Charlie and Donald Swan
A Horse&Hound Legend of the Sport, Charlie Swan was Champion Jockey for 9 consecutive years until his retirement.
The bond between son Charlie and father Donald shone like a beacon when I had the opportunity to speak to them both during the lock-down. Charlie begins their story.
“Dad adored his riding, whether it was hunting or riding as an amateur. And I guess he passed that on to me. He loved the training and always had a few horses for me to ride. My great-grandfather on my mother’s side was champion flat Jockey in England and rode a Derby winner. I would have often looked to Dad for advice, and I gained a lot of experience with him.”
O’Connor and Codd Battle for Top Rider in Ireland
The suspense continues as to who will win this season’s Irish Point-to-Point Riders Championship. Both Derek O’Connor and Jamie Codd have been alternating at the top of the table all season with O’Connor edging ahead last week with a season tally of 94 winners and Codd slipping slightly at 91. O’Connor is the leading Irish […]