James Anthony "Seamie" Heffernan (born 17 July 1972) is an Irish

flat racing Horse racing is an equestrianism, equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all spor ...

jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase (horse racing), steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used ...

associated for most of his career with the stable of

horse racing Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its bas ...

trainer

Aidan O'Brien Aidan Patrick O'Brien (born 16 October 1969 in County Wexford, Ireland) Aidan O'Brien bio NTRA. ...

. From a family with no racing connections, Heffernan was introduced to the sport when he took a summer holiday job with the

National Hunt National Hunt Racing, also known as Jump Racing, is a form of horse racing particular to many European countries, including, but not limited to: France, Great Britain and Ireland. Jump Racing requires horses to jump over fences and ditches. In ...

trainer Arthur Moore. He began his racing career as an apprentice jockey for P J Finn and rode his first winner on 10 August 1988 at the age of sixteen. When Finn retired he moved to the yard of

Jim Bolger James Brendan Bolger ( ; born 31 May 1935) is a New Zealand retired politician of the National Party who was the 35th prime minister of New Zealand, serving from 1990 to 1997. Bolger was born in Ōpunake, Taranaki, to Irish immigrants. Bef ...

and shared the Irish champion apprentices title in 1994. He was runner-up in the same competition in 1995 and moved to Aidan O'Brien's

Ballydoyle Ballydoyle is a racehorse training facility located in County Tipperary in Ireland. It is a sister thoroughbred facility to Coolmore Stud, and both are owned by John Magnier, son in law to the racehorse trainer Vincent O'Brien. The current trai ...

stable in 1996 where he was second jockey after

Christy Roche Christy Roche (born 3 December 1949 in Bansha, County Tipperary) is a retired Irish flat racing Champion Jockey and racehorse trainer. Over his thirty-year career between 1968 and 1998 he won the Irish Derby three times, in 1982, 1992 and ...

. Heffernan remained at Ballydoyle for nearly three decades and rode his first Group One winner on Beckett in the 2000 National Stakes and his first Classic winner on Imagine in the

Irish 1,000 Guineas The Irish 1,000 Guineas is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres), and it is sched ...

in 2001. He has ridden a further nine Irish Classic winners, including four victories in the

Irish Derby The Irish Derby ( Irish: Dearbaí na hÉireann) is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at the Curragh over a dista ...

, in addition to riding the

Epsom Derby The Derby Stakes, more commonly known as the Derby and sometimes referred to as the Epsom Derby, is a Group races, Group 1 flat Horse racing, horse race in England open to three-year-old Colt (horse), colts and Filly, fillies. It is run at Ep ...

runner-up in 2009 and 2010. He scored his first English Classic victory when Was won the 2012

Epsom Oaks The Oaks Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run at Epsom Downs over a distance of 1 mile, 4 furlongs and 6 ya ...

. In 2019, Heffernan rode

Anthony Van Dyck Sir Anthony van Dyck (; ; 22 March 1599 – 9 December 1641) was a Flemish Baroque painting, Flemish Baroque artist who became the leading court painter in England after success in the Spanish Netherlands and Italy. The seventh child of ...

under trainer

Aidan O'Brien Aidan Patrick O'Brien (born 16 October 1969 in County Wexford, Ireland) Aidan O'Brien bio NTRA. ...

to win his first

Derby Derby ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area on the River Derwent, Derbyshire, River Derwent in Derbyshire, England. Derbyshire is named after Derby, which was its original co ...

victory. The win he said stood out most, however, was winning the Breeders' Cup Turf on Highland Reel in 2016. On the eve of the 2024 Irish flat season, Heffernan announced he was leaving his permanent position at Ballydoyle for a new career as a freelance jockey, although both parties stressed there had been no falling out and said they expected to work together again in future. He has two children.

Major wins

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

* Irish Oaks – (1) – '' Seventh Heaven (2016)'' *

- (5) - '' Imagine (2001), Halfway to Heaven (2008), Misty for Me (2011), Peaceful (2020), Empress Josephine (2021)'' *

Irish Champion Stakes The Irish Champion Stakes ( Irish: Curadh-Dhuais na hÉireann) is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Leopardstown over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlongs (2 ...

- (3) - '' Cape Blanco (2010), So You Think (2011), Magical (2020) '' *

Irish Derby The Irish Derby ( Irish: Dearbaí na hÉireann) is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at the Curragh over a dista ...

– (4) – '' Soldier of Fortune (2007), Frozen Fire (2008),

Capri Capri ( , ; ) is an island located in the Tyrrhenian Sea off the Sorrento Peninsula, on the south side of the Gulf of Naples in the Campania region of Italy. A popular resort destination since the time of the Roman Republic, its natural beauty ...

(2017),

Santiago Santiago (, ; ), also known as Santiago de Chile (), is the capital and largest city of Chile and one of the largest cities in the Americas. It is located in the country's central valley and is the center of the Santiago Metropolitan Regi ...

(2020)'' * Irish St. Leger – (1) – '' Septimus (2008)'' * Moyglare Stud Stakes - (3) - ''Again (2008), Misty for Me (2010), Minding (2015)'' * National Stakes - (2) - ''Beckett (2000), Power (2010)'' * Phoenix Stakes - (2) - '' Pedro the Great (2012), Caravaggio (2016)'' * Pretty Polly Stakes - (3) - ''Misty for Me (2011), Diamondsandrubies (2015), Magical (2020)'' * Tattersalls Gold Cup - (1) -''Lancaster Bomber (2018)'' ----

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

* Critérium International - (1) - ''Mount Nelson (2006)'' *

Prix de l'Opéra The Prix de l'Opéra is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbred fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,000 metres (about 1¼ miles) each ...

- (1) - ''

Rhododendron ''Rhododendron'' (; : ''rhododendra'') is a very large genus of about 1,024 species of woody plants in the Ericaceae, heath family (Ericaceae). They can be either evergreen or deciduous. Most species are native to eastern Asia and the Himalayan ...

(2017)'' ----

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-west coast of continental Europe, consisting of the countries England, Scotland, and Wales. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the List of European ...

* Cheveley Park Stakes – (1) – '' Brave Anna (2016)'' *

Eclipse Stakes The Eclipse Stakes is a Group races, Group 1 Flat racing, flat Horse racing, horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Sandown ...

– (1) – ''So You Think (2011)'' *

- (1) - ''

(2019)'' *

Epsom Oaks The Oaks Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run at Epsom Downs over a distance of 1 mile, 4 furlongs and 6 ya ...

– (1) – '' Was (2012)'' * International Stakes - (2) - ''Flying the Flag (2013), Mekong River (2014)'' * Middle Park Stakes – (2) – ''Crusade (2011), US Navy Flag (2017)'' * Sun Chariot Stakes – (1) – ''Halfway to Heaven (2008)'' ----

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

* Breeders' Cup Turf - (1) - '' Highland Reel (2016)'' *

Secretariat Stakes The Secretariat Stakes is a Graded stakes race, Grade II American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds over a distance of one mile on the Grass, turf. The event was originally raced at Arlington Park in Arlington Heights, Illinois, Arlingto ...

- (1) - ''Highland Reel (2015)''

References

Irish jockeys 1972 births Living people Equestrians from County Kildare {{Ireland-horseracing-bio-stub