Alan Marron
On June 3rd it was announced that Oisin Orr had been appointed as stable jockey to one of Britain’s leading trainers, Richard Fahey. It is a huge opportunity for Oisin and I wish him every success in the future, writes Alan Marron (with additional material by Will Reilly).
In 2020 Oisin very kindly agreed to a Question and Answer session with me, the result of which you can see below.
Since the original interview, Oisin has enjoyed a great deal of success – including for Richard at the 2022 Glorious Goodwood Festival on the exciting, and very fast, The Platinum Queen – not least for Dermot Weld.
For example, he was the first jockey to win on this year’s impressive Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Homeless Songs when she won on her debut at Leopardstown. She is one of a number of maiden winners that Oisin has ridden for Dermot, which provides evidence of the high regard in which he is held by the legendary handler.
Key wins since 2020 for Oisin include Search For A Song (Dermot Weld, Group 1 Irish St Leger 2020), Layfayette (Noel Meade, Group 3 Alleged Stakes and Listed Devoy Stakes, 2022), Glen Shiel (Archie Watson, Group 3 Phoenix Sprint Stakes, 2020), Amma Grace (Dermot Weld, Listed Trigo Stakes, 2020) and subsequent Group and Grade 1-winner Tarnawa (Dermot Weld, Group 3 Give Thanks Stakes, 2020).
A Twitter post from Oisin Orr following his Group 1 win on Search For A Song
Oisin was crowned Ireland’s champion apprentice in 2017 and also shared the 2019 title with Andy Slattery (43 winners apiece). In fact, he enjoyed a marvellous 2019, which included two Group 3 successes for Dermot Weld.
Quoted on the Horse Racing Ireland website following Search For A Song’s Group 1 Irish St Leger win, Dermot said: “Oisin gets horses to relax very well. He has wonderful hands and rides a very relaxed race. He fills horses with confidence and moves them on. I love horses getting into a rhythm and for them to be ridden nicely through to the finish. That’s what he does very well.”
Prior to this Oisin had caught many an eye when winning the €150,000 Petingo Handicap at Leoparstown on Irish Champions Weekend in 2016 on Quick Jack for Tony Martin. Since then he has enjoyed spells riding in the USA and Australia and his career continues on the up, culminating in his association with Dermot Weld and the June 3rd announcement of his new role with the powerful stable of Richard Fahey.
Quotes from the www.sportinglife.com website:
Oisin: “I’m delighted to be given a chance to ride for a trainer like Richard. It’s been a great week and I can’t wait to kick on for the rest of the season.”
Richard: “We had Oisin over so he could have a look at us – and we could have a look at him. It’s worked out great and I’m really looking forward to working together now.”
Once again, I am grateful to Oisin and all the jockeys involved for taking the time to answer my questions and I wish them every success in the future.
JOCKEY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 3—OISIN ORR
NAME: OISIN ORR
AGE: 24
WHERE ARE YOU FROM: RATHMULLAN, CO.DONEGAL
HOW DID YOU GET INTO RACING? MY FATHER, RAYMOND, ALWAYS HAD PONIES WHEN I WAS YOUNGER AND I DID A FEW YEARS IN THE PONY CLUB. I WENT ON TO DO A FEW YEARS’ PONY RACING (OISIN RODE 33 PONY RACING WINNERS) BEFORE I WENT TO JOANNA MORGAN FOR MY FIRST JOB IN RACING.
JOCKEY YOU IDOLISED GROWING UP: RICHARD HUGHES
BIGGEST WIN TO DATE: COULDN’T SEPARATE THEM: WINNING A GROUP THREE AT NAAS ON IMAGING AND WINNING A GROUP THREE AT LEOPARDSTOWN ON HAZAPOUR, BOTH FOR DERMOT WELD – (Of course, Oisin has gone on to enjoy Group 1 success on Search For A Song – see above).
Imaging and Oisin Orr winning the Group 3 Gladness Stakes at Naas in April 2019
FAVOURITE RACECOURSE AND WHY: LEOPARDSTOWN BECAUSE ITS A FAIR TRACK, BEST HORSE USUALLY WINS AND BECAUSE I HAVE HAD PLENTY OF LUCK THERE.
TOUGHEST COURSE TO RIDE: GALWAY AS YOU NEED A LOT OF LUCK AND A GOOD DRAW.
RACE YOU WOULD MOST LIKE TO WIN: EPSOM DERBY
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO OWN THAT YOU DONT HAVE ALREADY: ENABLE
HOBBIES OUTSIDE OF RACING: I RUN MOST DAYS SO THAT KEEPS ME BUSY AND I TRY TO PLAY GOLF, BUT I’M NOT VERY GOOD AT IT.
FOOTBALL TEAM YOU SUPPORT: NONE. CANT REMEMBER THE LAST TIME I WATCHED A FOOTBALL MATCH.