'They make it all happen' - David O'Meara praises team after reaching 1,000

Little more than ten years after sending out his first winner, David O'Meara reached 1,000 on the Flat in Britain when Sudona struck in the 1m2f handicap at Pontefract on Tuesday.

The former jump jockey had got off the mark with Simple Jim at Redcar in June 2010 and was delighted that long-time ally Danny Tudhope was on the landmark winner.

"It's great we did it with a horse ridden by Danny, who came to me in 2011," said O'Meara, who made it 1,001 when Summerghand landed the 6f handicap. "He's ridden nearly all the big ones.

"And I know it's a cliche but through it all there's been a team behind me – I can't ride out 130 horses by myself and there is a huge team behind me, they make it all happen."

Tudhope paid tribute to his trainer and said: "I'm delighted for him. To do what he's done in a short amount of time is a great achievement. He's a fantastic horseman, he's so good around horses and he sometimes rides out at home still. He's so good on them. And off them he's got a great eye. He knows what he's doing and he's a very clever guy."

Reflecting on reaching 1,000, O'Meara said: "I might be wrong but I think it's the second fastest, behind Richard Hannon jnr. I got my licence on June 10, 2010 and my first winner wasn't too long afterwards.

"When you start out you don't think things will go as well as they have, you just keep working away and hope you can do as well as the year before – and that the wheels don't fall off."

Picking out highlights among the 1,000, O'Meara said: "We've won eight Group 1s but Blue Bajan was very special, he was my first big winner and he won the Henry II as an nine-year-old, then Penitent came along, and G Force and Custom Cut. They were all special horses."

Blue Bajan gave David O'Meara his first big winner as a trainer when landing the Henry II Stakes at Sandown in 2011 under Danny TudhopeCredit: Edward Whitaker

O'Meara, who trains just outside York, has sent out a century of winners in the last seven years.

Asked for his next ambition, O'Meara said: "The same as always, just to keep the whole show on the road and hopefully get another 100 this year, although that will be tough with the hold up for a couple of months. And also to improve the quality of the horses and try and find another Group 1 horse. And to keep everybody in their jobs and keep the stable full."

David O'Meara CV:

Full name David Blaise O'Meara

Born Co. Cork, February 3, 1977

Apprenticeship amateur rider with Philip Hobbs; conditional jockey with Tim Easterby

First winner as jockey Swansea Gold, Fontwell, February 8, 1999

Total wins as jump jockey 126 (1999-2008) including 2000 Aintree Fox Hunters' Chase on Bell's Life

Stables as trainer Arthington Barn, Nawton, North Yorkshire 2010-15; Willow Farm, Upper Helmsley, North Yorkshire since 2016

First winner as trainer Simple Jim, Redcar, June 19, 2010

First Group winner Blue Bajan (2011 Henry II Stakes)

Arlington Million winner Mondialiste (2016)

Queen Anne Stakes winner Lord Glitters (2019)

Haydock Sprint Cup winner G Force (2014)

Prix de l'Abbaye winner Move In Time (2014)

Other Group 1 winner in Europe Amazing Maria (2015 Falmouth Stakes, Prix Rothschild)

Other Grade 1 wins in North America Mondialiste (2015 Woodbine Mile), Suedois (2017 Shadwell Turf Mile)

Triple Group 2 winner Custom Cut (2014 Joel Stakes, 2015 bet365 Mile, Boomerang Stakes)

Breeders' Cup runner-up Mondialiste (2015 Mile)

Highest-rated horses (RPRs) G Force (121 in 2014 Haydock Sprint Cup), Custom Cut (120), Lord Glitters (120), Amazing Maria (118), Mondialiste (118)

1,000th Flat win in Britain Sudona, Pontefract, July 7, 2020 (plus 34 over jumps)

Most wins in a year in Britain 136 on Flat in 2013 (plus 4 over jumps)

CV provided by John Randall

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