Aidan Coleman’s rise to the top in the horse racing world was not as predictable as the stories of other jockeys across the UK. None of his parents or fore parents had shown more than a passing interest in horses, and young Aidan looked destined for a job in the noble profession of teaching, which is what his parents were doing. However, the young lad had a lifetime in the stables, interacting with the family horses. Aidan’s core racing influence might have been his elder brother Kevin, who made the snap decision to become a jockey and went on to win the Galway Plate in the year 2007.
Aidan’s journey
When Aidan decided he wanted to be a jockey too, he moved from his birthplace of Cork, Ireland and settled in the UK. This was in 2007, at age 19. A year later, the Irishman made it abundantly clear that he had not come to the UK for the football matches, becoming one of the youngest ever jockeys to participate in the Grand National, where he placed tenth. In the same year, he was selected as the top conditional Jockey in the UK. Over the years, Coleman has solidified his position as a serious contender in every meeting, and capped off 2016 with an incredible 108 wins. This year, he has already notched 23 wins and is still looking strong.
Notable victories
Aidan Coleman has had plenty to smile about from his last decade in the sport. In 2008, he won the Red Rum Handicap Chase at Aintree astride Stan. In 2009, rivals fell at the Pertemps Final at Cheltenham Festival, with Coleman riding Kayf Aramis. In 2012, the Rising Stars Novices’ Chase at Wincanton also became his. He most recently (February 2017) won the Betfair Denman Chase while running on Native River.