Bryan Cooper (jockey)

Background and early life

Coming from a horsey family it was virtually inevitable that Cooper would be involved in that industry. Around the time he was born his parents won a pony in a raffle and this was named Snowy by the family. At an early age Cooper jumped up on Snowy's back and rode him around his fathers yard. He then progressed to the pony and show jumping circuit and retained an interest in these events until he was around 15 years old.

Cooper took part in his first race when he was just 14, learning his trade in his father's yard and spending his school holidays in the yard of Dessie Hughes. Knowing that a life in the horse industry was for him; Cooper left school before completing his final exams and took up a post in the yard of Kevin Prendergast which led to his first racecourse ride in The Curragh on 14 September 2008.

Riding career

At 15 Cooper weighed 8 stone 4 pound, but a growth spurt during this period put paid to his chances of riding on the flat. He returned to Dessie Hughes yard so that he could take up riding National Hunt horses which was always his first love. Memorably for Cooper his first win was aboard Rossdara, a horse trained by his father, in a maiden hurdle race at Clonmel on 29 October 2009.

A few weeks later Cooper rode his first winner for Dessie Hughes at Punchestown and in the next season 2010/11 he fulfilled his promise by winning the conditional championship and winning his first Listed race by piloting Coscorrig to victory in the John Fowler Mares Chase. His winning margin was 14 better than his nearest rival and he also managed to win at the renowned Galway Races that begin on the last Monday in July. The teenage Cooper had another exceptional season in 2011/12 finishing the season with 36 wins and also scoring his first Grade 1 victory aboard Benefficent for Tony Martin in the Deloitte Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown in February. He also won two Grade 2 races for Dessie Hughes at Thurles and Limerick and managed to ride a few placed horses at the Cheltenham Festival meet.

The world really took notice of Cooper in the 2012/13 season after 3 wins at the Cheltenham Festival Meeting. His wins came on rides aboard Benefficient, Our Conor in the Triumph Hurdle and Ted Veale and his total number of wins was only one behind that of Ruby Walsh. He managed to place 4th in the Grand National at Aintree but his season was cut short after he broke his femur while riding at Down Royal.

It was announced on 3 January 2014 that Cooper is to take over the position of retained jockey for Gigginstown House Stud from the 2012/13 Irish Champion Jockey Davy Russell. Cooper had his first winner for the stud riding Toner D’Oudairies at the Listed Thurles Racecourse Supporters Club Chase on 6 January 2014.

On the second day of the 2014 Cheltenham Festival, Cooper sustained fractures to his tibia and fibula in a fall at the last in the Fred Winter Juvenile Novices' Handicap Hurdle.

At the 2016 Cheltenham Festival Meeting Cooper won the Cheltenham Gold Cup riding Don Cossack; this race is the Blue Riband of National Hunt Racing. On the 28th of July Gigginstown Stud manager Eddie O'Leary announced that Cooper would no longer be retained by Gigginstown but would continue to ride for Gigginstown a lot.

Personal life

Cooper has been dating girlfriend Melanie Young for almost two years and the couple have been seen at many social events together over the last while.