Jockey Profile

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From Doneraile, County Cork, Darragh was 18 years of age when he rode his first winner on the Enda Bolger-trained William Du Berlais at Killarney in July, 2018. His career was well and truly up and running when partnered the same horse to win again just five days later at Tipperary.

Another owned by JP McManus, Ballyoisin, gave Darragh notable early success when winning the €100,000 Ladbrokes Ireland Listowel Handicap Hurdle at the Listowel festival in September of the same year. 

Darragh rode his 60th winner and rode out his claim when landing the Cork Grand National on the Michael Hourigan-trained The Gatechecker in early November, 2019. 

Darragh became champion conditional jockey for the 2019/2020 season. He won the title with a record 45 winners, one more than Jack Kennedy’s winning total in the 2015/2016 season. O’Keeffe finished five winners clear of Kevin Brouder with both jockeys riding out their claims during the season. In addition to his big Cork success on The Gatechecker, Darragh also enjoyed notable victories on the Joseph O'Brien-trained All The Answers, one of his three Galway festival winners, and Enda Bolger’s Ballyoisin, in a season cut short by the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Darragh rode his first Grade 3 winner when taking the Kerry Group Stayers Novice Hurdle on the Michael Winters-trained Sayce Gold at Cork on Sunday, December 6, 2020. 

Better was to come at the Leopardstown Christmas Festival three weeks later where Darragh enjoyed his first Grade 1 success on the Henry De Bromhead-trained A Plus Tard in the Savills Chase. It was his first ride in a Grade 1 race and his winning effort saw him come out on top in a public vote for the HRI Ride of the Year at the 2021 HRI Awards.