DANE O'Neill, hailing from Monkstown in Cork, has recently declared his retirement after an impressive 32-year career as a jockey.
Last July at Wolverhampton, a jockey who is well-known and has been in the industry for 48 years suffered a devastating fall while riding Eagle Eyed Tom. The accident resulted in the jockey breaking seven ribs and the T6 vertebra.
Shadwell hired O'Neill to serve as the second jockey alongside Jim Crowley. In 1993, he achieved his first victory at Sandown Park, riding Port Sunlight to triumph in an apprentices' handicap race. He experienced a significant turning point when his first Group champion, Lots Of Magic, emerged victorious in the 1999 Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot.
O'Neill was born in Dublin on August 1, 1975, but grew up on Leeside, where he went to Monkstown National School. He continued his education at Rochestown at the secondary level while his father maintained a small collection of point-to-point horses. This early experience with horseback riding fostered a strong bond between them.
Similar to numerous ambitious young jockeys, O'Neill gained valuable experience in the realm of pony racing. He achieved an impressive record of 24 victories in that field and demonstrated his skill as a show jumper.