Michael J. Kinane, usually known as “Mick”, will probably always be remembered as the jockey of Sea The Stars, who won six Group One races, including the 2,000 Guineas, the Derby and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, in the final season of his 34-year riding career. Announcing his retirement in December, 2009, Kinane said, “At 50 I still feel fit and sharp enough to do any horse justice but, after the season I have just had in partnership with Sea The Stars, I have the privilege of being able to end my career as a jockey on an incredible high and that’s what I want to do.”
Kinane served his apprenticeship with Liam Browne and made his racecourse debut, as a 15-year-old, in Leopardstown in March, 1975. His first ride in public, Muscari, was a winner and trainer Larry Greene later recalled, “It was the first time Mick ever rode a horse in a race. Even at that age, he rode like a fully fledged adult jockey.” Kinane became Irish Champion Apprentice in 1978 and Irish Champion Jockey for the first time in 1984. All in all, he became Irish Champion Jockey 13 times and rode 1,500 winners all over the world.
His major successes included the 2,000 Guineas, the Derby three times and the Melbourne Cup. He said of the latter victory, on Vintage Crop for Dermot Weld in 1993, “Before Sea The Stars, Vintage Crop left the biggest impression on me, when we became the first Europeans to win the Melbourne Cup.” The same year, Kinane won his first Derby, on Commander In Chief for Henry Cecil and, famously, turned down the opportunity to replace Steve Cauthen as retained jockey to Sheikh Mohammed.
When Kinane did end his 14-year association with Dermot Weld, he joined Aidan O’Brien as stable jockey at Ballydoyle and, between 1999 and 2003, enjoyed the most productive spell of his career. In 2001, alone, Kinane rode 17 winners at the highest level, including the Derby, the Oaks and the St. Leger, all for Aidan O’Brien.
