Principal Trainer: Conor O’Dwyer
Notable Wins: Menolly Homes Handicap Hurdle (Wishwillow Lord 2006)
Early Days
Originally from Tralee, Nicky O’Shea had his first ride in public as an amateur when partnering the Thomas Cooper-trained Let Us Pray in a bumper at Tramore on August 16th 1998. Still at school at the time, his rides were limited for the next few years and his work load didn’t pick up appreciably until he left his teenage years behind him. Having turned professional in 2001, he was initially associated with the Jessica Harrington yard and he didn’t have to wait an overly long time to partner his first winner, riding the Harrington-trained Nan Chero to win a hurdle race at Cork on April 21st 2002 and just over a month later, he again combined with another Harrington charge, namely Aye Aye Popeye, to win a hurdle race at Clonmel.
There was quite a break until his next winner, but it was certainly worth the wait as he had a day to remember on St Stephan’s Day 2002, completing a double on the card at Down Royal which included a maiden chase on the Harrington-trained Hume Castle and a handicap hurdle on the Anthony Black-trained Willoughby Joe. Unfortunately, O’Shea would fail to ride a winner in the whole of 2003 and 2004, but despite this, he continued to improve as a rider and the progress he made wasn’t long in being noticed.
Building Momentum
In the spring of 2005, O’Shea made what would prove to be a hugely-significant decision for his career by joining the Dessie Hughes yard on the Curragh, and his fortunes were not long in changing. His long wait to re-enter the winner’s enclosure finally ended on July 8th 2005 when he rode the Dessie Hughes-trained Parlessence to success in a handicap hurdle at Wexford. In the next six weeks, he rode six winners and people some began to remember this promising Tralee native. His workload increased significantly and the winners continued to flow into the New Year. Hughes provided the bulk of O’Shea’s winners during this time, and they teamed up to complete a notable double at Gowran Park on March 18th 2006, consisting of Walkin Aisy in a handicap hurdle and Ballyfinney in a maiden hurdle. However, the following month it was Leonard Whitmore that provided O’Shea with what still is the biggest success of his career, riding a supremely well-judged race from the front on Wishwillow Lord to win the valuable Menolly Homes Handicap Hurdle at the Fairyhouse Easter Festival. That memorable win wrapped up what was a highly-successful season for O’Shea.
An Interrupted Campaign
Unfortunately, the 2006/7 season was one of frustration for O’Shea, as he picked up a number of costly injuries that seriously interrupted his campaign. He missed six weeks of action following a fall at Navan in mid-June and following a fall off the aforementioned Wishwillow Lord in a beginners chase at Killarney in early-September, he missed an additional three months of action at a time when the National Hunt season was just getting going in earnest. Once back on an even keel in health terms, he began to pick up where he had left off. He had a month to remember in the spring, riding no less than four winners for the incomparable Oliver Brady, who roared his praise of O’Shea to the racegoers that flooded to the winner’s enclosure to hear him preach on each occasion. In common with the season that came before it, he waited until the latter end of the term to gain his biggest win of the season, this time riding the Leonard Whitmore-trained Brave Right to success in the Martinstown Opportunity Series Final Handicap Hurdle at the Punchestown Festival. O’Shea was kept busy during 2007/8, getting the leg up on just over 200 mounts, and while he only rode five winners during that period, it was a solid season for him. Perhaps the most notable partnership he struck up during the term was with the Dessie Hughes-trained Noble Prize, on whom he won a maiden and novice hurdle during the summer months.
O’Dwyer Comes Calling
In 2008/9, O’Shea took the decision to go and work for Conor O’Dwyer and it was a decision that was immediately rewarded with an increased tally of winners. His most notable partnership was with the O’Dwyer-trained Hangover, with him winning three races over hurdles on him during the course of the campaign. All told, he rode a total of 10 winners from 171 rides, which was a more than satisfactory haul for his first season in a new job. 2009/10 saw O’Shea consolidate his new role with O’Dwyer, enjoying a similar level of success as he had the previous season, with all six of his wins coming on horses trained by his boss. Indeed, his old friend Hangover almost gave O’Shea a notable success, narrowly failing in the Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park.
The 2010/11 campaign has begun in solid style for O’Shea. While he has not been as busy as he has been in recent seasons, he has maintained his strike rate and remains a jockey to give consideration to in any big race he takes part in.
Info supplied by Horse Racing Ireland - Updated January 2011
