While Kevin Tobin’s career in the saddle was somewhat short and sweet, from 2006 to 2008 he showed that he was more than capable of holding his own as a jump jockey and could have made a fine career for himself in racing if he had so wished. As it turned out, he decided to quit the saddle at the age of 23 to pursue a career as an addiction counsellor.
Principal Trainer: Charlie Mann
Notable Win: "Bet Live" @williamhill.com Handicap Hurdle (Kanad 2007)
Early Days
A native of Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, Tobin first came to prominence in the showjumping arena, representing Ireland to finish second in a Nations Cup. Having made the decision to turn his attentions to racing, he joined the Co. Kildare-based trainer, Jessica Harrington. He took his first ride for her on a horse called Florida Recount in a bumper at Punchestown in April 2004. While he rode no winners for Harrington, it was a valuable experience and it prepared him for the next stage of his career which involved a move to England at the end of the summer in 2005.
Britain Beckons
Attached to the Charlie Mann yard, Tobin had to endure six placed efforts before eventually gaining his first career win on Bartercard in a bumper at Plumpton on May 14th 2006. He had another long wait before again entering the winner’s enclosure, but he did ride some useful sorts along the way including My Turn Now and Nathos. It was in 2007 that things really began to take off for Tobin, riding his next winner on the Jean-Rene Auvray-trained It’s Rumoured in a Racing Post Hands And Heels Series Handicap Hurdle at Plumpton on February 12th. He partnered a total of four further winners in the remaining few months of the 2006/7 season and his star was very much on the rise.
Climbing The Ladder
Tobin began the new season in perfect style, winning on his first two rides of the new term. He continued in the same vein in the next few months until his workload began to become significantly heavier from October onwards. It was during that month that Tobin gained his first win of the season in the Racing Post Hands And Heels Series on the Donald McCain Junior-trained It’s A Discovery at Carlisle, and as the season wore on, that series would become the main target of Tobin’s ambitions. A series of 12 races, as the name suggests, the whip is carried but only be used for safety purposes in the races in question, with points being awarded for wins as well as riding style and professionalism. In the meantime, the following month Tobin gained what was and remains by far the biggest win of his career when riding the Charlie Mann-trained Kanad to victory in the valuable "Bet Live" @williamhill.com Handicap Hurdle at Ascot. That win understandably was a great confidence booster for Tobin and indeed, he rode two more winners in the week following it, including another success in the Racing Post Hands And Heels Series at Market Rasen.
The next few months leading up to the New Year and into January were a case of ‘close but no cigar’ for Tobin as, while he rode two winners, he was placed on no less than 13 occasions. He ended his frustrating run in the best possible fashion, winning a Racing Post Hands And Heels Series race at Ayr on February 21st. That win all but assured Tobin of victory in the series and he went into the final leg of it on March 28th at Newbury with the only threat of defeat being a disqualification for using the whip. There was never a danger of that happening and as well as the winning title, he also won the opportunity to write a regular column with the Racing Post, as well as a laptop and in-car satellite navigation system.
One Last Campaign
Tobin enjoyed further success in what would prove to be his final campaign as a rider in 2008/9. He enjoyed a steady run of success through the campaign and went out on a highly-successful note, riding the Charlie Mann-trained Mr Big to success in the final two rides of his career in January. He finished his career with a total of 25 wins from just 245 rides.
While it is a pity that Tobin did not choose to continue to develop his talent, he is still a very young man and if he ever returns to race riding, he will be welcomed back with open arms.
Info supplied by Horse Racing Ireland - Updated January 2011
