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Siobhan Rutledge made history in May of this year.
"I feel kind of proud, it's a big achievement for me"
Monday, 07 September 2026
Siobhan Rutledge losing her claim on Stone Bear at Fairyhouse Racecourse
Siobhan Rutledge made history in May of this year.
The Ashbourne native kept it local, too, as she joined an extremely elite band of female Irish Flat jockeys at Fairyhouse when steering Stone Bear to success in a sprint handicap.
It was the 95th winner of her career, meaning she became only the third Irish woman in the history of the sport to lose her claim, following Joanna Morgan and Cathy Gannon.
It was an unforgettable day for Rutledge, who grew up just a few miles down the road near what is now Emerald Park.
Seven years earlier she first shot to our attention at Navan. In September 2019, she caused quite a stir on the 25-1 outsider Magi Gal in a 1m2f handicap, flying home to foil Lady Rosebud right on the line to score by a nose. She was a rookie teenager but she looked like a seasoned pro and Stamullen-based trainer John McConnell was full of praise for her afterwards.
“Siobhan is my right-hand woman in the yard," McConnell said. "She's brilliant and her riding is getting better every day, she definitely has a career ahead of her."
How right he was. Rutledge has gone from strength to strength and even had a stint in Australia last year where she rode for Chris and Corey Munce.
Her bubbly personality is a breath of fresh air and now she wants to firmly establish herself in Ireland as a full fledged pro.
Rutledge said: "I grew up around horses. My father Ger trained point-to-pointers and rode as an amateur. My mother's family bred horses as well, so it was on both sides. I only really started riding when I was ten and I went to RACE when I was 15."
On her hopes for the future, she added: "I just want to keep my head above water! If I can keep getting rides in Ireland, that would be great. All I want is to get a couple of rides at every meeting. That would be magic. We all want winners, but if you can tip away getting rides consistently that's not bad in this climate."
So, what about that historic achievement at Fairyhouse this summer?
"I feel kind of proud, it's a big achievement for me. It's been on the list of goals for the last while and it feels like a big deal."
It certainly is a big deal, Siobhan. You should be very proud.
Racing Idols: Nina Carberry and Katie Walsh
First Winner: Magi Gal at Navan in 2019
Career Highlight: Riding out my claim at Fairyhouse
Best horse ever ridden: Cool Archie
The Ashbourne native kept it local, too, as she joined an extremely elite band of female Irish Flat jockeys at Fairyhouse when steering Stone Bear to success in a sprint handicap.
It was the 95th winner of her career, meaning she became only the third Irish woman in the history of the sport to lose her claim, following Joanna Morgan and Cathy Gannon.
It was an unforgettable day for Rutledge, who grew up just a few miles down the road near what is now Emerald Park.
Seven years earlier she first shot to our attention at Navan. In September 2019, she caused quite a stir on the 25-1 outsider Magi Gal in a 1m2f handicap, flying home to foil Lady Rosebud right on the line to score by a nose. She was a rookie teenager but she looked like a seasoned pro and Stamullen-based trainer John McConnell was full of praise for her afterwards.
“Siobhan is my right-hand woman in the yard," McConnell said. "She's brilliant and her riding is getting better every day, she definitely has a career ahead of her."
How right he was. Rutledge has gone from strength to strength and even had a stint in Australia last year where she rode for Chris and Corey Munce.
Her bubbly personality is a breath of fresh air and now she wants to firmly establish herself in Ireland as a full fledged pro.
Rutledge said: "I grew up around horses. My father Ger trained point-to-pointers and rode as an amateur. My mother's family bred horses as well, so it was on both sides. I only really started riding when I was ten and I went to RACE when I was 15."
On her hopes for the future, she added: "I just want to keep my head above water! If I can keep getting rides in Ireland, that would be great. All I want is to get a couple of rides at every meeting. That would be magic. We all want winners, but if you can tip away getting rides consistently that's not bad in this climate."
So, what about that historic achievement at Fairyhouse this summer?
"I feel kind of proud, it's a big achievement for me. It's been on the list of goals for the last while and it feels like a big deal."
It certainly is a big deal, Siobhan. You should be very proud.
Racing Idols: Nina Carberry and Katie Walsh
First Winner: Magi Gal at Navan in 2019
Career Highlight: Riding out my claim at Fairyhouse
Best horse ever ridden: Cool Archie