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Colin Keane is the golden child of Irish Flat racing.
The CV of the 31-year-old Trim native has become a work of art and it's only going to get better in 2026.
Tuesday, 21 April 2026
Colin Keane after winning at Fairyhouse Racecourse
Colin Keane is the golden child of Irish Flat racing. A six-time champion jockey; a two-time Breeders' Cup winner; a Classic-winning rider; the record holder for most amount of winners in a single season; a winner of the coveted Meath Chronicle Sportsperson of the Year award; and, now, a Cheltenham Festival winner to boot - the CV of the 31-year-old Trim native has become a work of art and it's only going to get better in 2026.
After landing the plum job as Juddmonte's retained rider last summer, a role that was held by legends like Pat Eddery in the past, Keane seamlessly slotted into the position and won the Irish 2,000 Guineas and St James's Palace Stakes on the giant grey Field Of Gold who is set to reappear at Sandown on Friday in the Group 2 bet365 Mile.
It is now 16 years since Keane first shot to our attention. As a baby-faced teenager, just 16 years of age, he steered No Trimmings to success for his father Ger in a mile handicap at Dundalk a few weeks before Christmas. He was claiming 10lb at the time but already the talk around the track was that this youngster was a bit special. How right those rumours were.
When asked for his career highlight in the 16 years that have followed, Keane had no hesitation in replying: "Definitely Siskin giving me and Ger [Lyons] our first Classic together."
Lyons was quick to spot Keane's talent and snapped him up as his stable jockey when he was still an apprentice back in 2014. It was a bold move to give somebody so young such a big job but he knew what he was doing.
The pair shared a special moment at Del Mar in 2024 when teaming up to land the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint with Magnum Force after which Lyons hailed Keane as "probably the most underrated champion jockey in the world".
Bohermeen native Johnny Murtagh has always been Keane's idol so how fitting that he should be the one to provide him with his first Group 1 success as a trainer when swooping late on Champers Elysees to land the Matron Stakes on Irish Champions Weekend at Leopardstown back in 2020.
Perhaps it was Noel Meade who best summed up Colin when saying: "Colin is just a special man. He's a smashing fellow and he's the exact same Colin now as he was when he was a kid. He hasn't changed a bit. He's so unassuming and such a brilliant rider to go along with it."
It was on the Meade-trained The Mourne Rambler that Keane beat the jumps boys in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper at Cheltenham last month. What a way to start the year.
You are going to be seeing a lot of Keane this summer with a whole host of hugely exciting Juddmonte-owned colts and fillies to look forward to and he picked out three for Meath Chronicle readers to keep an eye on over the next few months. Ones you might make a few quid off.
"My three horses to follow for the season are Field Of Gold, Gilded Prize and Blue Bolt," Keane said. Put them in your notebook. You might regret it if you don't.
Racing idol: Johnny Murtagh
First winner: No Trimmings at Dundalk in 2010
Career highlight: Siskin winning the Irish 2,000 Guineas in 2020
Horses to follow: Field Of Gold, Gilded Prize and Blue Bolt
After landing the plum job as Juddmonte's retained rider last summer, a role that was held by legends like Pat Eddery in the past, Keane seamlessly slotted into the position and won the Irish 2,000 Guineas and St James's Palace Stakes on the giant grey Field Of Gold who is set to reappear at Sandown on Friday in the Group 2 bet365 Mile.
It is now 16 years since Keane first shot to our attention. As a baby-faced teenager, just 16 years of age, he steered No Trimmings to success for his father Ger in a mile handicap at Dundalk a few weeks before Christmas. He was claiming 10lb at the time but already the talk around the track was that this youngster was a bit special. How right those rumours were.
When asked for his career highlight in the 16 years that have followed, Keane had no hesitation in replying: "Definitely Siskin giving me and Ger [Lyons] our first Classic together."
Lyons was quick to spot Keane's talent and snapped him up as his stable jockey when he was still an apprentice back in 2014. It was a bold move to give somebody so young such a big job but he knew what he was doing.
The pair shared a special moment at Del Mar in 2024 when teaming up to land the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint with Magnum Force after which Lyons hailed Keane as "probably the most underrated champion jockey in the world".
Bohermeen native Johnny Murtagh has always been Keane's idol so how fitting that he should be the one to provide him with his first Group 1 success as a trainer when swooping late on Champers Elysees to land the Matron Stakes on Irish Champions Weekend at Leopardstown back in 2020.
Perhaps it was Noel Meade who best summed up Colin when saying: "Colin is just a special man. He's a smashing fellow and he's the exact same Colin now as he was when he was a kid. He hasn't changed a bit. He's so unassuming and such a brilliant rider to go along with it."
It was on the Meade-trained The Mourne Rambler that Keane beat the jumps boys in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper at Cheltenham last month. What a way to start the year.
You are going to be seeing a lot of Keane this summer with a whole host of hugely exciting Juddmonte-owned colts and fillies to look forward to and he picked out three for Meath Chronicle readers to keep an eye on over the next few months. Ones you might make a few quid off.
"My three horses to follow for the season are Field Of Gold, Gilded Prize and Blue Bolt," Keane said. Put them in your notebook. You might regret it if you don't.
Racing idol: Johnny Murtagh
First winner: No Trimmings at Dundalk in 2010
Career highlight: Siskin winning the Irish 2,000 Guineas in 2020
Horses to follow: Field Of Gold, Gilded Prize and Blue Bolt