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Leading National Hunt star Denis O’Regan will be aiming to forge a solid partnership following his switch to the Newmarket area.
With the likes of Ruby Walsh and Paul Nicholls, and Barry Geraghty and Nicky Henderson establishing themselves as jockey/trainer partnerships to follow through the winter months, 30-year-old O’Regan is looking to do the same with Cowlinge handler John Ferguson and become a force to be reckoned with.
“Basically the reason I am down here is that John Ferguson has expanded his string and has asked me to ride more for him,” said O’Regan, “so it made more sense to move down here from Gloucestershire instead of travelling up all the time.
“I will still be operating as a freelance as I still have plenty of other people that I will ride for, but John has first call on me.
“Last year I had a few rides for the team and they had a relatively good strike rate, and this year John looks to have some nice horses that look to have good futures.
“I get on super with John and I enjoy working with the team as I get on well with all the staff. It makes a big difference when all that comes together.”
Having been second jockey at Noel Meade’s in his native Ireland, O’Regan was thrown straight into the deep end with his first major job in England at Howard Johnson’s yard when signing up to become the retained rider for owners Graham and Andrea Wylie back in 2007.
During a three-season stint in County Durham, O’Regan enjoyed a string of big race victories, including Grade One wins on Tidal Bay in the Racing Post Arkle and Ingles Drever in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at the 2008 Cheltenham Festival.
“I was quite young when I joined Howard Johnson and it was a big step up going from second jockey at Noel Meade’s to being number one for Howard,” said O’Regan.
“The whole thing since coming over has been a really big learning curve. Riding as number one at Howard’s was a massive thing for me and it really help set me up in England.”
Big race success has continued to follow O’Regan since leaving his post with the Wylies in 2010, highlighted last season when bagging the Listed Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival aboard the Malcolm Jefferson-trained Cape Tribulation.
Although no stranger to winning at the highest level, O’Regan has set relatively modest targets for the 2012/13 National Hunt season.
“My targets this year are to stay in one piece, and hopefully get no suspensions or bans. Anything after that is a bonus,” he said.
Although the National Hunt season is only just beginning to get into top gear, O’Regan has selected a few horses from Ferguson’s yard who he hopes will be visiting the winners’ enclosures up and down the country in the not too distant future.
Top of the list is one of last season’s leading novice hurdlers Cotton Mill.
After landing the Grade Two Neptune Investment Management Leamington Novices’ Hurdle at Warwick, the five year old unseated O’Regan two out when sitting second in the Grade One Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
None the worse for his mishap at Prestbury Park, the son of Tiger Hill was back in action the following month at Aintree where he finished third behind Lovcen in the Grade One John Smith’s Sefton Novices’ Hurdle.
“Cotton Mill is a horse I am really looking forward to riding. Who knows what would have happened at Cheltenham had he stayed on his feet,” said O’Regan.
“He is a little bit stronger this year, but he will have to step up again as life at the top is tough. However, he looks to be an exciting horse.”
“He probably didn’t quite stay the three miles when finishing third at Aintree on his last start, but with him being that bit stronger he may do now. There are plenty of options for him.”
With Cotton Mill proving to be the star novice hurdler at Ferguson’s yard last season, O’Regan has highlighted two others that could follow in his footsteps this season.
“Once More in Dubai won a novice hurdle at Plumpton really well then disappointed last time out at Kempton, but he should bounce back from that,” he said.
“Having won a bumper on Houseparty last year I was aboard him at Fakenham when he made a nice debut over hurdles. He is a nice novice hurdler and should progress.
“With John on side this year I am really hoping I can kick on with the number of winners.”
With the likes of Ruby Walsh and Paul Nicholls, and Barry Geraghty and Nicky Henderson establishing themselves as jockey/trainer partnerships to follow through the winter months, 30-year-old O’Regan is looking to do the same with Cowlinge handler John Ferguson and become a force to be reckoned with.
“Basically the reason I am down here is that John Ferguson has expanded his string and has asked me to ride more for him,” said O’Regan, “so it made more sense to move down here from Gloucestershire instead of travelling up all the time.
“I will still be operating as a freelance as I still have plenty of other people that I will ride for, but John has first call on me.
“Last year I had a few rides for the team and they had a relatively good strike rate, and this year John looks to have some nice horses that look to have good futures.
“I get on super with John and I enjoy working with the team as I get on well with all the staff. It makes a big difference when all that comes together.”
Having been second jockey at Noel Meade’s in his native Ireland, O’Regan was thrown straight into the deep end with his first major job in England at Howard Johnson’s yard when signing up to become the retained rider for owners Graham and Andrea Wylie back in 2007.
During a three-season stint in County Durham, O’Regan enjoyed a string of big race victories, including Grade One wins on Tidal Bay in the Racing Post Arkle and Ingles Drever in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at the 2008 Cheltenham Festival.
“I was quite young when I joined Howard Johnson and it was a big step up going from second jockey at Noel Meade’s to being number one for Howard,” said O’Regan.
“The whole thing since coming over has been a really big learning curve. Riding as number one at Howard’s was a massive thing for me and it really help set me up in England.”
Big race success has continued to follow O’Regan since leaving his post with the Wylies in 2010, highlighted last season when bagging the Listed Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival aboard the Malcolm Jefferson-trained Cape Tribulation.
Although no stranger to winning at the highest level, O’Regan has set relatively modest targets for the 2012/13 National Hunt season.
“My targets this year are to stay in one piece, and hopefully get no suspensions or bans. Anything after that is a bonus,” he said.
Although the National Hunt season is only just beginning to get into top gear, O’Regan has selected a few horses from Ferguson’s yard who he hopes will be visiting the winners’ enclosures up and down the country in the not too distant future.
Top of the list is one of last season’s leading novice hurdlers Cotton Mill.
After landing the Grade Two Neptune Investment Management Leamington Novices’ Hurdle at Warwick, the five year old unseated O’Regan two out when sitting second in the Grade One Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
None the worse for his mishap at Prestbury Park, the son of Tiger Hill was back in action the following month at Aintree where he finished third behind Lovcen in the Grade One John Smith’s Sefton Novices’ Hurdle.
“Cotton Mill is a horse I am really looking forward to riding. Who knows what would have happened at Cheltenham had he stayed on his feet,” said O’Regan.
“He is a little bit stronger this year, but he will have to step up again as life at the top is tough. However, he looks to be an exciting horse.”
“He probably didn’t quite stay the three miles when finishing third at Aintree on his last start, but with him being that bit stronger he may do now. There are plenty of options for him.”
With Cotton Mill proving to be the star novice hurdler at Ferguson’s yard last season, O’Regan has highlighted two others that could follow in his footsteps this season.
“Once More in Dubai won a novice hurdle at Plumpton really well then disappointed last time out at Kempton, but he should bounce back from that,” he said.
“Having won a bumper on Houseparty last year I was aboard him at Fakenham when he made a nice debut over hurdles. He is a nice novice hurdler and should progress.
“With John on side this year I am really hoping I can kick on with the number of winners.”
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