Paddy Brennan
Born: Ardrahan, Galway April 13 1981.
Background: Paddy spent the summer of 1995 working for County Kildare handler Gerry Stack before embarkingon a five season apprenticeship with the leading Irish trainer Jim Bolger, for whom he rode eight winners. The first of those came on Ivory Isle at Gowran Park in August 1998. He became too heavy and tall for the flat and moved to Paul Nicholls' stable as a conditional jockey in 2001. He stayed there for two and a half years riding winners for Nicholls and Jeff King, before joining Philip Hobbs in the 2003/4 season as one of that yards conditionals. Paddy also struck up a good rapport with Ashley Brook, on whon he won the Grade One Maghull Novices' Chase at Aintree in 2005 and enjoyeda first Cheltenham Festival success that year aboard Shamayoun in the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle. Paddy was appointed as retained rider to owners Andrea and Graham Wylie for the 2006/7 season after dropping by trainer Howard Johnson's County Durham yard for a cup of tea and toast. He rewarded those connections when guiding Inglis Drever to victory in the 2007 Grade One Ladbrokes World Hurdle at Cheltenham - the geldings second success in the race. Paddy, who wanted to return to the south of England, left Johnson at the end of the 2006/7 season and joined us at Naunton at the start of the 2007/8 campaign. He has enjoyed the move taking big races aboard Imperial Commander and Hello Bud amongst many others bringing him to 441 career wins to the end of the 2008/09 season.
On 20th March 2010, just a day after winning theChetenham Gold Cup on Imperial Commander and the Grand Annual Chase on Pigeon Island, Paddy achieved his 500th career winner aboard stable favourite Petite Margot in the "Home From Home" Handicap Chase at Ffos Las..
Cheltenham Festival wins:
Fred Winter Juvenile Novices Hurdle: Shamayoun 2006
Ladbrokes World Hurdle: Inglis Drever 2007
Pertemps Final: Ballyfitz 2008
Ryanair Chase: Imperial Commander 2009
totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup: Imperial Commander 2010
Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase: Pigeon Island 2010
Outside racing, Paddy is very keen on football, being a Manchester United fan and also enjoys playing golf, for which he has managed to get his handicap down from 20 to 18 over the last year. Obviously too much time on his hands....we really must find him some more rides.....
