Multiple Grade 1-winning jockey Tom O’Brien has died at the age of 39 following a battle with cancer.
A fixture of British jump racing for nearly two decades, O’Brien retired from the saddle in April 2023.
O’Brien, a nephew of trainer Aidan O’Brien, was born in Wexford and moved to Britain in 2004 to join Philip Hobbs’s stable in Minehead.
“Tom was held in the highest esteem and meant so much to so many people across our sport, who benefitted from his kindness and loyal friendship,” said Brant Dunshea, chief executive of the British Horseracing Authority, in a statement. “He touched countless lives on both sides of the Irish Sea.”
The jockey enjoyed significant success at the highest level, recording two Cheltenham Festival victories. He first triumphed at the festival aboard Silk Affair in the 2009 Fred Winter Juvenile Hurdle and returned to the winner’s enclosure in 2022 after partnering Third Wind to victory in the Pertemps Final, as noted by the Racing Post.
O’Brien’s career was defined by his success within the Philip Hobbs yard. He was crowned champion conditional jockey in the 2006-07 season after riding 105 winners, which was also his most prolific campaign.
His notable victories included two wins in the Welsh Grand National: first aboard Dream Alliance in 2009—a horse whose story inspired the film Dream Horse—and later on Elegant Escape in 2018. He also achieved five Grade 1 successes, including victories on Thyme Hill in the 2021 Liverpool Hurdle and the 2022 Kauto Star Novices’ Chase, according to the Racing Post.
“You couldn’t get a harder working, nicer family man,” Johnson White, who co-trains with Philip Hobbs, told the Nick Luck Daily Podcast. “I messaged Richard Johnson this morning and he sent a message back saying ‘life is so cruel’ and realistically you can’t say any more than that.”
Fellow jockey Ciaran Gethings dedicated his victory aboard Javert Allen at Aintree on Saturday to O’Brien. “A very special friend of ours and mine and in the weighing room, Tom O’Brien, is going through a tough time at the minute and I said if I won today, I would mention him,” Gethings told ITV Racing.
“Some incredibly sad news, Tom O’Brien, who rode more than a thousand winners, has passed away aged just 39, after a battle with Cancer,” broadcaster Ian Abrahams posted.
O’Brien, who would have turned 40 on November 28, is survived by his wife, Hayley, and their two children, Toby and Archie.
How many winners did Tom O’Brien ride during his career?
O’Brien reached the landmark of 1,000 winners in Britain and Ireland in August 2021. By the time he retired in April 2023, he had recorded a total of 1,077 wins, according to the Racing Post.
Which trainers did he work with most closely?
He was primarily associated with Philip Hobbs in Minehead, where he was based from his arrival in Britain in 2004 until his retirement. He also rode notable winners for trainers including Peter Bowen and Colin Tizzard.
What was his final ride?
His final ride in a competitive race was aboard Thyme Hill, finishing fourth at Sandown on April 29, 2023.
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