James Christopher O’Grady was born in County Kerry, Ireland on December 19, 1946, the son of amateur rider Johnny O’Grady. He was apprenticed to Clem Magnier and had his first ride in public on Gun Smoke in the Naas November Handicap on November 14, 1964.
He rode his first winner on Magnier’s filly Yvonne in the two-mile Lough Ennel Handicap at Mullingar on May 19, 1965. His second, on Paisley Maid at Phoenix Park, followed ten days later. He then graduated to riding over jumps and had accumulated a sufficient number of winners to be claiming 3lb when coming to Britain in 1969. He first joined Earl Jones’ Hednesford yard and then moved to Denis Rayson at Exning and later worked for Alec Stewart in Newmarket.
He held a National Hunt jockey’s licence from 1969/70 to 1974/75 but rode just one winner during that time, that being on Lady Laurel in a Plumpton selling hurdle on March 24, 1971.
He rated riding the Queen Mother’s horse Kelso Brig in a two-mile hurdle at Towcester on Easter Monday 1974 as one of the highlights of his career, even though they could finish only seventh.