In a riding career that has spanned over 15 years, Declan McDonogh has long been established as one of Irelands most consistent and powerful riders. Looking at his pedigree, it shouldn’t be any surprise that he has turned out to be such a high achiever in racing as his father, Des McDonogh, trained the brilliant hurdler, Monksfield, who won two consecutive Cheltenham Champion Hurdles in the late 1970’s while his mother, Helen, was a very accomplished rider herself.
Principal Trainers: Kevin Prendergast, Ken Condon
Notable Wins:
- Eyrefield Stakes (Tiz The Shot 2010)
- Blenheim Stakes (Longhunter 2010)
- Oyster Stakes (Rajik 2010)
- Dance Design Stakes (Obama Rule 2010)
- Ballycullen Stakes (Rajik 2010, Red Moloney 2007)
- Coolmore Hurricane Run Stakes (Snow Watch 2010)
- Anglesey Stakes (Dunboyne Express 2010)
- Rockingham Handicap (Bay Knight 2010)
- Ballygallon Stakes (Seeharn 2010)
- National Stakes (Kingsfort 2009)
- Fairy Bridge Stakes (Choose Me 2009)
- Moyglare Stud Stakes (Termagant 2009)
- Greenlands Stakes (Utmost Respect 2009)
- Knockaire Stakes (Almass 2008)
- Navigation Stakes (Almass 2008)
- Ballyroan Stakes (Mores Wells 2008 + 2007)
- Saoire Stakes (Shimah 2008)
- Rochestown Stakes (Heart Of Fire 2008)
- Ballysax Stakes (Moiqen 2008, Mores Wells 2007)
- Alleged Stakes (Red Moloney 2008)
- Park Express Stakes (Marjalina 2008)
- Carlingford Stakes (Red Moloney 2007)
- Diadem Stakes (Haatef 2007)
- Belgrave Stakes (Haatef 2007, Ulfah 2004)
- Sweet Mimosa Stakes (Evening Time 2007, Ulfah 2004)
- International Stakes (Decado 2007)
- Tipperary Stakes (Porto Marmay 2007, Kay Two 2004)
- Gladness Stakes (Mustameet 2007 + 2005, Rebelline 2002)
- Lanwades & Staffordstown Studs Silken Glider Stakes (Boca Dancer 2006)
- Waterford Testimonial Stakes (Ugo Fire 2006)
- Flame Of Tara Stakes (Evening Time 2006)
- Shelbourne Hotel Goffs Million (Miss Beatrix 2006)
- Royal Whip Stakes (Mustameet 2006)
- International Stakes (Mustameet 2006)
- Celebration Stakes (Mustameet 2006)
- Scurry Handicap (Taqseem 2006)
- Glencairn Stakes (Mustameet 2006)
- Weatherbys Super Sprint (Elhamri 2006)
- Heritage Stakes (Mustameet 2006)
- Windsor Castle Stakes (Elhamri 2006)
- Tetrarch Stakes (Decado 2006)
- Swordlestown Sprint Stakes (Brazilian Bride 2006)
- Loughbrown Stakes (Decado 2006)
- C.L.Weld Park Stakes (Ugo Fire 2005)
- Noblesse Stakes (Right Key 2005)
- Blue Wind Stakes (Right Key 2005)
- Irish Lincolnshire (Victram 2005)
- Ruby Stakes (Eklim 2004)
- McDonogh Handicap (Eklim 2003)
- Ballycorus Stakes (Abunawwas 2003)
- Athasi Stakes (Walayef 2003)
- Tattersalls Gold Cup (Rebelline 2002)
- Mooresbridge Stakes (Rebelline 2002)
- Pretty Polly Stakes (Rebelline 2001, Polaire 1999)
- Leopardstown 1000 Guineas Trial (Rebelline 2001)
- Irish Cesarewitch Handicap (Miltonfield 1999)
- Denny Gold Medal Handicap (Celebrity Style 1997)
Early Days
Declan rode his first winner on a horse of his fathers called Aines Pet in the Derrinstown Apprentice Handicap at Leopardstown in June 1995. Although never Champion Apprentice, he came close on several occasions having finished fifth in the table in 1996 and then third to no less than Eddie Ahern and Jamie Spencer the following year. 1998 saw him finish in joint-fourth position with 26 winners, while 12 months later he occupied third place behind the aforementioned Jamie Spencer with another healthy total of 25 winners. In his last year as an apprentice, he attained his highest-ever placing in the Apprentice Championship by finishing runner-up to Tom Queally with a score of 20.
In the early days, one of Declan’s most notable successes came aboard the Christy Roche-trained Bicycle Thief in a handicap at the Curragh on Guineas weekend. He soon attracted the attention of Dermot Weld and rode several winners for him in June and July 1997, including a good win on Celebrity Style in the competitive Denny Gold Medal Handicap at Leopardstown. As time went on, Declan came to the attention of many different trainers and in the space of two days at the Galway Festival in 1997, he was seen to good effect riding winners for the likes of Noel Meade and Edward O’Grady which helped to raise his profile.
Prendergast Calls
Declan soon found himself riding as second jockey behind Stephen Craine for the powerful Kevin Prendergast stable and in 1999, he really shot to prominence when riding Polaire to a 14/1 victory in the Group 2 Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh on Derby weekend. Following this success he was allowed to keep his association with Polaire when she lined up for the Darley Irish Oaks two weeks later, but unfortunately she was unable to land a blow behind easy winner Ramruma. The year ended with another notable success when Declan guided the John Mulhern-trained Miltonfield to a fine win in the Irish Cesarewitch Handicap at the Curragh in late-October.
