Rory Cleary

Principal Trainers: Joanna Morgan, Tom Cleary, Willie McCreery

Rory ClearyNotable Wins:

  • Fairy Bridge Stakes (Fourpenny Lane 2010)
  • Rockingham Handicap (Just For Mary 2009)
  • Silver Stakes (Deauville Vision 2009)
  • Phoenix Sprint Stakes (Snaefell 2008)
  • Lenebane Stakes (Princess Nala 2007)
  • Kerry Group Noblesse Stakes (Nick’s Nikita 2007)
  • Athasi Stakes (Eastern Appeal 2007)
  • Crown Paints Premier Handicap (Nurenberg 2006)
  • Concorde Stakes (Miss Sally 2005)
  • John Roarty Memorial Scurry Handicap (Miss Sally 2005)
  • Specsavers Ulster Derby (Newlands North 2005)
  • Paddy Power October Handicap (Essex 2005)
  • Hackett's Bookmakers Irish Cesarewitch (Essex 2004)
  • Guinness Gold Cup (High Priestess 2004)
  • McDonogh Premier Handicap (Palace Star 2004)
  • Guinness Premier Handicap (High Priestess 2004)

Early Days

Apprenticed to the Michael Halford stable, Rory Cleary had his first racecourse ride in July 2003 on Tom Hogan-trained No Frontier and rode his first winner on his eighth ride aboard the Gerard Keane-trained Keen Look in a handicap at Fairyhouse in early-August of that year. Although he quickly came to the notice of plenty of trainers, he had to wait another two months before he gained his second victory, with it coming on the Ger Lyons-trained Mango Catcher at Gowran Park. This victory came at a very emotional time in Rory’s life, as his older brother Sean had died after suffering horrific head injuries in a fall at Galway just four days earlier.

However, Rory showed immense courage in continuing his dream of being a jockey and in 2004, his career took off in no uncertain terms. He gained a notable success on the Christy Donoghue-trained Europea in the Chinese Festival Race Day Cup Handicap at the Curragh on 1000 Guineas day and the fact that this race was televised certainly helped raise his profile, before riding the Paul Nolan-trained Dash Of Grey to win in the McEnery Cup Handicap at Gowran Park (one of the oldest races in the Irish Racing Calendar) the following month.

Success At Galway

Rory will never forget the 2004 Galway Festival, as he became leading rider over the seven-day meeting with three superb victories, the highlight being his win on the Peter Casey-trained Palace Star in the fiercely-competitive McDonogh Handicap. Indeed, this proved to be a very poignant success as ironically, it was Palace Star who had won the very race in which Rory’s brother, Sean, was tragically killed just eight months earlier and it was fitting that all the Cleary family were present to witness Rory’s wonderful win on that summer evening. Rory clinched his leading rider award with wins on the Michael O’Brien-trained High Priestess in the valuable Guinness Handicap on the Friday evening and on Tom Hogan’s Rooftop Protest in the Dawn Milk Omega Handicap the following afternoon.

High Priestess and Rory were once again to prove a winning combination when they landed the Guinness Gold Cup at the Tralee Festival in late-August and in October the same stable’s Essex landed the Irish Cesarewitch Handicap at the Curragh with Rory on-board. Rory also struck up a nice partnership with the Joanna Morgan-trained Lough Gem as they combined to win four consecutive races between September and early-November, including two premier nurseries. All and all he enjoyed a wonderful season in 2004, riding no fewer than 28 winners, a total which enabled him to finish runner-up to Cathy Gannon in the race to be Champion Apprentice.

Cleary/Halford Combo Thrive

The 2005 season saw continued success for Rory Cleary. In particular, he enjoyed a great amount of success for his boss, Mick Halford, riding a total of 20 winners for him. Notable highlights came on Miss Sally on whom he won the valuable Scurry Handicap at the Curragh as well as the Group 3 Concorde Stakes at Tipperary, his first success at Group level. He also combined with the Halford-trained Set Fire to win a premier nursery at Fairyhouse in September as well as claiming a number of notable successes for the Michael O’Brien yard, winning the Specsavers Ulster Derby on Newlands North as well as combining with Essex to win the Paddy Power October Handicap at Naas. At the conclusion of the season, Rory had ridden 32 winners which was enough to see him again finish runner-up in the Champion Apprentice race, this time behind Chris Hayes.

With his claim now reduced to 3lbs, the rate that Cleary was kicking home the winners understandably slowed in 2006. That said, he still managed to register a total of 20 winners for a variety of trainers, six of which came on Mick Halford-trained horses. He gained his biggest win of the season on the Edward Lynam-trained Nurenberg in the valuable Crown Paints Premier Handicap at the Curragh in September and he wrapped up his season with an easy win on Deauville Vision in the Carmanhall Handicap at Leopardstown.

A Fully-Fledged Jockey

2007 was a season of immense importance for Cleary, as he rode out his claim when getting up in the very last stride to win on the Timmy Doyle-trained Twin Sun’s at Limerick on April 20th. For many jockeys, when they lose their claim it is very much make or break time in their career, but Cleary made the best possible start to his carry as a fully-fledged jockey when just over a fortnight later, he gained his second win at pattern level when riding the Mick Halford-trained Eastern Appeal to win the Group 3 Athasi Stakes. His third win at pattern level came soon after on the Mick Halford-trained Nick’s Nikita who won the Group 3 Noblesse Stakes at Cork before Princess Nala gave him another stakes success in the Listed Lenebane Stakes at Roscommon in July. At the conclusion of the season, he had ridden a total of 30 winners from 500 rides, which was a very pleasing haul considering he lost his claim so early in the season.

2008 saw Cleary consolidate his position as an established, fully-fledged jockey. In total he rode 34 winners from 535 rides in Ireland, taking rides for a wide variety of trainers. His week at the Galway Festival was arguably the highlight of his campaign as he gained not one, but two wins on Miranda’s Girl, who was trained by his father, Thomas Cleary. Obviously, the wins were very emotional for all concerned and it is a week that the Cleary’s will never forget. After that, the highlight of the remainder of his season came when gaining another pattern race win for Halford when partnering Snaefell to win the Group 3 Phoenix Sprint Stakes at Leopardstown.

The Graft Is On

2009 saw Cleary take something of a backward step in terms of number of winners ridden, but rather than being any fault of his own, that fact was very much a reflection of the presence of two top-class apprentices in Halford’s yard in Gary Carroll and Shane Foley. Despite not getting nearly as many rides from Halford due to this fact, Cleary still rode a Listed winner for the yard, namely on Deauville Vision in the Silver Stakes at the Curragh. He also rode a notable winner in the shape of the Mark Loughnane-trained Just For Mary in the valuable Rockingham Handicap at the Curragh.

2010 was another difficult season for Cleary, with him being less associated with the Halford stable. However, he once again pulled a big-race win out of the bag, riding the Joanna Morgan-trained Fourpenny Lane to success in the Listed Fairy Bridge Stakes at Tipperary in August. While his seasonal tally was down once again, Cleary’s talents are not in question and a return to form is likely to be just around the corner for this rock-solid exponent of his profession.

Info supplied by Horse Racing Ireland - Updated January 2011