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Cheltenham Festival-winning jockey Tom O'Brien dies aged 39

Summarised from 5 outlets · 6 reports · Updated 11 Nov, 19:45 · Archive

Tom O'Brien, who rode over 1,000 winners including Cheltenham Festival victories, has died aged 39 after a cancer battle.

Tom O'Brien, the nephew of trainer Aidan O'Brien, has died aged 39 following a battle with cancer. The Irish jockey retired from race riding in April 2023 after spending his entire career at Philip Hobbs's Minehead stable, joining as a teenager.

O'Brien rode more than 1,000 winners over jumps across Britain and Ireland. His major achievements included five Grade One victories, two Cheltenham Festival wins and two Welsh Grand National triumphs. His most prestigious Grade One wins came aboard Hobbs's Thyme Hill in the Stayers' Hurdle at Aintree in April 2021 and the Kauto Star Novices' Chase at Kempton in December 2022. He also won Grade One races for Colin Tizzard on Finian's Oscar and Elixir De Nutz in the Tolworth Hurdle in 2017 and 2019 respectively.

At Cheltenham, O'Brien won on Silk Affair in the Fred Winter Juvenile Hurdle in 2009 and Third Wind in the Pertemps Network Hurdle Final in 2022. His 2009 Welsh Grand National success aboard Dream Alliance at Chepstow later inspired a feature film called Dream Horse. After Richard Johnson retired from the saddle in 2021, O'Brien became the stable's first jockey. Following his retirement from race riding, he joined the stewarding team at the British Horseracing Authority.

O'Brien leaves behind his wife Hayley and two sons, Archie and Toby. Fellow jockey Richard Johnson described him as 'an all-round great person' and offered sympathies to his family. Johnson told the Press Association: 'It's such sad news and I'm not sure there are any words to describe it really. Tom had been ill for quite a while now, but again it doesn't feel real and I feel very sorry for Hayley and his two little boys.'

Johnson continued: 'Whether that was at the races, riding out or travelling in a car to the races, a party, he was just a great person to be around and a person we all enjoyed spending our time with. He left a positive mark on all of us.'

Trainer Philip Hobbs, with whom O'Brien worked throughout his career, said: 'He came to our yard from Ireland having not ridden in a race, but it soon became obvious he was pretty talented. He was always very reliable and a very good bloke. There's lots of good memories and there were lots of winners.' Hobbs added that he had kept in touch with O'Brien since his retirement, describing a recent visit: 'He was only in our yard about three weeks ago.'

British Horseracing Authority chief executive Brant Dunshea paid tribute, stating: '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. He touched countless lives on both sides of the Irish Sea, bringing joy to everyone who had the privilege of knowing him and watching what he did best, on and off the racecourse. He will be hugely missed and his loss is immensely difficult to process.'

Cheltenham Festival-winning jockey Tom O'Brien dies aged 39
Image: The Guardian

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How it is being reported

In this story: Tom O'Brien · Aidan O'Brien · Philip Hobbs · Richard Johnson · Hayley O'Brien · Dream Alliance · Thyme Hill · British Horseracing Authority

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log