Trainer Profile

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A seven-time champion, a four-time champion apprentice and one of Ireland’s greatest Flat jockeys, Christy Roche enjoyed a near 30-year career in the saddle winning races like the Budweiser Irish Derby on three occasions (Assert 1982 (David O'Brien), St Jovite 1992 (Jim Bolger), Desert King 1997 (Aidan O'Brien) while he also partnered the David O’Brien-trained Secreto to a memorable short head success over El Gran Senor in the 1984 Epsom Derby. He won a second English Classic when 50/1 outsider Jet Ski Lady, trained by Jim Bolger, landed the Epsom Oaks in 1991. He won the Irish 2,000 Guineas on four occasions and was a three-time winner of the Irish 1,000 Guineas. Irish St Leger success came his way on two occasions. He also partnered the David O'Brien-trained Assert to win the French Derby in 1982. Roche retired from the saddle in August 1998 having taken out a licence to train a couple of years earlier and his first winner as a licensed trainer came with Ask The Butler at Fairyhouse in December, 1996.

He enjoyed considerable success as a trainer, primarily for his main patron, JP McManus. In the early days of his training career, Roche did particularly well with Grimes, a horse that won nine races for the stable including the Galway Plate in 2001. Roche enjoyed his first success at the Cheltenham Festival when saddling Khayrawani to land the 1999 Coral Cup in the hands of Fran Berry.  

Youlneverwalkalone went on to be a great servant to the stable in landing 10 races in total including the Grade 1 Hatton’s Grace Hurdle in 2000 where he defeated Moscow Flyer. The same horse gained a Cheltenham Festival victory when taking the 2003 William Hill Handicap Chase under Barry Geraghty having taken the Leopardstown Chase two months earlier.

Like-A-Butterfly was arguably the best horse he trained. Successful in the 2002 Supreme Novices Hurdle at Cheltenham, the following year she defeated the brilliant Limestone Lad in a wonderfully exciting race for the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle and would later win at the highest level over fences in the Powers Gold Cup at Fairyhouse. Bannow Bay was a nine-time winner for the stable as was Calledine while Risk Accessor won eight races. Wouldn’t You Agree was a six-time winner for Roche while Le Coudray was successful on five occasions, including two Grade 1 races. Roche won a Troytown Chase with Groody Hill in 2011 and the Cork Grand National with Streets Of Gold in 2010 and with Sword Fish three years later. Roche's most valuable success as a trainer came in 2006 when he won the William Hill Galway Plate with the Roger Loughran-ridden Far From Trouble. He won the same race with Grimes in 2001. 

Christy Roche retired from the training ranks in early 2018 with his son Padraig taking over the licence at Curraghview Stables.