Oisin Orr
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 1997 (age 28–29) |
| Occupation | Jockey |
| Horse racing career | |
| Sport | Horse racing |
Major racing wins | |
| Irish St. Leger (2020) | |
Significant horses | |
| Search For A Song Spirit Dancer | |
Oisin Orr (born September 1997) is an Irish jockey who competes in flat racing.
One of seven siblings, Orr grew up in Rathmullan in County Donegal. His father, Raymond Orr, kept ponies and Orr learned to ride at an early age. He rode on the pony racing circuit, achieving 33 winners. His older brother, Connor, is a National Hunt jockey and younger siblings are involved in show-jumping. He served his apprenticeship with Joanna Morgan and then Edward Lynam.[1]
Orr rode his first winner, Balmont Blast, trained by Edward Lynam, at Dundalk on 23 January 2015. He was champion Irish apprentice in 2017 and joint champion Irish apprentice with Andrew Slattery in 2019.[2] He rode his first Group race winner while still an apprentice, when Imaging, trained by Dermot Weld won the Group 3 Gladness Stakes at the Curragh in April 2019. Hazapour, also trained by Weld, provided him with another Group 3 success the following month when winning the Amethyst Stakes at Leopardstown.[3] At the end of May 2019, Orr rode out his claim with 95 winners.[2]
In September 2020, Orr achieved his first Group 1 and Irish Classic success when Search For A Song, trained by Weld, landed the Irish St. Leger at the Curragh.[4]
In 2022, Orr moved to Malton, North Yorkshire, to take up a position as stable jockey to trainer Richard Fahey.[5] He established a successful partnership on Fahey's Spirit Dancer, winning back-to-back Bahrain International Trophies in Dubai in 2024 and 2025, as well as the Neom Turf Cup in Riyadh in 2024. When a fetlock injury put an end to Spirit Dancer's racing career, Orr arranged for him to spend his retirement with his step-mother Rachael Carton in Rathmullan.[6]
Orr is tall for a flat jockey at 5 feet 11 inches and has to restrict his food intake to keep his weight down.[7] He received the 2020 and 2023 Donegal Sportstar of the Year awards.[8]
Major wins
[edit]
Ireland
- Irish St. Leger - (1) Search For A Song (2020)
References
[edit]- ↑ "The big interview: Orr brothers race on". The Irish Field. 3 August 2018.
- 1 2 "Oisin Orr". Horse Racing Ireland. Retrieved 25 September 2026.
- ↑ "Stylish Oisin Orr reaping rewards of partnership with Dermot Weld". Racing Post. 19 May 2019.
- ↑ "Irish St Leger: Search For A Song earns repeat win in Curragh Classic". BBC Sport. 13 September 2020.
- ↑ "'I'm absolutely delighted' - Oisin Orr thrilled to be joining forces with Fahey". Racing Post. 3 June 2022.
- ↑ "Fergie's former racehorse enjoying a retirement with beaches and beer". Racing Post. 23 May 2026.
- ↑ "'I don't usually eat dinner': Jockey Oisin Orr on life in the saddle". Racing Post. 25 April 2020.
- ↑ "Jockey Oisin Orr named Donegal Sportstar of the Year". Donegal Daily. 24 January 2024.