Pat O'Brien
Pat O’Brien
Pat O’Brien
Article by Alan Trout
Article by Alan Trout
South-west National Hunt jockey Pat O'Brien rode three winners in 1930s, then returned more than a decade later to add another 17, including 11 in the 1950/51 season. All his 20 wins were gained at courses located in Devon or Somerset, eight of them at Wincanton.
South-west National Hunt jockey Pat O'Brien rode three winners in 1930s, then returned more than a decade later to add another 17, including 11 in the 1950/51 season. All his 20 wins were gained at courses located in Devon or Somerset, eight of them at Wincanton.
He started his career at Buckfastleigh on June 10, 1935, when Happy Days lll finished a distant fourth in the Dean Court Moderate Hurdle. They fared slightly better on the same course the following day when finishing third in the Well Park Novices’ Hurdle.
He started his career at Buckfastleigh on June 10, 1935, when Happy Days lll finished a distant fourth in the Dean Court Moderate Hurdle. They fared slightly better on the same course the following day when finishing third in the Well Park Novices’ Hurdle.
Pat had his first win on Easter Monday, April 13, 1936, when Brown Gelly, owned and trained by Captain Boyd, narrowly won the Tor Abbey Chase, beating Port Bonheur, ridden by the amateur Mr Daniel Daly, by a neck.
Pat had his first win on Easter Monday, April 13, 1936, when Brown Gelly, owned and trained by Captain Boyd, narrowly won the Tor Abbey Chase, beating Port Bonheur, ridden by the amateur Mr Daniel Daly, by a neck.
Pat’s only other win that season came at Buckfastleigh on June 2, when Brown Gelly landed the West of England Handicap Chase despite falling during the race. He faced only two opponents, one of which, the evens favourite Tuckmill, partnered by Glen Kelly, fell, while the other, Phaldarill, ridden by future Royal trainer Peter Cazalet, stayed on his feet but was still beaten 12 lengths by the remounted Brown Gelly.
Pat’s only other win that season came at Buckfastleigh on June 2, when Brown Gelly landed the West of England Handicap Chase despite falling during the race. He faced only two opponents, one of which, the evens favourite Tuckmill, partnered by Glen Kelly, fell, while the other, Phaldarill, ridden by future Royal trainer Peter Cazalet, stayed on his feet but was still beaten 12 lengths by the remounted Brown Gelly.
Pat had one more win before the war when the four-year-old Troene won the Novices’ Chase at Wincanton on Boxing Day 1937.
Pat had one more win before the war when the four-year-old Troene won the Novices’ Chase at Wincanton on Boxing Day 1937.
He held a licence until the 1939/40 season but it was not until Easter Monday 1949 that he recorded his fourth success, aboard Ivan’s Choice, owned and trained by Hugh Jones, in the Amesbury Handicap Chase at Wincanton. That was his sole success of the season but this was followed by four wins in 1949/50, three of them on Ivan’s Choice.
He held a licence until the 1939/40 season but it was not until Easter Monday 1949 that he recorded his fourth success, aboard Ivan’s Choice, owned and trained by Hugh Jones, in the Amesbury Handicap Chase at Wincanton. That was his sole success of the season but this was followed by four wins in 1949/50, three of them on Ivan’s Choice.
Pat made a great start to the 1950/51 campaign with five wins inside the first three weeks, including a double at Buckfastleigh aboard handicap chaser Blaze VI and novice hurdler Kingsmill, and there were two further Wincanton successes for Ivan’s Choice, one in September, one in October.
Pat made a great start to the 1950/51 campaign with five wins inside the first three weeks, including a double at Buckfastleigh aboard handicap chaser Blaze VI and novice hurdler Kingsmill, and there were two further Wincanton successes for Ivan’s Choice, one in September, one in October.
It was on Ivan’s Choice that Pat had his final win when landing the Somerset Handicap Chase at Wincanton on September 20, 1951, his seventh success on the horse and his eighth at Wincanton. He held a licence for three more seasons and had his final ride on October 9, 1954, when 20-1 outsider Garryhoe was unplaced in the Novices’ Hurdle at Taunton.
It was on Ivan’s Choice that Pat had his final win when landing the Somerset Handicap Chase at Wincanton on September 20, 1951, his seventh success on the horse and his eighth at Wincanton. He held a licence for three more seasons and had his final ride on October 9, 1954, when 20-1 outsider Garryhoe was unplaced in the Novices’ Hurdle at Taunton.
Pat O’Brien’s winners were, in chronological order:
Pat O’Brien’s winners were, in chronological order:
1. Brown Gelly, Torquay, April 13, 1936
1. Brown Gelly, Torquay, April 13, 1936
2. Brown Gelly, Buckfastleigh, June 2, 1936
2. Brown Gelly, Buckfastleigh, June 2, 1936
3. Treone, Wincanton, December 26, 1937
3. Treone, Wincanton, December 26, 1937
4. Ivan’s Choice, Wincanton, April 18, 1949
4. Ivan’s Choice, Wincanton, April 18, 1949
5. Ivan’s Choice, Wincanton, November 24, 1949
5. Ivan’s Choice, Wincanton, November 24, 1949
6. Ivan’s Choice, Wincanton, December 26, 1949
6. Ivan’s Choice, Wincanton, December 26, 1949
7. Ivan’s Choice, Taunton, February 9, 1950
7. Ivan’s Choice, Taunton, February 9, 1950
8. Brownie IV, Buckfastleigh, May 27, 1950
8. Brownie IV, Buckfastleigh, May 27, 1950
9. Brownie IV, Newton Abbot, August 5, 1950
9. Brownie IV, Newton Abbot, August 5, 1950
10. Bellifor, Newton Abbot, August 7, 1950
10. Bellifor, Newton Abbot, August 7, 1950
11. Blaze VI, Buckfastleigh, August 12, 1950
11. Blaze VI, Buckfastleigh, August 12, 1950
12. Kingsmill, Buckfastleigh, August 12, 1950
12. Kingsmill, Buckfastleigh, August 12, 1950
13. Blaze VI, Newton Abbot, August 18, 1950
13. Blaze VI, Newton Abbot, August 18, 1950
14. Blaze VI, Devon & Exeter, September 13, 1950
14. Blaze VI, Devon & Exeter, September 13, 1950
15. Ivan’s Choice, Wincanton, September 21, 1950
15. Ivan’s Choice, Wincanton, September 21, 1950
16. Ivan’s Choice, Wincanton, October 22, 1950
16. Ivan’s Choice, Wincanton, October 22, 1950
17. Ron’s Hope, Wincanton, March 26, 1951
17. Ron’s Hope, Wincanton, March 26, 1951
18. Arden Rheims, Buckfastleigh, May 12, 1951
18. Arden Rheims, Buckfastleigh, May 12, 1951
19. Arden Rheims, Taunton, May 17, 1951
19. Arden Rheims, Taunton, May 17, 1951
20. Ivan’s Choice, Wincanton, September 20, 1951
20. Ivan’s Choice, Wincanton, September 20, 1951
Pat O'Brien landed a double at Buckfastleigh on August 12 1950 with Blaze VI & Kingsmill
Pat's final win came on Ivan's Choice at Wincanton on September 20 1951