What are Darragh O’Keeffe’s stats? Read here for O’Keeffe’s most famous rides, his overall race record, and his prospects for 2026, including Cheltenham.
Darragh O’Keeffe shot to prominence riding a winner at just 18 years of age. He’s since become one of the most highly regarded jockeys in the sport and has formed an irrepressible partnership with decorated trainer Henry de Bromhead. Read on to get to know O’Keeffe – or if you’re confident he’ll ride a winner this season why not explore our range of horse racing odds?
An introduction to Darragh O’Keeffe
Born in March 2000, O’Keeffe rode his first winner in Killarney in July 2018.
He earned Ride of the Year from Horse Racing Ireland in 2021 for his performance with A Plus Tard in December 2020, which came a matter of months after he was the champion conditional jockey for the 2019-20 season.
For his career, O’Keeffe has won 10% of the races he’s entered and has finished in the top three in 32.1% of his 2,835 races. Breaking through in the second half of the 2010s, O’Keeffe has established himself as an elite jockey over the last few years.
The Irishman is yet to collect the marquee race wins that define the all-time great jockeys, but it’s a matter of time until he’s in that company.
Key horses ridden by Darragh O’Keeffe
Trusted by top trainers, O’Keeffe has ridden several classy horses in his young career.
Envoi Allen
O’Keeffe first rode Envoi Allen in the Champion Chase at Down Royal in November 2024. Priced at 3/1 before the race, O’Keeffe guided Envoi Allen to a win with a strong finish.
His second ride of the horse came almost exactly a year later in the same race. The outcome was familiar, with another impressive ride taking O’Keeffe to a perfect record across his first two races with Envoi Allen.
A Plus Tard
You have to go back to 2020 and the Savills Chase at Leopardstown for O’Keeffe’s only ride of A Plus Tard.
Six years old at the time, A Plus Tard took advantage of Minella Indo and Delta Work failing to finish on the day. O’Keeffe claimed a narrow win on a horse that was 15/2 before the race.
Bob Olinger
O’Keeffe’s relationship with Bob Olinger started with a win in the Beginners Chase at Gowran Park in 2021.
Rachael Blackmore was Bob Olinger’s primary jockey for the following few years, meaning O’Keeffe didn’t ride the horse again until 2024. However, he achieved runner-up finishes in November 2024 and December 2025.
William Du Berlais
O’Keeffe made his name on William Du Berlais, riding two winners in a five-day period in 2018.
Those were two of O’Keeffe’s four rides of the horse, with the others ending in seventh and ninth-place finishes in Kilbeggan.
Which trainer does Darragh O’Keeffe work with?
Since the retirement of trailblazing jockey Rachael Blackmore, O’Keeffe has stepped up and is now seen as Henry de Bromhead’s primary rider.
The majority of O’Keeffe’s rides have been de Bromhead’s horses during the 2025-26 season, including Workahead, Butch Cassidy, and Bokamsin, and this is expected to continue at the Cheltenham Festival.
What is Darragh O’Keeffe’s race record?
As of January 28th 2026, O’Keeffe has ridden 2,835 races with 289 wins. He’s achieved 306 runners-up placings and finished third on 315 occasions.
This works out to a win rate of around 10%. If we look more specifically at the 2025-26 season, which has seen O’Keeffe primarily riding de Bromhead-trained horses, then that win rate leaps up to around 15% at the time of writing.
It is worth noting that O’Keeffe is an active jockey, so these numbers are always on the move!
What are Nico de Boinville’s major performances?
Still early in his career, O’Keeffe doesn’t have the track record of big-time performances, like Paul Townend, Ruby Walsh, Frankie Dettori, or other all-time great jockeys. He’s gradually adding to his CV, though, and has put in some statement performances over the years.
Cheltenham Festival
O’Keefe earned his first Cheltenham Festival win when partnered with 22/1 outsider in the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase in 2023. He placed in the 2025 Gold Cup with Gentlemansgame and finished sixth with Beckett Rock in the 2025 Handicap Hurdle.
As Henry de Bromhead’s leading jockey at Cheltenham 2026, though, expect O’Keeffe to be a name that crops up more often in the big conversations!
Other events
Wins in the Champions Steeplechase, Savills Steeplechase, and the National Handicap Steeplechase stand out among O’Keeffe’s achievements in Ireland. Finishing sixth in the 2025 Grand National earned £30,000 in prize money and the first placing of O’Keeffe’s career.
Darragh O’Keeffe’s best prospects for 2026
Envoi Allen in the Gold Cup is one of O’Keeffe’s best opportunities for a career-defining win. Workahead, Bob Olinger, and Quilixios are all lined up to be ridden by O’Keeffe at the 2026 Cheltenham Festival, too, with each horse considered among the contenders in their respective races.
Being a stable jockey from de Bromhead means O’Keeffe is a contender for all major races. He was partnered with Senior Chief at the 2025 Grand National and won the 2025 Cork Grand National.
How to bet on Darragh O’Keeffe this season?
Betway is the place to visit if you’re looking to bet on O’Keeffe this season. All of his rides can be found in Betway’s horse racing betting markets.
If you’re new to the world of racing, then it might be worth learning how to bet on horse racing.
