Noel Fehily

Noel Fehily (born 1975) is a professional horse racing jockey. Throughout his professional career, he has enjoyed substantial success including the King George VI Chase and Champion Hurdle, despite enduring significant injuries.^[1]

Personal life

In 2007, Fehily married Natasha Chappell at a wedding ceremony in Gougane Barra, County Cork. He has a brother Eamon.^[2] Their father was a Cork farmer. He is also a fitness fanatic and on the way home from races he’ll make a stop at his local gym.^[3] Natasha describes him as having a very calm personality, saying: "If he was any more relaxed he'd be asleep."^[4] They had their first child, a daughter, Niamh, on September 2, 2012.^[5]

Early career

Fehily began his jockey career by working on the Irish point-to-point circuit. His next step was hunter chases, which became the field he ultimately specialized in. So he moved to the UK where he won at Plumpton, in 1998 riding Ivy Boy.^[6]

In his first campaign, Fehily rode 12 winners. In the next season – have ridden an additional two winners – he became professional. That season he finished with 17 winners under his belt.^[7]

In 2005 he became second jockey to Jonjo O’Neill, at the same time, riding for trainer Charlie Mann. Three years later he was very successful for Mann on Air Force One at Punchestown Racecourse in the Grade 1 Champion Novice Chase. He also won the King George VI Chase on Silviniaco Conti and the Tingle Creek Chase on Master Minded. Fehily also did some rides for Paul Nicholls during the time Ruby Walsh was out with injuries, most notably at the Cheltenham Festival in the Champion Hurdle] on Rock on Ruby.^[8] In 2009 he finished fourth in the Jockeys’ table with 89 winners. He had a 21 per cent strike-rate for Emma Lavelle.

He describes his attitude to jockeying like this: “I let the race happen rather than try and make it happen. It’s much better that way.”^[9]

Injuries

As of 2015, in his work, Fehily has sustained a shoulder injury and a horse falling on top of him at Cheltenham.^[10] Over the he has endured injuries to both shoulders, a broken leg, as well as a wrist injury.^[11]

Acclaim

Fehily was Emma Lavelle’s first new jockey. She commented that: “Noel recently became available and I’m delighted to say he’s riding as first jockey for us as from today. He’s a fantastic jockey and we have worked well together in the past.” He was also described as “a competent horseman who very rarely make a mistake over the obstacles, he has done especially well over fences down the years, where a remarkable level stake profit has been achieved by backing every one of his 622 rides.”^[12]

In addition, Harry Fry said Fehily made a substantial contribution to his success, explaining that: “Noel has been a huge part of what we have achieved. He is a delight to deal with and I am so lucky to have.”^[13]

References