Paul Carberry

If pedigree means anything, then Paul Carberry was destined to be a top jockey.

Principal Trainer: Noel Meade, Gordon Elliott

Notable Wins:  

  • Irish Arkle (Realt Dubh 2011)
  • Bord na Mona With Nature Novice Chase (Realt Dubh 2010)Paul Carberry
  • Lexus Chase (Pandorama 2010, Beef Or Salmon 2005 + 2004, Dorans Pride 1999)
  • Powers Gold Cup (Aran Concerto 2009, Thari 2003)
  • Supreme Novices Hurdle (Go Native 2009, Sausalito Bay 2000)
  • Deloitte Novice Hurdle (Pandorama 2009, Aran Concerto 2007, Mr Nosie 2006, Solerina 2003, Native Estates 1998, Bolino Star 1996)
  • Christmas Hurdle (Harchibald 2008 + 2004)
  • Knight Frank Novice Chase (Casey Jones 2008)
  • vcbet.com Champion Novice Hurdle (Jered 2008, Wild Passion 2005, Scottish Memories 2002)
  • Fred Winter Juvenile Novices´ Handicap Hurdle  (Crack Away Jack 2008)
  • Fighting Fifth Hurdle (Harchibald 2007 + 2004)
  • Royal Bond Novice Hurdle (Muirhead 2007, Iktitaf 2005, Wild Passion 2004, Gambolling Doc 1994)
  • Hatton’s Grace Hurdle (Aitmatov 2007, Limestone Lad 2001)
  • Maplewood Developments Hurdle (Jazz Messenger 2007, Iktitaf 2006)
  • Barry & Sandra Kelly Memorial Novice Hurdle (Aran Concerto 2006)
  • Cheltenham Champion Bumper (Hairy Molly 2006, Rhythm Section 1993)
  • Royal & SunAlliance Hurdle (Nicanor 2006)
  • Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup (Beef Or Salmon 2006, Florida Pearl 2000)
  • Bula Hurdle (Harchibald 2005)
  • Pertemps Handicap Hurdle Final (Oulart 2005)
  • Grand Annual Handicap Chase (Fota Island 2005)
  • Drinmore Novice Chase (Watson Lake 2004, Harbour Pilot 2002, Johnny Setaside 1995)
  • Dr. P.J. Moriarty Novice Chase (Harbour Pilot 2002)
  • Ballymore Properties Champion Stayers Hurdle (Florida Pearl 2002)
  • William Hill Handicap Chase (Frenchmans Creek 2002, Unguided Missile 1998)
  • John Durkan Memorial Chase (Florida Pearl 2001, Imperial Call 1998)
  • Galway Hurdle (Ansar 2001)
  • Arkle Trophy (Frozen Groom 2000)
  • James Nicholson Champion Chase (Florida Pearl 1999)
  • Aintree Grand National (Bobbyjo 1999)
  • Royal & SunAlliance Chase (Looks Like Trouble 1999)
  • Swordlestown Cup (Direct Route 1998)
  • Irish Grand National (Bobbyjo 1998)
  • Galway Plate (Stroll Home 1997)
  • Denny Juvenile Hurdle (Shirley’s Delight 1993)


If pedigree means anything, then Paul Carberry was destined to be a top jockey. His father, Tommy Carberry, was one of the greatest National Hunt jockeys of the 1960’s and 1970’s and will always be associated with the mighty L’Escargot, a dual Gold Cup winner in 1970 and 1971 before defeating Red Rum in a memorable race for the Aintree Grand National in 1975. Paul’s younger brother, Philip, is also a very talented and successful rider while his sister, Nina, is one of the best amateur riders in the country. A supremely gifted rider, Paul is undoubtedly one of the most gifted natural horsemen in the weighing room and he has an uncanny ability to get horses jumping and travelling for him, not to mention his stylish sit on a horse making him easily identifiable to both racegoers and commentators alike. He is a great judge of pace and is also very strong in a finish, while another of his great attributes is his coolness under pressure and his fearlessness over the obstacles.

