The full roll of honour for the 2023/2024 National Hunt season was confirmed at Punchestown, with Kerry's Jack Kennedy joining JP McManus, Willie Mullins, Danny Gilligan, Patrick Mullins and Jody Townend as the season’s champions.
Jack Kennedy’s success in the jockeys’ championship was only confirmed after a thrilling duel with Paul Townend who was aiming for a seventh title.
Commenting on his first jockeys’ championship success, Jack Kennedy said: “It’s an unbelievable feeling to have won the championship. Paul got close enough in recent weeks to give me loads of sleepless nights but I’m delighted to have hung on. I’ve had a great 12 months, leading the championship for much of the way and riding over 100 winners in a season for the first time in my career. There was loads of great days and riding Grade 1 winners in Ireland on such good horses as Gerri Colombe, Teahupoo, Farren Glory, Found A Fifty, Caldwell Potter and Irish Point was very special. I can’t thank Gordon (Elliott), all the staff at Cullentra and his owners enough for the support they have given me. Thanks to my agent Kevin O’Ryan for getting me plenty of outside rides and winners this season - I really appreciate the opportunities from those trainers. I also have to give special thanks to Dr Jennifer Pugh, her medical team and my surgeon Paddy Kenny for all their expert medical care and looking after me so well over the last few years.”
There was compensation for Townend who landed today’s two Grade 1’s at Punchestown.
Denis Kirwan has all the details
