David McCabe
Born in Ireland in 1972, David Robert McCabe was a successful apprentice based with David Loder at Newmarket. His career was at its height in the mid-1990s, recording 35 winners from 300 mounts in 1995 and 42 wins from 423 mounts in 1996.
Born in Ireland in 1972, David Robert McCabe was a successful apprentice based with David Loder at Newmarket. His career was at its height in the mid-1990s, recording 35 winners from 300 mounts in 1995 and 42 wins from 423 mounts in 1996.
In the summer of 1995 he won a pair of valuable Newmarket handicaps on successive Saturdays, landing the Colman’s of Norwich Nursery on the Giles Bravery-trained Rabican on July 29, and the New Zealand Handicap on David Loder’s three-year-old colt Verzen on August 5. Also that year, he won three races in succession on Loder’s three-year-old filly Bonne Etoile, culminating in the Listed Virginia Stakes at Newcastle on August Bank Holiday Monday.
In the summer of 1995 he won a pair of valuable Newmarket handicaps on successive Saturdays, landing the Colman’s of Norwich Nursery on the Giles Bravery-trained Rabican on July 29, and the New Zealand Handicap on David Loder’s three-year-old colt Verzen on August 5. Also that year, he won three races in succession on Loder’s three-year-old filly Bonne Etoile, culminating in the Listed Virginia Stakes at Newcastle on August Bank Holiday Monday.
Of his 42 successes in 1996, 16 came courtesy of David Loder. One that didn’t was a decent mile-and-a-quarter handicap at Newmarket on Ball Gown, trained by David Thom.
Of his 42 successes in 1996, 16 came courtesy of David Loder. One that didn’t was a decent mile-and-a-quarter handicap at Newmarket on Ball Gown, trained by David Thom.
Sadly, but all too commonly, once David lost his claim, he struggled to continue his run of form. His score of 11 from 212 mounts in 1997 wasn’t too bad, but he slumped to just two from 32 in 1998. He relinquished his licence well before the end of that season and didn’t ride at all the following year.
Sadly, but all too commonly, once David lost his claim, he struggled to continue his run of form. His score of 11 from 212 mounts in 1997 wasn’t too bad, but he slumped to just two from 32 in 1998. He relinquished his licence well before the end of that season and didn’t ride at all the following year.
He joined trainer Brian Meehan’s stable and made an acceptable comeback in 2000, recording eight winners from 211 rides, then five from 212 in 2001. However, in 2003 his score slipped to its lowest point of just one winning ride from 39 mounts.
He joined trainer Brian Meehan’s stable and made an acceptable comeback in 2000, recording eight winners from 211 rides, then five from 212 in 2001. However, in 2003 his score slipped to its lowest point of just one winning ride from 39 mounts.
Help was at hand, however, in the shape of trainer ‘Dandy’ Nicholls, for whom David’s winners included Lord Of The East in the Barnard Handicap at Thirsk on June 15, 2004. This marked a successful return to the Yorkshire at which he had previously received a 20-day ban for having failed to take all reasonable measures to obtain the best possible placing on Beyond The Clouds.
Help was at hand, however, in the shape of trainer ‘Dandy’ Nicholls, for whom David’s winners included Lord Of The East in the Barnard Handicap at Thirsk on June 15, 2004. This marked a successful return to the Yorkshire at which he had previously received a 20-day ban for having failed to take all reasonable measures to obtain the best possible placing on Beyond The Clouds.
Nicholls was again instrumental in David’s career in 2005, supplying six of his 16 winners. They included another victory on Lord Of The East in a class 5 handicap at Pontefract in June.
Nicholls was again instrumental in David’s career in 2005, supplying six of his 16 winners. They included another victory on Lord Of The East in a class 5 handicap at Pontefract in June.
David returned to the country of his birth in 2006 and became one of Aiden O’Brien’s senior work riders. He also rode occasionally for him, usually on the stable’s third or fourth strings. He achieved some notable placings, however, four of them in 2008, when he finished third in the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches (French 1,000 Guineas) on Halfway To Heaven, third in the Group 3 Kilternan Stakes on Freedom, fourth in the Group 1 Prix Vermeille on Adored, and fourth in the English St Leger on Hindu Kush.
David returned to the country of his birth in 2006 and became one of Aiden O’Brien’s senior work riders. He also rode occasionally for him, usually on the stable’s third or fourth strings. He achieved some notable placings, however, four of them in 2008, when he finished third in the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches (French 1,000 Guineas) on Halfway To Heaven, third in the Group 3 Kilternan Stakes on Freedom, fourth in the Group 1 Prix Vermeille on Adored, and fourth in the English St Leger on Hindu Kush.
He partnered his last winner for Aiden O’Brien on the two-year-old Astrology in a Leopardstown maiden on August 11, 2011. His final mount in public was on Performance, also for O’Brien, finishing fifth in a two-year-old maiden at Dundalk on October 19, 2012.
He partnered his last winner for Aiden O’Brien on the two-year-old Astrology in a Leopardstown maiden on August 11, 2011. His final mount in public was on Performance, also for O’Brien, finishing fifth in a two-year-old maiden at Dundalk on October 19, 2012.