RACING MOURNS TOM O'BRIEN AS GRADE ONE-WINNING JOCKEY DIES AGED 39

Tom O'Brien, the five-time Grade One-winning jump jockey who rode more than 1,000 winners in Britain and Ireland, has died at the age of 39 after a long illness with cancer. News of his death was confirmed on Wednesday, prompting tributes from across the sport.

A nephew of champion trainer Aidan O'Brien, he left Ireland as a teenager without a single race ride to his name and joined Philip Hobbs at Minehead, the yard that would remain his base until he stepped away from the saddle in April 2023. He spent many years as understudy to Richard Johnson before taking over as first jockey when Johnson retired.

A career full of memorable days

O'Brien first made his mark riding for Peter Bowen as well as Hobbs, passing a century of winners in a breakthrough 2006/07 campaign. His first top-level success came on Souffleur for Bowen in the Challow Novices' Hurdle, and he went on to ride two Cheltenham Festival winners and to win the Welsh Grand National twice.

O'Brien wins on Third Wind at the 2022 Cheltenham Festival

One of those Chepstow triumphs came in 2009 aboard Dream Alliance, the syndicate-owned outsider whose remarkable story was later turned into the film Dream Horse. Later in his career he formed a much-loved partnership with Hobbs' Thyme Hill, landing the Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree in 2021 and the Kauto Star Novices' Chase at Kempton a year later.

Tributes paid

Hobbs, who now trains in partnership with Johnson White, said he had stayed in touch with O'Brien since his retirement and had seen him at the yard only a few weeks ago. Speaking to BBC Sport, he described his former stable jockey simply:

"He was always very reliable and a very good bloke."

British Horseracing Authority chief executive Brant Dunshea said the racing family was distraught, adding that the sport would remember O'Brien as "a brilliant jockey, a valued colleague, a loyal friend" and, above all, a devoted husband and father. Trainer Christian Williams and broadcaster Mike Cattermole were among many others to pay tribute to his kindness and humility.

O'Brien leaves his wife Hayley and their two young sons. Everyone at Racing Daily sends sincere condolences to his family and friends.