Date of Birth: November 2, 1992
County of origin: Kildare
First winner: Seachtanach (Jim Bolger) Navan, June 5, 2009
Champion Apprentice Jockey: 2012
Assoc. Trainers:Â Michael Halford, Jim Bolger, Jarlath Fahey, Mick Channon
Significant horses (Selected):Â Skitter Scatter, Jennies Jewel, Opal Tiara, Divine, Custom Cut, Canary Row, The Tartan Spartan, Lady Wingshot, Clongowes, Moran Gra, Sea The Lion, Puncher Clynch, That's Plenty, Atasari, Cest Notre Gris, Morga.Â
Follow him on Twitter: @WhelanRonan
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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 revealed that he intends to make Whelan his stable jockey on the retirement of Kevin Manning.Â
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.Â
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.Â
Moyglare Stud Stakes (Group 1) (Skitter Scatter (USA) - 2018)
Ir.Stal.Farms EBF 'Sovereign Path' H'cap (Current Option - 2019)
Foran Equine Irish EBF Auct. Race Final (Cedars Of Lebanon - 2018)
Lanwades Stud Stakes (Group 2) (Opal Tiara - 2018)
Debutante Stakes (Group 2) (Skitter Scatter (USA) - 2018)
Ir. Stal. Farms EBF Irish Cambridgeshire (Moran Gra (USA) - 2013)
Magners Ulster Derby (Clongowes - 2017)
Paddy Power Irish Cesarewitch (Cape Gentleman - 2020)
Paddy Power Irish Lincolnshire (Bowerman (GB) - 2020)
Irish Stallion Farms EBF Brownstown Stks (Group 3) (Surrounding - 2019)
BetVictor Patton Stakes (Listed) (Playa Del Puente - 2019)
Big Bad Bob Gladness Stakes (Group 3) (Custom Cut - 2013)
Jebel Ali Racecourse Anglesey Stakes (Group 3) (Roman Turbo - 2019)
TRM Ballyogan Stakes (Group 3) (Divine - 2016)
Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship Hcap (Moran Gra (USA) - 2011)
Al Basti Equiworld EBF Cooley (F) Stakes (Listed) (Surrounding - 2019)
Arthur Guinness Irish EBF Corrib(F)Stks (Listed) (Surrounding - 2019)
Derrinstown Stud 1,000 Guineas Trial (Group 3) (Hamariyna - 2019)
Jockey Club Of Turkey Silver Flash Stks (Group 3) (Skitter Scatter (USA) - 2018)
Ballylinch Stud 1,000 Guineas Trial Stks (Group 3) (Keeper Of Time - 2021)
*Statistics are up to close of business the previous day. Prize-money is allocated within 1 week of the race date (allow 1 week for Prize-money).
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