High praise for Darragh O'Keeffe after Sligo victory Jockey Angle presenter Paddy Flood is good friends with leading rider Darragh O’Keeffe and it had been a running joke between them that Darragh was yet to feature on our new race analysis show presented by Paddy. “Darragh's been riding exceptionally well, basically for all of the last two years, and he's been asking me how he was going to end up on my podcast” explained Paddy on this week’s episode of the Jockey Angle in association with William Hill. “He thought a couple of his rides in Galway should have got on it, but he didn't make the cut. But this ride definitely makes the cut. This is some bit of riding.” Paddy was referring to an extraordinary piece of horsemanship from Darragh at Sligo last week when his saddle slipped aboard Midnight Eagle in a handicap hurdle. In this week’s show Paddy gives his detailed analysis of what made this piece of race riding from Darragh O’Keeffe so special and worthy of inclusion. “I'm sure Darragh had done plenty of hunting in his day. I mean, for him to kick the feet out and to stay on the horse is a great feat, but watch how strong this fella is in the finish. I mean, he's as good without irons as he is with irons and his will to win is second to none. “Darrragh O’Keeffe is pound for pound the best rider in Ireland and England at the moment. I think himself and Sean Bowen's styles are very similar. You know the AP McCoy style, they like to get the horse off the bridle. They like to be forceful. They like to be in the first three or four. They like to be on the rail. Rarely do you see him going too wide. Darragh is a machine of a rider. And I'd say he'll give the jockey championship this year a fair rattle.” The Jockey Angle show is published in association with William Hill Ireland.
