Notable Wins As A Jockey:
- Pierse Leopardstown Handicap Chase: Mister Top Notch 2008
- AIG Champion Hurdle: Hardy Eustace 2007
- Guinness Gold Cup: War Of Attrition 2006
- Cheltenham totesport Gold Cup: War Of Attrition 2006 & Imperial Call 1996
- Swordlestown Cup Novice Chase: War Of Attrition 2005
- Cheltenham Champion Hurdle: Hardy Eustace 2005 & 2004
- Paddy Power Handicap Chase: Keepatem 2004
- Emo Oil Champion Hurdle: Hardy Eustace 2004
- Martell Melling Chase: Native Upmanship 2003 & 2002
- John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase: Native Upmanship 2002 & 2000
- Powers Gold Cup: Native Upmanship 2000
- Hatton’s Grace Hurdle: Youlneverwalkalone 2000
- Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup: Imperial Call 1996
- Ladbroke Handicap Hurdle: Redundant Pal 1990
As a jumps jockey, Conor O’Dwyer grafted his way up through the ranks of the Weigh Room in a career that began over two decades ago. Now at the ripe age of 42, Conor O’Dwyer is now concentrating on his budding career as a trainer, but no one will ever be able to take away his substantial achievements in the saddle from him.
One of O’Dwyer’s highest profile early successes in the saddle came on the Paddy Mullins-trained Redundant Pal in the 1990 Ladbroke Handicap Hurdle (now the Pierse Hurdle) at Leopardstown, but he first shot to international prominence when riding the Fergie Sutherland-trained Imperial Call to success in the 1996 Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown. That win was followed by an even more high profile success in the Cheltenham Gold Cup the following month. That victory saw a literal stampede of Irishmen converge on the Prestbury Park winner’s enclosure in celebration of the ending of an eight year drought for the Irish in the prestigious race. Perhaps more than any other, that win went a long way to endearing O’Dwyer to the Irish racing public.
The Arthur Moore-trained Native Upmanship undoubtedly has a special place in Conor O’Dwyer’s heart as he won no less than 12 races on him between 1999 and 2005, with half of those wins coming at Grade 1 level. Arguably the most memorable of his winning rides on the John Magnier-owned gelding came in the Grade 1 Melling Chase at the 2003 Aintree Grand National Festival. Having led on the bit between the final two fences, O’Dwyer held onto his mount for as long as possible, cheekily looking across at Seebald and Tony McCoy, who was riding for his life. Having jumped the last, O’Dwyer let out an inch of rein and his mount strode on to win by a hard held length, much to the delight of the Irish contingent.
O’Dwyer’s partnership with Gigginstown House Stud in the latter years of his riding career proved to be very successful and unquestionably the pride of place has to go to War Of Attrition. The pair lost out by just ¼-length to Brave Inca in the Supreme Novice Hurdle at the 2004 Cheltenham Festival, however, compensation would be gained with interest at Prestbury Park two years later.
Having been sent over fences and worked his way up the chasing ranks, he once again graced the Cheltenham turf for the Gold Cup in March 2006. An inspired ride from O’Dwyer saw War Of Attrition lead at the third last fence and produce two spectacular leaps at the final two obstacles before holding off the challenge of Hedgehunter by 2½ lengths. The win prompted rapturous scenes of celebration in the winner’s enclosure, the likes of which had arguably not been seen since Imperial Call’s win in the race a decade previous. He confirmed his position as the best staying chaser in training when easily winning the Guinness Gold Cup at the Punchestown Festival the following month.
O’Dwyer came in for the ride on the Dessie Hughes-trained Hardy Eustace under tragic circumstances following the death of his regular rider Kieran Kelly in 2003. The partnership did not get off to an ideal start with a defeat at 1/4 in the Lismullen Hurdle being followed by three further reversals. Dessie Hughes’ charge looked to have a mountain to climb in the Champion Hurdle at the 2004 Cheltenham Festival, but O’Dwyer produced a virtuoso performance from the front to save enough in the tank to hold off the challenge of Rooster Booster by five lengths. The combo proved the win to be no fluke when confirming that form the following month in the Emo Oil Champion Hurdle at the Punchestown Festival.
The early part of the 2004/5 season was again a struggle for Hardy Eustace and O’Dwyer with their colours being lowered on three occasions before the pair gained an easy success in the Red Mills Trial Hurdle. The 2005 Champion Hurdle looked to be a significantly stronger renewal of the race than the one that preceded it, but once again O’Dwyer produced a front-running ride of the highest quality to prevail by a neck from Harchibald and Brave Inca in what was a thrilling contest. The win would prove to be the pinnacle of the pair achievements, but they did gain one more Grade 1 success together in the 2007 AIG Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown. The veteran pair had their last outing together when finishing down the field in the World Hurdle at the 2008 Cheltenham Festival, but the memory of their great wins together will last forever in the minds of the Irish racing public.
Having taken out his license to train in the early part of the 2007/8 season, O’Dwyer significantly reduced the number of rides he took, but that didn’t stop him adding to his big race tally. He rode the Oliver McKeirnan-trained Whatuthink to success in the paddypower.com Future Champions Novice Hurdle at the Christmas meeting at Leopardstown as well as riding the Davy Fitzgerald-trained Mister Top Notch to success in the Pierse Handicap Chase at the same track in January. All this time O’Dwyer was saddling runners as a trainer and following a number of near misses, he gained the first winner of his new career when the Gigginstown House Stud owned-Hangover won a bumper at Punchestown in January 2008. O’Dwyer concluded his riding career in the best possible way when riding the aforementioned Mister Top Notch to an easy victory in a conditions hurdle at the Fairyhouse Easter Festival and he was greeted with a reception worthy of one of the most popular riders of recent times.
Since retiring from the saddle to concentrate solely on training, O’Dwyer’s tally of winners has grown steadily. Hangover, the horse that gave him his first winner as a trainer, has unquestionably been his star performer to date, winning a maiden hurdle and two handicap hurdles in 2008/9. Another promising horse that O’Dwyer trains for Gigginstown House Stud is the well-bred Uncle Tom Cobley, who won a maiden hurdle at Limerick in February and went on to finish third in a decent winner’s event.
O’Dwyer is already gaining a reputation as a shrewd trainer and with some potent ammunition at his disposal, he is very much a handler to keep on the right side of.
Updated April 2009.
