Speaking exclusively with BOYLE Sports leading jumps jockey Darragh O'Keefe has offered his honest perspective on fulfilling the shoes of Rachael Blackmore for Henry de Bromhead following her retirement describing his boss as a "special" trainer.
Darragh spoke candidly about his Champion Jockey Goal and speaks about the importance of guarding against complacency when being a jockey.
The piece concludes with the young jockey discussing horses to note for the upcoming months with special mentions for The Big Westerner, Kopek Des Bordes, Final Demand and Montys Star.
Rachael Blackmore Retirement
Fulfilling Blackmore’s Shoes
We've had a good start to the season. Plenty of winners and a couple of nice profile winners as well, which is great. It's all been going well at the minute. She [Rachael Blackmore, de Bromhead’s former number one jockey] was massive, absolutely massive. She was a brilliant jockey. She’d won everything that had to be won and achieved it all in the sport. It was great to have been working alongside her for the last few years. I learned plenty from her, and it's nice to be getting my opportunities. They were, and they still are big boots to fill. When Rachel retired, I just kind of slotted my way in there. Obviously, it was a surprise to everyone, I suppose, when it happened.
I think she was still declared for a couple of rides even on the day she retired. It’s nice to be able to step in and to kick on. When you're at the level that she got to, whenever you are going to call it a day, people are going to be surprised. I was happy for her that she went out on her own terms. As I said, she was after achieving everything in the game that had to be achieved. Fair play to her.
Henry de Bromhead
“Special Trainer” Henry de Bromhead
It’s buzzing. It's a good atmosphere. There's a great bunch of people working there. He's a great bunch of staff, and everyone gets on and kicks on with the work and gets it done. Everyone has had a nice summer and a nice start to autumn. Hopefully, now they can kick on into the season proper, and the horses can stay fit and healthy and well. When that's happening, everyone's in good form.
In fairness, he's done it all. He's won all the major big races. He's won a couple of big Flat races as well. He seems to be able to train them all, doesn't he? Two-mile chasers, he's won Champion Hurdles, very good in the staying races as well and also on the Flat. He's very good at placing horses, and he's a great trainer to train a horse for the big day and seems to get the best out of them.
Darragh O'Keefe
Champion Jockey Goal
That'd be pretty special, but the two lads, Paul [Townend] and Jack [Kennedy], are eating away into my lead there now over the last 10 days. But I'm very happy with the season I'm having at the minute. Every year I go into the season, I think 50 winners is a good number in Ireland to get to, and it's hard to get to. There are only a few jockeys who have the ammunition to do that. I said this year I'd love to ride another Grade 1 and get close to 100 winners. If I can get close to 100 winners, I'd be very happy. What will happen after that, happens.
Obviously, I'm hungry, I'm ambitious, and I want to ride more winners. But I'm under no illusions with Paul and Jack there, two unbelievable riders. As I said, what'll happen will happen. I’ll keep tipping away, and you know I've plenty of support and am getting plenty of rides. We’ll keep nipping away at 100 winners. I'd love to get close to it and then see what happens.
Can’t Be Complacent
No, that's it. You take every day as it comes, and there’ll be plenty of setbacks along the way, and you just have to deal with them and keep looking ahead and enjoying it.
That’s the most important thing, enjoying it and let the winners happen. When you're enjoying it, it will hopefully run smoothly.
Horses To Watch:
The Big Westerner
I suppose the big one is The Big Westerner. She was meant to start off in Cork on Sunday, but the ground wasn't soft enough for her. She's going to be hopefully a very good chaser. She's owned by great people, and she had a good hurdling campaign last year, including second in the Albert Bartlett. Maybe the season took its toll on her then, when she wasn't at her best in Fairyhouse (when she pulled up).
But she's in good order at the minute, and she's one that would stand out, that's going chasing. Everyone will be looking forward to seeing what she can do. I imagine maybe this weekend might be looked at [for her next run]. I'd say there's a race in Fairyhouse. I don't think there's many Mares’ Beginner's Chases this side of Christmas now.
She'll have to go and take on all the geldings, but she's done that before. I'd imagine either this weekend or the following weekend as well, she'll be getting out as long as the ground is suitable. She has options. I’d imagine the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase over the three miles. There’s no middle distance now at Cheltenham, it's a Novice Handicap Chase. So, you’d imagine that or the Mares’ Chase are the most likely races where she’ll end up.
Kopek Des Bordes And Final Demand
It’s only the last couple of weekends that it's kind of kicked off. Kopek des Bordes and Final Demand look really good. Kopek looked very good, and obviously Lulamba looked very good in Exeter as well. I suppose it's only the last couple of weeks now that the real good horses are starting to come out again. It'll be exciting times ahead.
July Flower, she's a progressive mare. She ran to a good level over hurdles, and she seems to really like jumping fences. She was good in Cheltenham the other day, and she toughed it out well. It was an Arkle trial she won the other day in Cheltenham. So, there's that race in Leopardstown at Christmas. So maybe they might look there. After that, she might make the cut for an Arkle or something like that.
Monty’s Star
He's in the race in Newbury on Saturday, the Coral Gold Cup. He was fourth in the Gold Cup last year, and he ran well. He might have been a bit closer, but he missed a couple of fences. He's a lovely horse, and hopefully, wherever he starts off, I suppose he'll tell everyone where he'll end up.
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