Paddy Brennan

Paddy Brennan

Guest Author

Paddy Brennan is a retired National Hunt jockey and six-time Cheltenham Festival winner, best known for his 2010 Gold Cup victory aboard Imperial Commander. Since retiring in 2024, he has remained influential through punditry and racing analysis.

Professional Background

Paddy Brennan, a much respected Irish jump jockey, had a solid 27-year career that wrapped up in April 2024. Born in Ardrahan, County Galway, he started out aiming to ride on the flat under Jim Bolger but switched to jumps because of his weight.

In 2000, he moved to the UK, joining Paul Nicholls’ yard, and soon made a name for himself, earning the champion conditional jockey title in the 2004/05 season.

One of his bigger wins came in 2010 when he landed the Cheltenham Gold Cup on Imperial Commander, a notable highlight in his career.

He also teamed up well with Cue Card, winning the 2015 King George VI Chase and a few Betfair Chases along the way. Other big wins included the 2007 World Hurdle on Inglis Drever, with 18 Grade 1 victories overall.

Working out of Gloucestershire with Fergal O’Brien towards the end of his career, he notched over 1,525 wins in Britain and Ireland.

Brennan retired after a win on Manothepeople at Cheltenham, calling his career a mix of ups and downs but feeling good about what he’d done.

Expertise and Contributions

Paddy is on hand to give us expert insight into all of the big racing events.

His time as a jockey can bring a unique insight into how a race will be ridden, from a man who's been there and done it all before on the biggest stages.

Alongside this, Paddy's work in the media, combined with him remaining close to the Fergal O'Brien yard, we have a man who continues to live and breathe horse racing, and can give us the inside track.

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