By Dan Walsh
Wexford jockey JJ Slevin, (32), got the best possible New Year’s news when announced as the new retained jockey for powerful owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede and replacement for fellow Wexford jockey Daryl Jacob, who retired at Leopardstown last Sunday.
He has had a sensational start to his new job. Slevin lost no time in delivering double victories -Al Kalila (4/6 fav) and O’Toole (14/1) at Ayr in Scotland today (Thursday) – in the famous ‘Double Green’ colours both trained in Larne, Co. Antrim by Stuart Crawford.
Anthony Bromley, who manages the sizeable Munir and Souede enterprise spanning Britain, Ireland and France said; “It came as a slight surprise over Christmas when Daryl retired, but this means there will be a seamless transition because JJ’s a regular rider for us. We’ve got a strong connection with him, and it’ll hopefully work very neatly.
“We had a great 11 seasons with Daryl, so JJ’s got big boots to fill, but his Grade 1 strike-rate is incredible. He’s been a big-race jockey and we’ve known him for a long time. We’d call ourselves friends and he’s been a part of the double green team for a number of years.”
From Caim, near Enniscorthy, JJ who holds a degree in journalism from Griffith College, Dublin, expressed his delight; “I’ve known them for a good few years’ now. I’m really looking forward it and it’s a good role to get. Daryl had his last ride on Sunday and Simon called me after that and asked if I’d like to come aboard. Obviously, I was delighted to.
“I’m still going to ride for Sean and Bernardine Mulryan, and for Joseph [O’Brien], and that was important to me. Sean and Bernardine have been very good to me, and I will try to ride for them as much as I can, but it is a case now that Double Green are number one with Ballymore just behind,” added JJ.
Slevin triumphed in his second Boylesports Irish Grand National last April at Fairyhouse when Jacob was injured and he slipped into register his second victory on Intensive Raffles, trained by Thomas Gibney, in the ‘Double Green’ colours. He had ridden General Principle for Gordon Elliott to gain his first success in the 2018 Irish National.
JJ ‘James Joseph’ Slevin from Kiltra, Caim, Enniscorthy, began his career as an amateur rider and turned professional in August 2016. He has ridden more than 300 winners, including 34 under point-to-point rules. He has also won three times at the Cheltenham Festival.
Under the Rules, his first winner was Chapel Garden (John Clifford) Thurles, December 22, 2013. He has been associated with many trainers, including Joseph O’Brien,Gordon Elliott,Liz Doyle, Richie Rath, Sean Doyle and Shay Slevin.
He rode 34 point-to-point winners with his first success coming on Herecomestherain, trained by his father Shay, at Ballydarragh, Craanford, Gorey, on November 14th, 2010.
In all, he rode 11 winners as an amateur, including two for trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies in Britain. His first success as a professional came when he dead-heated on the Sean Doyle-trained Craig Star with Liam Cusack’s Lasocar in the Tote Handicap Hurdle at Roscommon on August 29, 2016. Just four days later, he enjoyed his first outright success when Doyle’s Crosshue Boy landed the Martinstown Opportunity Handicap Hurdle at Kilbeggan.
JJ was still an amateur when enjoying a notable success on the Richie Rath-trained Moylisha Tim in a Grade 3 novice hurdle at Cork in November 2015, but a higher profile success came his way at the Cheltenham Festival in March 2017 when he landed the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle on the Gordon Elliott-trained Champagne Classic.
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