Irish National Jockeys

The three spotlighted top jockeys below have all won the Irish Grand National at least once. The three are most certainly three of the best National Hunt jockeys riding today. The records of these brilliant jockeys should be considered before making your Irish Grand National Free bet.

• Tony McCoy quite rightly is the greatest national hunt jockey ever and has been champion jockey in the UK every year for the past 14 years. In a glittering career he has won every major race with the exception of the Aintree Grand National. He holds the record for most winners in one season when he had 289 in the 2001/2 season. He is the retained jockey for millionaire, race horse owner, JP McManus, who keeps many of his horses with trainer, Jonjo O’Neill. Tony won the Irish Grand National in 2007 on Butlers Cabin, for the O’Neill/Mcmanus partnership.
   
• Ruby Walsh is the brilliant Irish jockey, retained by English Trainer, Paul Nicholls. He has been on the winner of the Irish Grand National twice, Numbersixvalverde in 2005 and before that he rode Commanche Court, for his Dad, trainer, Ted Walsh, in 2000. The Father/Son combination also teamed up to win the Aintree Grand National on Papillon in the same year. Ruby is the only jockey currently riding that has won all four Nationals. Amazingly he won three in the 2004/5 season and nearly had a four timer that year, but was beaten a short head in the Scottish Grand National.  

• Barry Geraghty Although yet to win the Irish Grand national, Barry Geraghty’s time will surely come soon. He has won the Aintree Grand National on Monty’s Pass in 2003, which capped a superb year for him; he has just three weeks earlier rode five winners at the Cheltenham Festival, including the Queen Mother Champion Chase on the brilliant, Moscow Flyer. Barry also landed the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2005, aboard Kicking King.