Principal Trainers: Mouse Morris, Niall ‘Boots’ Madden
Notable Wins:
- Dorans Pride Novice Hurdle (Knockfierna 2010)
- Galmoy Hurdle (War Of Attrition 2010)
- "Monksfield" Novice Hurdle (The Hurl 2009)
- Pat Taaffe Handicap Chase (Ambobo 2009, American Jennie 2007)
- Ladbrokes.com Handicap Hurdle (Fisher Bridge 2009)
- Newlands Chase (Carthalawn 2009)
- Kinloch Brae Chase (Cailin Alainn 2009)
- Fishery Lane Hurdle (River Liane 2008)
- Dunboyne Castle Hotel & Spa Handicap Chase (Arbor Supreme 2008)
- Toshiba Novice Hurdle (Liskennett 2008)
- Dial-A-Bet 1800 721 821 European Breeders Fund Novice Hurdle (Liskennett 2007)
- Byrne Group plc Novice Hurdle (Orbit O’Gold 2007)
- Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase (Nickname 2006)
- Christmas Hurdle (Jazz Messenger 2006)
- Horse and Jockey Hotel Hurdle (Jazz Messenger 2006)
- Fortria Chase (Nickname 2006)
- Munster National Handicap Chase (Pearly Jack 2006)
- Midlands National Handicap Chase (Patton 2006)
- Aintree Grand National (Numbersixvalverde 2006)
- Slaney Novice Hurdle (Toofarback 2006)
- Cork Grand National (A New Story 2005)
- Galway Hurdle (More Rainbows 2005)
- Champion Hunters Chase (General Montcalm 2005)
- Kevin McManus Bookmaker Champion Flat Race (Farmer Brown 2005, Pixie Dust 2004)
- Thyestes Handicap Chase (Numbersixvalverde 2005)
- Durkan New Homes Juvenile Hurdle (Arch Rebel 2004)
Early Days
Niall Madden is a son of ‘Boots’ Madden who was a very accomplished rider in the 1970s and 1980s. He rode several Cheltenham Festival winners and was associated with some great horses like Golden Cygnet and Boreen Prince. Just like his father, young Niall rode as an amateur for over three seasons, with his first two successes coming on his father’s Teknash in July 2002. Attached to the Noel Meade stable soon afterwards, Niall finished the 2002/3 season with 11 winners and it wasn’t long before he came to the attention of a lot of different trainers. He soon had his claim reduced from 7 lb to 5 lb and enjoyed a fine 2003/4 season, finishing second to Derek O’Connor in the race for the title of Champion Amateur with 26 winners, just five behind his rival. While the majority of his tally of winners was supplied by Noel Meade, Niall did ride winners for the likes of Francis Flood and Paddy Mullins, while he also won the Kevin McManus Bookmaker Champion Flat Race at Limerick on the Michael Grassick-trained Pixie Dust.
Champion Amateur
Niall’s main aim for the 2004/5 season was to become Champion Amateur and this he managed to do in runaway fashion. Building up a clear lead from early in the season, he eventually amassed an excellent total of 39 winners, a whopping 28 winners ahead of his nearest rival. This impressive tally included high-profile wins on the Noel Meade-trained Arch Rebel in the Grade 2 Durkan New Homes Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown on St. Stephen’s Day and on the Edward O’Grady-trained General Montcalm in the Champion Hunters Chase at the Punchestown Festival. However, his most significant partner during the course of the season was with the Martin Brassil-trained Numbersixvalverde.
Having won on him in a 3m chase at Navan in early December, Brassil decided to keep the partnership intact in the Goulding Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park in mid-January. In what turned out to be a thrilling contest, Niall and his mount managed to land the spoils by a short-head after an epic tussle with Kymandjen, thus becoming the first amateur rider to ever win this prestigious contest. Unfortunately for Niall, he was replaced by Ruby Walsh on the same horse in the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse two months later and while he must have been disappointed when the horse scored again, but he would get his reward in due course. At the backend of the 2004/5 season, he had lost his 5 lb and 3 lb claims and had to make the decision to turn professional, but his big-race success the decision a bit easier.
