Mallow jockey Nagle wins Champion Jockey title in America

DARREN Nagle, from Mallow, had a stellar season in the saddle in 2017 winning 19 races and securing the National Steeplechase Association Jockey’ Championship title in the USA.

He was presented with his championship trophy at the NSA’s gala awards dinner last Thursday at the Maryland Club in Baltimore.

In addition to securing the championship title, Nagle also hit a milestone by passing 100 career jump wins, with total purse winnings of $3.4m.

Irv Naylor’s Ebanour took command heading into the $35,000 Pennsylvania Hunt Cup’s secondto-last fence and romped home to an 18-length victory on Sunday to collect his second consecutive win in the four-mile timber classic. Ridden to perfection by Darren Nagle, it marked the jockey 100th career win.

“That is something I am very proud of,” he said. “Anybody can have a good year, or anybody can win a big race on a good horse, but to ride a lot of winners like that you need to be good or consistent or whatever you want to call it over a period of time. I am very proud of that.”

To eclipse a momentous season in the saddle Nagle won his First Grade 1 $150,000 in the Lonesome Glory at Belmont Park on Buttonwood Farm’s ‘All the Way Jose’, a great bonus for the Irishman as he turned 30.

Coming from a family steeped in horses, Nagle comes from Scarteen Stud House in Mallow, and began riding at an early age, hunted with the Duhallow Hunt and spent time at his uncle TJ Nagle’s yard in Killavullen before moving to Jim Bolger’s and then Shane Donoughue’s yard in Navan.

He moved to the US in 2005 and scored his first win on Run Up The Flag at the Middleburg Spring Races.

He was champion amateur steeplechase jockey in the USA for the third straight year in 2012 before turning professional at the end of the spring meet in 2013.

He previously ranked second by wins in the NSA Championship and was champion timber jockey.