Caffrey remains in hunt for Apprentice crown

RACING Keane secured fifth successive title

The 2024 Flat season’s roll of honour features three clearcut winners with Aidan O'Brien, Colin Keane and Mrs Sue Magnier all retaining their respective titles while once again the race to become champion apprentice is a far tighter affair ahead of the season’s conclusion this weekend.

After this week's action at Galway (Monday) and Dundalk Dublin's James Ryan leads ahead of Clonalvey's Adam Caffrey and Tipperary’s Wayne Hassett.

Before racing in Dundalk on Wednesday Hassett and Ryan were tied on 31 winners with Caffrey two back on 29. However, the exciting young Meath jockey landed two of the first three races at the Louth track for Adrian McGuinness to draw level at the top of the table.

That lead only lasted until the next race when Kiltale trainer Ger Lyons gave Ryan his 32nd winner of the season when Ethical Code landed a 7f maiden.

Then in the final race on the card Ryan styretched his lead to two when he guided Tom McCourt's Glyde Ranger to victory.

Caffrey, Ryan and Hassett hold every chance as the championship continues in Dundalk on Friday before the final meeting of the season at the Curragh on Sunday.

Hassett can count three major handicap victories among his haul this term. His success at Leopardstown on the Aidan O'Brien-trained Fighter in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Petingo Handicap at Irish Champions Festival counts as his biggest win. He also enjoyed notable success on Joseph O'Brien’s Mexicali Rose in the Colm Quinn BMW Mile Handicap at the Galway Festival and on the George Scott-trained Prydwen in the Kellihers Toyota Kingdom Gold Cup at Killarney.

Ryan notched up the biggest win of his career when partnering the Danny Murphy-trained Ostraka to take the Group 3 William Hill Mercury Stakes at Dundalk last Friday night. It was the highlight of his season that also included wins on the Adrian Murray-trained Courageous Strike in the Fitzpatrick’s Apprentice Derby at the Curragh on Irish Derby Weekend and on Jack Davison’s Artful Approach at the Galway Festival. James was also associated with Edward Lynam’s progressive sprinter Keke.

Last year’s championship runner-up Caffrey shared much of his success this season with McGuinness, and they won the Dubai Duty Free Irish EBF Ragusa Handicap with Star Harbour at the Curragh on Derby weekend. In all, Adam won three races on Star Harbour and he was also successful on more than one occasion during the year on horses including Apache Outlaw, Exquisite Acclaim and Sirjack Thomas.

A dual Group 1 winner at home this season, Colin Keane will be crowned champion jockey for the fifth successive season and for the sixth time in all on Sunday.

His big wins came on the John Murphy-trained White Birch in the Tattersalls Gold Cup and in the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes which he won on Ger Lyons’ Babouche. Wendla and Mutasarref, two more trained by Ger Lyons, also scored for Keane at Group level as did Crystal Black, trained by his father Gerry, a handicap winner at Royal Ascot, and successful in the Group 3 Xin Gin Ballyroan Stakes at Leopardstown in August.

Billy Lee will finish runner-up in the championship for the third year running with Dylan Browne McMonagle ending the season strongly to take third place with easily his best tally. Shane Foley will take fourth place with Ryan Moore, Wayne Lordan and Ronan Whelan occupying the next three positions.

For the 27th time, Aidan O'Brien is our champion trainer. In the year he surpassed the 400 Group 1-winner mark, Aidan won three races at the highest-level at home with Ryan Moore partnering both Los Angeles and Kyprios to take the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby and the Comer Group International Irish St Leger respectively while Wayne Lordan was in the saddle as Lake Victoria won the Moyglare Stud Stakes.

Ireland’s champion owner for 2024 is Mrs Sue Magnier. Mrs Magnier narrowly gets the better of fellow Coolmore partners Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith to retain the title.

Suzanne Eade, CEO of Horse Racing Ireland, commented, “The race to be crowned champion apprentice is certainly going the distance and I wish Wayne, James and Adam all the best in the coming days as we count down to Sunday’s finale at the Curragh. My congratulations to our champions Colin Keane, Aidan O'Brien and Sue Magnier and I’m hoping that they enjoy great success at this weekend’s Breeders’ Cup in California.”