddle he compressed two vertebrae and broke a rib in another fall while schooling Robert Waley-Cohen’s Won’t Be Gone Long for Nicky Henderson at Towcester with a view to potentially riding him in that year’s Grand National.
Martin looked all set for another good season in 1992/93 but then injuries intervened. He had ridden just seven winners when suffering a pelvic injury in a fall at Stratford in February. Just one day after returning to the saddle he compressed two vertebrae and broke a rib in another fall while schooling Robert Waley-Cohen’s Won’t Be Gone Long for Nicky Henderson at Towcester with a view to potentially riding him in that year’s Grand National.
His recovery involved sessions of physiotherapy treatment and he was advised not to continue riding.
His recovery involved sessions of physiotherapy treatment and he was advised not to continue riding.
It wasn’t the way he wanted to finish but, aged 35, he called time on his 18-year race-riding career and returned to Ireland in 1993 to set up as a trainer. He initially leased a 25-box yard from Bill Durkan in Glencairn before buying Midleton Park Stables just outside Castletown Geoghegan in Westmeath. Together with his wife Suzanne, who had trained successfully under her maiden name of Finn before becoming an acupuncturist, Martin started out with a string of around 15 horses.
It wasn’t the way he wanted to finish but, aged 35, he called time on his 18-year race-riding career and returned to Ireland in 1993 to set up as a trainer. He initially leased a 25-box yard from Bill Durkan in Glencairn before buying Midleton Park Stables just outside Castletown Geoghegan in Westmeath. Together with his wife Suzanne, who had trained successfully under her maiden name of Finn before becoming an acupuncturist, Martin started out with a string of around 15 horses.
His first good horse was Colonel Yeager, who won six races, including a Grade 2 hurdle at Punchestown in February 1999 and finished fourth behind Hors La Loir III in that year’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham. However, Colonel Yeager went wrong in 2000 and things went from bad to worse. When a horse broke down with him in a gallop one morning, he told Suzanne and that he wasn’t going to renew his licence.
His first good horse was Colonel Yeager, who won six races, including a Grade 2 hurdle at Punchestown in February 1999 and finished fourth behind Hors La Loir III in that year’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham. However, Colonel Yeager went wrong in 2000 and things went from bad to worse. When a horse broke down with him in a gallop one morning, he told Suzanne and that he wasn’t going to renew his licence.
He spent a couple of years just buying and selling horses, doing some work for Irish Thoroughbred Marketing as an ownership advisor. Gradually he realised that he missed the buzz, his eldest son Mark was starting to get interested in riding, so he renewed his licence. Shortly afterwards, he bought Oscar Time.
He spent a couple of years just buying and selling horses, doing some work for Irish Thoroughbred Marketing as an ownership advisor. Gradually he realised that he missed the buzz, his eldest son Mark was starting to get interested in riding, so he renewed his licence. Shortly afterwards, he bought Oscar Time.
Oscar Time gave Martin and Suzanne a great day when he won the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown in December 2009, and he went on to finish second in the 2010 Irish Grand National. The horse’s owner Eamonn Kane had resisted plenty of offers to sell, but he eventually accepted one from Robert Waley-Cohen on condition that he would allow the horse to remain in the yard. Ridden by the owner’s son Sam Waley-Cohen, Oscar Time ran a fine race to finish second to Ballabriggs in the 2011 Grand National.
Oscar Time gave Martin and Suzanne a great day when he won the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown in December 2009, and he went on to finish second in the 2010 Irish Grand National. The horse’s owner Eamonn Kane had resisted plenty of offers to sell, but he eventually accepted one from Robert Waley-Cohen on condition that he would allow the horse to remain in the yard. Ridden by the owner’s son Sam Waley-Cohen, Oscar Time ran a fine race to finish second to Ballabriggs in the 2011 Grand National.
Martin continues to train but, as with all middle of the road trainers finds it’s a struggle to compete with the mighty battalions of Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott. His most recent winner was Beyond The Obvious, who landed a maiden hurdle at Navan on March 13, 2016, ridden by his son Mark
Martin continues to train but, as with all middle of the road trainers finds it’s a struggle to compete with the mighty battalions of Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott. His most recent winner was Beyond The Obvious, who landed a maiden hurdle at Navan on March 13, 2016, ridden by his son Mark
He made a one-off return to the saddle at Punchestown in October 2017 when riding Jessica Harrington’s Nearly Famous in the John Shortt Legends Challenge Race, finishing twelfth.
He made a one-off return to the saddle at Punchestown in October 2017 when riding Jessica Harrington’s Nearly Famous in the John Shortt Legends Challenge Race, finishing twelfth.