Jump Season Preview: Three Irish Jockeys Poised To Shine September is upon us and on the Flat the Irish Champions Festival is done and dusted and this weekend National Hunt racing returns to Navan. The jumpers are coming back and, across the next six weeks or so, the winter pursuit will slowly start to awaken from its summer slumber. Toppling Paul Townend from his position as champion jockey appears nigh-on impossible, barring injury, with the Cork man sure to thrive in his role as number one pilot for Willie Mullins. He's a very obvious candidate for winners across the coming months, but we've picked out three other Irish riders who will be hoping to do well between now and the major festivals at Leopardstown, Cheltenham, Aintree and Punchestown next spring. Jack Kennedy Jack Kennedy ended the 2023/24 season as champion rider in Ireland for the first time, surviving a late charge from Townend that took their battle right to the final day at Punchestown. Kennedy, whose dozen Cheltenham Festival winners include the Gold Cup on Minella Indo in 2021 and the Stayers' Hurdle in 2024 on Teahupoo, endured a torrid time last season. He suffered a sixth broken leg in a fall at Fairyhouse on the final day of November and would miss the Christmas and Dublin Racing Festivals at Leopardstown as well as Aintree and Punchestown in the spring. He was at Cheltenham for 17 rides in March but came up dry despite a number of near misses. He took time out to recover from a knock after the Cotswolds but is now back in action and eager for the meat of the season. Still just 26, Kennedy is just two shy of riding a 50th Grade 1 winner and Gordon Elliott has once again publicly backed the jockey by saying he is his undisputed number one at his stable for the upcoming season. When he's fit and has the ammunition, there are few better than Kennedy in the plate. Darragh O'Keeffe There is a major void to fill at Knockeen this season, with trainer Henry De Bromhead now set to move onwards after Rachael Blackmore retired in typically understated fashion at the back end of last season. Darragh O'Keeffe was already a major force for the Co Waterford trainer and his status is only going to grow now. He's closing in on a half-century of winners for the De Bromhead team in 2025, with victories on the likes of Hiddenvalley Lake and Amirite as O'Keefe helped secure more than €530,000 in prize money. With Blackmore now gone, it will be interesting to see how O'Keefe, still just 25 years old, progresses from here. Danny Mullins While Townend is the top man at Closutton and has first refusal on the galaxy of stars at the Carlow yard, the sheer depth of equine talents at Mullins' disposal means there is plenty to go around. Patrick Mullins gets his share, but the man many look out for is Danny Mullins. Nephew of the champion trainer, he has earned the 'Canny Danny' moniker after a succession of clever rides in big races across recent seasons. In 2024, he completed a 535/1 Grade 1 treble on day one of the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown. On such days, Danny Mullins thrives, riding quality horses without the pressure that is attached to almost everything ridden by Townend in the same scenarios. He recently told the Racing Post that 'the big days are what it's all about' and that's something worth keeping in mind when those days roll around this season both in Ireland and Britain.