When Declan looks back on his career, he will always remember his association with the top-class filly, Rebelline, who was owned by Lady O’Reilly and trained by Kevin Prendergast. Having won a juvenile maiden at Navan in October 2000, she developed into a smart three-year-old and began the season by winning the Leopardstown 1000 Guineas Trial before finishing fifth in the Irish 1000 Guineas at the Curragh the following month. Aimed at the Pretty Polly Stakes over the same course in late June, Rebelline showed her class with an authoritative victory. She began her four-year-old season with a shock victory over the much vaunted Johannesburg in the Gladness Stakes at the Curragh in April before taking the Mooresbridge Stakes at the same track three weeks later. Aimed at the Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh in late-May, Rebelline once again showed what a good filly she was with a tremendous victory under a superb ride from Declan.
More Big-Race Success
That first Group 1 victory seemed to do wonders for McDonogh’s confidence and other big race successes soon followed with Walayef winning the Athasi Stakes and Abunawwas taking the Ballycorus Stakes at Leopardstown, while the Galway Festival that year saw Declan ride a fantastic treble on the Tuesday evening highlighted by the victory of Eklim in the McDonogh Handicap. 2004 saw his momentum continue to grow with Listed victories coming on the Kevin Prendergast-trained Ulfah in the Sweet Mimosa Stakes at Leopardstown and the Belgrave Stakes at the Curragh, Eklim in the Ruby Stakes at Tralee, and the Tipperary Stakes on the Frances Crowley-trained Kay Two. He got the 2005 season off to a perfect start by combining with the Ado McGuinness-trained Victram to win the valuable Irish Lincoln. He was also successful aboard Mustameet in the Gladness Stakes for his boss while Right Key won the Blue Wind Stakes at Naas and the Noblesse Stakes at Cork, and was just one of a host of decent performers that Declan partnered to success during a fine year.
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?
2006 had many highlights for Declan, with his victory on Miss Beatrix in the first running of the Shelbourne Hotel Goffs Million at the Curragh on September 19th providing the icing on the cake for him. Other excellent wins during the year were achieved with Decado in the Loughbrown Stakes and the Tetrarch Stakes while Mustameet landed the Heritage Stakes and the Glencairn Stakes at Leopardstown, and the Celebration Stakes, the International Stakes and the Royal Whip Stakes all at the Curragh. Taqseem gave him victory in the Scurry Handicap on Derby Day while he rode his first winner at Royal Ascot on the Sylvester Kirk-trained Elhamri in the Windsor Castle Stakes, before winning the valuable Weatherbys Super Sprint at Newbury on the same horse. Other notable victories were gained on Brazilian Bride in the Swordlestown Stud Sprint Stakes at Naas, the Waterford Testimonial Stakes on Ugo Fire, the Flame Of Tara Stakes on Evening Time and the Lanwades & Staffordstown Studs Stakes on Boca Dancer. He was also crowned leading rider at both the Galway and Listowel Festivals. Those wins all contributed to McDonogh being crowned Irish Champion Flat Jockey for the first time at Leopardstown in November 2006, a fitting end to what was a wonderful season for him.
Consolidating Success
2007 was a year of consolidation for McDonogh as he continued to amass big-race wins. Again, his most notable partnerships came on horses trained by his boss Kevin Prendergast, with the highlights perhaps coming on Mores Wells who won the Ballysax Stakes and the Ballyroan Stakes, as well as finishing fifth in the Irish Derby and third in the Irish St Leger. Red Moloney was also a lucrative performer for McDonogh, winning four times including two Listed races. The highlight of his outside rides came on the Ado McGuinness-trained Rainbow Rising who won valuable handicaps at the Curragh and Dundalk. While he fell short of his 2006 tally of winners, it was still a highly satisfactory year for McDonogh and he eventually finished second to Pat Smullen in the Jockeys Championship.
While McDonogh failed to win as many races in 2008 as he had in previous seasons, a healthy strike-rate in big races meant that his total tally of prize money remained much the same as it was in 2007. Highlights included Red Moloney’s win in the Alleged Stakes at the Curragh, Moiqen’s win in the Ballysax Stakes and Marjalina’s win in the Park Express Stakes. He finished off the season in particularly strong style, winning two Listed races on Almass and coming within ½-length of Group 1 glory on Shimah in the Moyglare Stud Stakes.
2009 saw McDonogh register a similar tally of winners as he had in 2008, but the key difference between the two campaigns came in the second half of the 2009 campaign. The first of his notable successes came on the Kevin Prendergast-trained Termagant, with the one-raced filly ploughed through the testing ground to register a comfortable success in the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh, McDonogh’s first win at the highest level since 2002. He didn’t have to wait long to get the Group 1 feeling again, as just a few short weeks later he partnered the Kevin Prendergast-trained Kingsfort to a game success in the National Stakes at the Curragh. Those wins were unquestionably the highlights of what was a satisfying campaign for McDonogh.
2010 was another solid season for McDonogh, with him winning two Listed races on the Charlie Swan-trained Rajik, the Group 3 Dance Design Stakes at the Curragh on the Joanna Morgan-trained Obama Rule, as well as winning the valuable Rockingham Handicap on the Ken Condon-trained Bay Knight. However, it has been his partnerships with Kevin Prendergast’s two-year-olds that has been the highlight of his campaign. He has won Listed races on the likes of Seeharn, Longhunter, Snow Watch and Tiz The Shot, but his most memorable win came on Dunboyne Express, who recorded a dominant eight lengths wins in the Group 3 Anglesey Stakes at the Curragh. For the third season in succession, McDonogh finished the campaign with a tally of winners in the mid-50’s.
Info supplied by Horse Racing Ireland - Updated January 2011
