Wexford-born jockey Tom O’Brien has died aged 39 after a battle with cancer.

O’Brien, who is the nephew of Aidan O’Brien, retired in 2023 following a very successful career, which started off in Ireland when he was a teenager.

Tom O’Brien won the Welsh National twice, and also had two Cheltenham Festival successes with Silk Affair in the 2009 Fred Winter and Third Wind in the Pertemps Network Final in 2022. He also won the Liverpool Hurdle under Thyme Hill in 2021.

Tom O'Brien
Jockey Tom O’Brien celebrates after winning the Fred Winter Juvenile Novices’ Handicap Hurdle Race on Silk Affair. Cheltenham Racing Festival, Prestbury Park, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England. Pic: David Maher / SPORTSFILE

The Wexford man had 1077 winners, with only one coming in Ireland, as he spent the vast majority of his career in the UK working with trainer Philip Hobbs.

O’Brien is survived by his wife Hayley and two children, Toby and Archie.

Philip Hobbs led the tribute to Tom O’Brien, saying in a statement: ‘He came to our yard from Ireland having not ridden in a race, but it soon became obvious he was pretty talented, and he was with us from the start of his career until the end.

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Jockey Tom O’Brien after riding Third Wind to win the Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle on day three of the Cheltenham Racing Festival. Pic: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile

‘He was in the shadow of Richard Johnson for a long time, being second jockey and then became first jockey after Richard retired, which went well. His biggest win was Thyme Hill in the Grade One at Aintree, and he was always very reliable and a very good bloke.

‘There’s lots of good memories, and there were lots of winners, and I’d kept in touch with Tom since his retirement as he only lived half an hour away – he was only in our yard about three weeks ago.

‘It’s very sad, particularly for his wife, Hayley and two young children.’