Born in Warrington – which was, historically, in Lancashire, but is now in Cheshire – on November 8, 1884, Steve Donoghue was one of the most prolific and popular jockeys in Britain in the early years of the twentieth century. After a rather chequered start to his riding career, Donoghue eventually became apprenticed to Edward Johnson in France, for whom he rode his first winner, Hanoi, at Hyéres in April 1905. After a success spell with Philip ‘Phillie’ Behan in Co. Kildare, Ireland, where he became Champion Jockey in 1908, he returned to Britain in 1910, replacing Danny Maher as stable jockey to Henry ‘Atty’ Persse at Chattis Hill, near Stockbridge, Hampshire.
In 1913, Donoghue rode The Tetrarch, trained by Persse, to all seven victories, including the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster. The following season he became British Champion Flat Jockey for the first time and did so again for the next nine years, including a final title that he shared with Charlie Elliott in 1923.
All told, Donoghue rode 14 British Classic winners, including six Derby winners, the first two of which, Pommern (1915) and Gay Crusader (1917), both went on to land the Triple Crown, making him the only jockey ever do so twice. He also remains the only jockey to win the Derby three years running, which he did on Humorist, Captain Cuttle and Papyrus in 1921, 1922 and 1923. Just for good measure, Donoghue added his sixth and final Derby winner, Manna, trained by Fred Darling, in 1925.
Other claims to fame include winning the Queen Alexandra Stakes at Royal Ascot six years running between between 1929 and 1934 on legendary stayer Brown Jack, winning the Irish Derby five times and the Grand Prix de Paris twice. Dongohue retired from the saddle in 1937, with 1,847 British Flat winners to his name, and died suddenly from a heart attack, aged 60, in Paddington, London eight years later.
