Jockey Profile

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From Tubber, County Galway, Derek O’Connor has long been recognised as one of the best amateur jockeys Ireland has ever produced. As well as being a potent force when riding under rules, being crowned Champion Amateur in the 2003/04 season and riding a notable double at the Cheltenham Festival in 2011, Derek has rewritten the record books in point-to-points on numerous occasions and has won more races than any other rider in that sphere.

He became the first rider to notch up his 1,000 point-to-point winners when successful on the Pat Doyle-trained Death Duty in February of 2015. Derek has three Cheltenham Festival winners to his name. He won the National Hunt Chase for a second time when partnering Jonjo O’Neill’s Minella Rocco to success in 2016 but memorably rode two winners at the 2011 festival, taking the National Hunt Chase on Chicago Grey and the Foxhunters’ Chase on Zemsky. Derek brought his Cheltenham Festival tally to four when winning the 2019 Kim Muir Handicap Chase on the Ted Walsh-trained Any Second Now. 

Aside from his victories at the Cheltenham Festival, Derek is no stranger to notable success at the biggest Irish racecourses. His biggest winner came at Leopardstown in February, 2018 where he won the Unibet Irish Gold Cup on the Joseph O'Brien-trained Edwulf for which he won the inaugural Horse Racing Ireland 'Ride of the Year' Award. Derek O'Connor rode his 1200th point-to-point winner on Nelly's Money for Robert Tyner at Dromahane on December 30, 2018. 

Derek won the Grade 1 Champion Bumper at the Punchestown Festival for the first time on the Willie Mullins-trained Kilcruit in April 2021.