County of origin: Limerick
First winner: Shoot The Breeze (Philip Fenton)Â Down Royal, May 2nd, 2005
Significant horses: Dunguib, Don Cossack, Lieutenant Colonel, Last Instalment, Jack Absolute, Rich Revival, Argocat, Real Steel, Caim Hill
Assoc. Trainers: John Joe Walsh, Kieran Purcell, Eoin Doyle, Shay Barry, Henry De Bromhead, Liz Doyle
Did you know:
Among Brian O’Connell's 43 winners as an amateur rider was a Cheltenham Festival bumper success on Philip Fenton's Dunguib in March, 2009. His first success as a professional came when he won the Grade 1 Bar One Racing Royal Bond Novice Hurdle on the same horse at Fairyhouse on December 2nd of the same year. No stranger to the winners' enclosure, O’Connell enjoyed further high-profile success when partnering the Fenton-trained Last Instalment to an impressive victory in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown in 2014 and scored another big win at Punchestown later in the year when taking the Grade 1 John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase on the Gordon Elliott-trained Don Cossack. Brian notched up his 200th career success when the Eoin Doyle-trained Roevin Star won the Boolavogue Handicap Chase at Wexford on June 21st, 2017.
On medical advice, Brian announced his retirement from race riding on April 5, 2018. Despite two operations, he failed to recover from a should injury sustained at Tramore in early October, 2017. He said, "I'd have liked to have ridden for a good few more years yet, but I've still been lucky to have had such a great career. I've ridden some brilliant horses and have enjoyed some brilliant days, but Dunguib winning at Cheltenham and Last Instalment winning the Irish Hennessy are the two that stand out the most. I've always loved the bloodstock side of things, and that's something I'd like to get involved in. We've also a yard at home that I could develop with my wife Donna, so that's something to also think about. I won't be leaving the industry."
Hennessy Gold Cup (Grade 1) (Last Instalment - 2014)
Bar One Racing Royal Bond Novice H'dle (Grade 1) (Dunguib - 2009)
Deloitte Novice H'dle (Grade 1) (Dunguib - 2010)
Topaz Fort Leney Novice S'chase (Grade 1) (Last Instalment - 2011)
John Durkan Memorial Punchestown S'chase (Grade 1) (Don Cossack (GER) - 2014)
Midlands National H'cap S'chase (Caim Hill - 2014)
Gigginstown House Midlands Nat.H'cap Sch (Caim Hill - 2012)
Gigginstown House Midlands National (Golden Kite - 2010)
Paddy Power Shops Better Value Nov H'dle (Grade 2) (Real Steel - 2014)
Coolmore NH Sires Novice H'dle (Grade 2) (Lieutenant Colonel (GB) - 2014)
Ladbrokes Boyne H'dle (Grade 2) (Dunguib - 2014)
Red Mills S'chase (Grade 2) (Argocat - 2014)
Woodlands 100 Club Leinster Nat.Hcap Sch (Grade B) (Rich Revival - 2013)
Tim Duggan Memorial H'cap S'chase (Grade B) (Jack Absolute - 2012)
Red Mills Trial H'dle (Grade 2) (Dunguib - 2011)
Hugh McMahon Memorial Novice S'chase (Grade 2) (Caim Hill - 2010)
INH Stallion Owners EBF Novice H'dle (Listed) (Bentelimar - 2015)
Foxrock H'cap S'chase (Grade C) (Rich Revival - 2013)
Thurles Racecourse Supporters Rated S'ch (Westerner Point - 2017)
Book Online limerickraces.ie H'cap H'dle (Cliff House - 2015)
*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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