Jockey Profile

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A native of Monasterevin in County Kildare, Ronan Whelan was a well-regarded graduate of the pony racing circuit, having ridden 95 winners and being crowned the leading pony rider in 2008. Whelan took his first ride on the racecourse at the age of 16 and rode his first winner on just his second ride on Jim Bolger's Seachtanach at Navan in June, 2009. He was the champion apprentice rider in 2012 with 41 winners. The Bolger-trained Lady Wingshot gave him his first listed success in the Knockaire Stakes at Leopardstown in November of that year and he won the Group 3 Gladness Stakes on George Kent's Custom Cut at the Curragh the following April. Mick Channon supplied Whelan with a second Group 3 success when Divine landed the Ballyogan Stakes at the Curragh in April, 2016.

Ronan Whelan rode his first winner at Royal Ascot when he partnered Jennies Jewel to land the Ascot Stakes Handicap on June 15, 2016. Jennies Jewel is trained by Jarlath Fahey who was a neighbour of Whelan's growing up. In September, 2016, Jim Bolger announced that he intends to make Whelan his stable jockey on the retirement of Kevin Manning. 

Ronan rode his first Group 1 winner when landing the Moyglare Stud Stakes on the Patrick Prendergast-trained Skitter Scatter on the second day of Longines Irish Champions Weekend at the Curragh in September, 2018. The Ado McGuinness-trained A Case Of You gave Whelan as second success at the top-level when winning the Prix de l'Abbaye at ParisLongchamp in October 2021. 

Ronan has ridden the winners of four races at the same meeting on two occasions. He rode a four-timer for trainer Jim Bolger as a 3lbs claiming apprentice at Wexford on July 27, 2013 and repeated the feat at Dundalk on December 11, 2020 where he shared a treble with Michael Halford and rode another winner for trainer Richard O'Brien.