Mountain high for Whelan on dream ride with Ballydoyle

Ronan Whelan confessed his career was at a “crossroads” before he linked up with Aidan O’Brien this season – but he hopes victory on Hawk Mountain in the William Hill Futurity Trophy at Doncaster could help cement his place at Ballydoyle.

Whelan, champion apprentice in Ireland in 2012, is 32 now and was ticking along nicely with a few Group Ones, the highlight being A Case Of You’s success in the Prix de l’Abbaye in 2021.

As stable jockey for Mick Halford and latterly when Halford joined forces with Tracey Collins, he was guaranteed a steady stream of winners. But then Halford retired and Whelan needed to start from scratch.

He aimed high, made a connection with O’Brien and has been rewarded with two Group One winners, Precise in the Moyglare Stud Stakes and now the new Derby favourite in Hawk Mountain, a horse he rode to win the Beresford Stakes previously.

“It’s huge to have kept the ride. This is my first year riding for Aidan,” said Whelan.

“My main boss last year, Michael Halford, retired and I’d had a couple of winners for Aidan so I’d made the connection a bit.

“There’s no better place to be. I was at a crossroads, but I’d made that connection and there’s no better place to be.

“When you go down (to Ballydoyle) at the start of the year, you dream about this – but you don’t think it’s going to happen. You think it’s a possibility, but this is my second Group One in my first year.

“He’s a great guy to ride for and it really is a team effort, everyone is plugging for each other.

“I’m very lucky the way things have worked out.

“It’s my fifth Group One so I’ve been lucky enough to have some good days. I’m older than I look, I’m 32 now!”

Looking back on the race, Whelan admitted knowing his mount was a huge plus.

“He travelled like a nice horse through the race,” he said.

“For a few strides when Wayne (Lordan, on Action) came beside me I hit a bit of a flat spot, but that’s all it was. Once I got going again I always felt like I was winning. It was just a matter of keeping him together. He felt like he was still a bit green and I felt there was plenty left in him.

“I think it was a help I’d ridden in the Beresford because he had a very good look around in that and he baulked a bit at the winning line. I was happy enough to have a horse come alongside me today and help me along, I wasn’t in a rush to kick him too soon and end up a furlong out on my own.”