Darragh O'Keeffe: champion conditional is the next big thing in Irish racing

Brian Sheerin profiles the up-and-coming rider who has made a huge impression

Champion conditional Darragh O'Keeffe: 'It's pretty special to be riding for JP McManus'Credit: Patrick McCann

Enda Bolger is not a man who throws praise around like confetti, but when it comes to Darragh O'Keeffe the trainer is in no doubt that we are dealing with the next big riding talent in Irish racing.

O'Keeffe was crowned champion conditional last season in Ireland with a tally of 48 winners, which not only secured him that coveted prize but meant he finished fourth in the overall riders' championship.

Behind O'Keeffe were the likes of Mark Walsh, Robbie Power and Danny Mullins, which goes some way to illustrating how far this 20-year-old has come in a relatively short space of time.

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Published on 15 April 2020inFeatures

Last updated 18:58, 15 April 2020

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