Juddmonte retains jockey Colin Keane to ride top horses in Europe
Juddmonte has appointed Colin Keane as its retained stable jockey. Keane rode Field of Gold to win the Group 1 Irish 2,000 Guineas on May 24 for Juddmonte and trainers John and Thady Gosden.
Keane has been Ireland's champion flat jockey six times between 2017 and 2024. He has a long association with both Juddmonte and trainer Ger Lyons, who trains for Juddmonte in Ireland. He has won twice at the Breeders' Cup, with Magnum Force in the 2024 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint and Tarnawa in the 2020 Breeders' Cup Turf.
Under the contract Keane will ride Juddmonte’s leading horses in England, Ireland and France effective Monday. This means he will ride Juddmonte’s runners at Royal Ascot. These include likely Group 1 runners Lead Artist in the Queen Anne Stakes (G1), Field of Gold in the St James’s Palace Stakes (G1) and Babouche in the Commonwealth Cup (G1).
“In the past we have had retained jockey relationships (including with Pat Eddery, Richard Hughes and James Doyle) but in recent years we have preferred to work with the many talented jockeys retained by our various trainers around the world,” Juddmonte chief executive Douglas Erskine Crum said. “We have decided that the time has now come to revert to the security and consistency which comes from having a single jockey retainer relationship. We are delighted that Colin Keane has committed himself to Juddmonte. He is one of the most exciting and talented riders of his generation, he shares Juddmonte’s values, we know him well and we warmly welcome him to the Juddmonte team.”
“I have grown up watching these famous colours carried to many victories in all the top races around the globe so it’s very special for me to be asked to ride as first jockey for Juddmonte,” Keane said I’m excited to get started and look forward to working with some of the best trainers in Ireland, England, and France. Tony Hind will look after my UK rides as he has worked closely with Juddmonte for many years now through Richard Hughes and Ryan Moore.”