Ronan Whelan

Date of Birth: November 2, 1992

County of origin: Kildare

First winner: Seachtanach (Jim Bolger) Navan, June 5, 2009

First Group winner: Custom Cut (George Kent) Group 3 Big Bad Bob Gladness Stakes, April 7, 2013

First Group 1 winner: Skitter Scatter (Patrick Prendergast) Moyglare Stud Stakes, Curragh, September 16, 2018

Champion Apprentice Jockey: 2012

Assoc. Trainers: Michael Halford, Jim Bolger, Jarlath Fahey, Mick Channon, Ado McGuinness

Significant horses (Selected): A Case Of You, 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. 

Follow him on Twitter: @WhelanRonan

Did you know?

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. 

SeasonRuns1st2nd3rd4thWin MoneyPlace MoneyTotal *
Winter All Weather 2022/20237512977€98,100€40,115€138,215
Winter All Weather 2021/20225491133€69,600€37,010€106,610
Winter All Weather 2020/202190116148€78,300€49,475€127,775
Winter All Weather 2019/202094142386€100,800€84,620€185,420
Winter All Weather 2018/20192810611€111,875€20,863€132,738
Winter All Weather 2017/2018495863€42,500€34,650€77,150
Winter All Weather 2016/2017736995€48,125€34,700€82,825
Winter All Weather 2015/201662101346€71,750€31,175€102,925
Winter All Weather 2014/20154441130€21,000€20,050€41,050
Winter All Weather 2013/2014154221€23,800€4,420€28,220
Winter All Weather 2012/2013478224€56,490€5,627€62,117
Winter All Weather 2011/2012542534€17,500€11,445€28,945
Flat 202242629314042€315,600€465,593€781,193
Flat 202150438424243€497,700€366,150€863,850
Flat 202046828552943€339,900€513,000€852,900
Flat 201944442493943€656,125€471,328€1,127,453
Flat 201842944234336€836,406€332,185€1,168,591
Flat 201739927304433€343,250€349,860€693,110
Flat 201636025243532€234,988€374,994€609,981
Flat 201522911202227€96,050€144,058€240,108
Flat 201425714162622€132,560€149,023€281,583
Flat 201327921362623€232,900€278,913€511,813
Flat 201225531273013€263,250€185,739€448,989
Flat 201122519191517€139,360€123,413€262,773
Flat 201011441099€28,350€36,115€64,465
Flat 2009613822€51,570€19,964€71,534

Venue
Date From
Date To
Horse
Race Type
Distance
Place
Weight
Rating
Pattern/Listed
Venue Date Horse Race Type Distance Place Weight Rating Race Pattern/ Listed Prize Money
Dundalk 16/03/23 Bodean Hcp 1m 14 9-1 55 Dundalk Winter Series H'cap
Dundalk 16/03/23 Cometh The Man Hcp 1m 2f 150yds 12 9-5 53 Easter Week Racing 11th & 14th Apr H'cap
Dundalk 16/03/23 Lovely Mana Hcp 6f 4 9-11 88 Bet On The Gold Cup With BetVictor H'cap
Dundalk 10/03/23 Prince Of Abington Hcp 6f 12 9-9 63 Racing Thursday March 16th H'cap
Dundalk 10/03/23 Bowerman (GB) Hcp 1m 2f 150yds 1 9-4 82 View Restaurant At Dundalk Stadium H'cap €9,600
Dundalk 10/03/23 Gustav Ucicky F 7f 4 9-2 67 Irishinjuredjockeys.com Claiming Race €500
Dundalk 10/03/23 One Aim Mdn 1m 6 9-8 Book Online @ DundalkStadium.com M'dn €250
Dundalk 10/03/23 Arcanears Hcp 1m 7 8-13 70 Floodlit Friday Nights At Dundalk H'cap
Dundalk 03/03/23 Barney's Joy Hcp 7f 10 8-13 57 Dundalk Winter Series Championship H'cap
Dundalk 03/03/23 Mehsham Mdn 1m 2f 150yds 6 9-8 Story Of Dundalk Stadium Book M'dn €250
Dundalk 03/03/23 Miss Caruso F 1m 5 9-0 78 Patton Stakes (Listed) Listed €1,200
Dundalk 24/02/23 Miss Caruso Mdn 1m 1 9-3 Irish Stallion Farms EBF (Fillies) M'dn €9,000
Dundalk 15/02/23 Not Amused Hcp 6f 6 8-12 47 Join On Instagram @dundalk_stadium H'cap (Div 1) €200
Dundalk 15/02/23 Bowerman (GB) Hcp 1m 2f 150yds 2 9-8 79 View Restaurant At Dundalk Stadium H'cap €2,400
Dundalk 15/02/23 Flaggy Lane Mdn 1m 8 9-9 Race & Stay At Crowne Plaza Dundalk M'dn
Dundalk 15/02/23 Elzaamsan Hcp 1m 4f 3 10-2 65 DKITSU Race Day H'cap (Div 1) €1,000
Dundalk 15/02/23 Anjah Hcp 1m 4f 2 8-13 48 DKITSU Race Day H'cap (Div 2) €2,000
Dundalk 10/02/23 Tannery Park (GB) F 1m 10 9-5 Leading Trainer&Jockey Championship Race
Dundalk 10/02/23 Insomnia (GB) Hcp 1m 9 9-2 73 View Restaurant At Dundalk Stadium H'cap
Dundalk 21/12/22 Exquisite Acclaim Hcp 7f 4 8-11 87 Happy Christmas From All At Dundalk Hcap €1,100
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*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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