Early Successes


Paul rode his first winner when apprenticed to Jim Bolger at Leopardstown in August 1990 on a filly named Petronelli, but rising weight forced him to switch his attention to the National Hunt game. He has long been associated with the highly-successful trainer Noel Meade, although he did spend a number of years riding as first jockey to owner Robert Ogden in England. His first Cheltenham Festival winner came aboard the Homer Scott-trained Rhythm Section in the 1993 Champion Bumper in 1993, while in 1999 he gained his most famous victory yet aboard his father’s Bobbyjo in the Aintree Grand National. The image of him swinging from the rafters in the aftermath of that race was a testament to his ‘exuberant’ nature and will live forever in Aintree folklore. The 2001/2 season saw Carberry reach an all new level of success, with him being crowned Champion Jockey at the conclusion of the season, a title he successfully defended the following season.

The Legend Grows

More recent seasons have seen Paul’s legend grow even further and in 2004/5, in what was an eventful season for Carberry, arguably the most memorable moment came when he partnered the Michael Hourigan-trained Beef Or Salmon to beat the triple Gold Cup winner Best Mate in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown with the most memorable aspect of the win being when Carberry turned and beckoned on Jim Culloty and Best Mate when he had matters firmly under control on Beef Or Salmon, prompting both elation and derision in almost equal measure on that occasion. He also had a memorable Cheltenham Festival that season, partnering the Dessie Hughes-trained Oulart to victory in the Pertemps Hurdle Final, but he will always be remembered for the ride he gave to the Noel Meade-trained Harchibald in the Smurfit Champion Hurdle at that meeting. Carberry kept his mount on the bridle for as long as possible and halfway up the run-in they looked certain to score but he was eventually out-battled by Hardy Eustace in a never-to-be-forgotten finish. While he got a lot of stick for the ride, subsequent events showed that he did an exceptional job on the day to finish so close.

Indeed, if his partnership with any one horse was to sum up the genius of Paul Carberry, it would be Harchibald. An enigmatic character that so often travelled immensely well in Grade 1 hurdle races only to disappoint with his finishing effort, Carberry excelled on him and won a total of five Grade 1 races on him, but unfortunately it is the nature of the game that the partnership will be remembered for that unforgettable day at Cheltenham when Hardy Eustace and Conor O’Dwyer just got the better of them.

Consistent Success

Carberry has continued to gain consistent successes at the highest level. In 2005/6, he did the Lexus Chase/Hennessey Cognac Gold Cup double on Beef Or Salmon before twice entering the winner’s enclosure at the Cheltenham Festival with Nicanor taking the Royal & Sun Alliance Novice Hurdle and Hairy Molly winning the Champion Bumper. In 2006/7, Carberry landed Grade 1 victories on the likes of Iktitaf and Aran Concerto(2), but those wins would prove to be his last at the highest level during the season as injury resulted in him missing much of the spring period, including the Cheltenham Festival. He maintained a consistent level of success in the 2007/8 season, winning Grade 1 contests on the likes of Aitmatov and Muirhead before gaining particularly satisfying wins on Harchibald in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle and on Emma Lavelle-trained Crack Away Jack in the Fred Winter Juvenile Novices´ Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, wrapping up the season with an easy win on Jered in the vcbet.com Champion Novice Hurdle at the Punchestown Festival.

The 2008/9 season was just as successful as the campaigns that preceded it, with Carberry gaining a total of five Grade 1 wins, with notable highlights coming on Harchibald in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton, Go Native in the Supreme Novice Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and Aran Concerto in the Powers Gold Cup at the Fairyhouse Easter Festival. Unfortunately, 2009/10 proved to be a disappointing season for Carberry, as a series of injuries and a ban resulting from him failing a breath test resulted in him taking almost 50% less rides than he had in the previous season. While he failed to win a Grade 1 during the season, he did win Grade 2 contests on the likes of Go Native, Watson Lake, Aitmatov and Oscar Looby.

Normal service has resumed for Carberry in 2010/11, with him being well on track to securing his best tally of winners for a number of seasons. He finally broke his losing run in Grade 1’s by gaining an easy success on the Meade-trained Pandorama in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting. As the saying goes, when it rains it pours, and just two days later at the same meeting, Carberry rode the Meade-trained Realt Dubh to success in the Grade 1 Bord na Mona With Nature Novice Chase. The latter performer went on to give Carberry another Grade 1 success in the Irish Arkle at Leopardstown the following month.

With Carberry having the firepower of his boss Noel Meade at his disposal, as well as a blossoming partnership with the fast-rising trainer Gordon Elliott, it should not be long before Paul Carberry adds even more Grade 1 wins to his tally.

Updated April 2011.