Life As A Professional
Niall’s professional career started off in the perfect style, with him riding the Noel Meade-trained More Rainbows to an unlikely 33/1 success in the Galway Hurdle. He continued in similar vein of form in the months that followed, winning the Edmond Whelan Memorial Handicap Hurdle on the Tom Cooper-trained Owennacurra Bobby, the Cork Grand National Handicap Chase on the Michael Hourigan-trained A New Story and the Slaney Novice Hurdle at Naas in early January on the Noel Meade-trained Toofarback.
However, those wins would be made look comparatively insignificant the following April, as Madden was catapulted into the limelight when winning the 2006 Aintree Grand National on the Martin Brassil-trained Numbersixvalverde on his very first ride over the unique course. Madden showed admirable patience on his mount and with his willing partner drawing on his vast reserves of stamina, the pair raced clear of their rivals to record a clear-cut six length victory in a race that will live long in the memory. As is always the case with the winning jockey in the Aintree showpiece, Madden was thrust into the limelight and his international profile was raised significantly.
Life After Aintree
The 2006/7 season went well for Niall, with his most notable win in the first half of the season coming on the Noel Meade-trained Patton in the Midlands National at Kilbeggan. He also gained a notable winner on the Flat during the season when partnering the Noel Meade-trained Rockall Blizzard to a thrilling victory in the Listed Oyster Stakes at Galway in September. He went on to capture his third 'National' of the year when Pearly Jack justified favouritism in the Munster version at Limerick in October. Niall was also seen to great effect on the Martin Brassil-trained Nickname as they combined to win the Grade 2 Fortria Chase at Navan and the Grade 1 Paddy Power Dial-a-Bet Chase at the Leopardstown Christmas Festival. The day before that latter win, Madden had ridden another Grade 1 winner on the Meade-trained Jazz Messenger in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton. 'Slippers' also recorded a notable victory on 50/1 chance Orbit O'Gold in the Byrne Group Plc Novice Hurdle at Punchestown in February 2007. His season was wrapped up by a valuable win on the Michael Cullen-trained American Jennie in the Pat Taaffe Handicap Chase at the Punchestown Festival.
The 2007/8 campaign was just as successful for Madden as the one that preceded it. His most notable partner was the Charles Byrnes-trained Liskennett, with him riding the son of Turtle Island to success in the Listed Dial-A-Bet 1800 721 821 European Breeders Fund Novice Hurdle at Cork and the Grade 2 Toshiba Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown. He also went close to gaining his first Cheltenham Festival success on the same horse, finishing second in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle. Madden closed out another successful campaign with a valuable win on the Willie Mullins-trained Arbor Supreme in the Dunboyne Castle Hotel & Spa Handicap Chase at the Punchestown Festival.
Consolidating Success
Madden registered yet another consistently successful campaign in 2008/9. The season was perhaps notable for his partnership with the Charles Byrnes stable, riding Cailin Alainn to success in the Grade 2 Kinloch Brae Chase at Thurles in January and Carthalawn to win the Grade 2 Newlands Chase at Naas in February. As had been the case in the previous few seasons, Madden finished the campaign on a high by winning the valuable Ladbrokes.com Handicap Hurdle at the Fairyhouse Easter Festival on the Meade-trained Fisher Bridge and the Pat Taaffe Handicap Chase at the Punchestown Festival on the Martin Brassil-trained Ambobo.
The 2008/9 season saw Madden team up with Mouse Morris on an increasing number of occasions and it was Morris that provided him with the bulk of his success in 2009/10. His most notable partnership was with The Hurl, with him riding the son of Supreme Leader to success on three occasions, including in the Grade 2 "Monksfield" Novice Hurdle at Navan. However, Madden’s most memorable success of the campaign came on the Cheltenham Gold Cup winner War Of Attrition. Mouse Morris’ stable star had looked a bit below his best earlier in the season, but with Madden taking the ride, he returned to winning ways in the Grade 2 Galmoy Hurdle at Gowran Park, prompting emotional scenes in the winner’s enclosure.
2010/11 has started off in solid fashion for Madden, with him gaining his first big-race win of the year on the Charles Byrnes-trained Knockfierna in the Grade 3 Dorans Pride Novice Hurdle at Limerick’s Christmas meeting. At the time of writing, Madden is on target to beat his previous seasonal-best tally of 38 winners and looks set to continue to be one of the most solid exponents of his art in the weighing room.
Info supplied by Horse Racing Ireland - Updated January 2011
