Rossa Ryan's family life, age, Amo Racing split and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe admission

Rossa Ryan partnered Bluestocking to victory in Europe's richest race

Rossa Ryan became the first Irish jockey since the great Mick Kinane to win the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on Sunday as he partnered Bluestocking to victory in Europe's richest race.

The filly repaid the faith shown in her by connections after they supplemented her for the Paris spectacular at a cost of €120,000 as she soared to victory under the Galway rider. The 5/1 chance enjoyed a trouble-free passage in the slipstream of Los Angeles before holding off the advancing Aventure to land a record seventh Arc for the late Khalid Abdullah’s Juddmonte racing operation.

Ryan comes from Ballinderry, Co Galway and is a past pupil of St. Jarlath's College in Tuam. St. Jarlath's 220-year-plus history is peppered with top sportspeople, most notably in GAA with Damien Comer, Seán Óg de Paor and Michael Donnellan plying their early trade on the fields of the college.

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The 24-year-old is the son of National Hunt trainer David Ryan, while his uncle Tom Ryan is a jockey in Australia. Rossa served his apprenticeship with Richard Hannon Racing, starting in January 2017.

He rode his 500th winner in March 2023 just under six years after his very first winner on St. Patrick's Day 2017. He was just three months shy of his 17th birthday when he took his maiden win and incredibly recorded over 200 winners last season.

Speaking after Bluestocking's success on Sunday, a jubilant Ryan said: “I know everyone overlooked her, but on form she had been at the top table and done it all. She just proved she’s something else.

“I can’t really believe it, this filly has been something else to my career.

“My family are here, they all came over and it’s very surreal.”

The rider previously told how everything he has achieved has been the result of hard work, just like his grandfather and father before him.

“You have to work hard in life, otherwise someone else will get the things you want,” he explained. “My girlfriend Clare is great, she understands the lifestyle," added Ryan.

The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe success came over two years after the jockey ended his association with owners Amo Racing by mutual consent.

In a statement at the time, Amo's supremo Kia Joorabchian said: "I would like to thank Rossa and I'm happy and proud at everything we achieved together.

"We found Rossa as a young apprentice who looked hungry for success. He came on board the Amo team with little experience and has since developed into a wonderful jockey with a massively bright future who I have no doubt will be among the best in the world in the near future."

Ryan added: "I would like to thank Kia for taking me from obscurity and placing me at the head of Amo Racing. It was a huge gamble for him to give such a mammoth opportunity to someone so young.

"Thankfully we've had fantastic success throughout our partnership. Personally, I wish him and Amo Racing the best of luck in future – no doubt they will continue to be hugely successful.

"As a young jockey, I wish to explore new experiences. Leaving Amo has been a difficult decision, and I will consider it an honour should they call on me in future. On a personal level myself and Kia remain the closest of friends, so I wish him and all at Amo Racing the very best of luck."

The split came a number of weeks after Ryan last rode for Amo as retained rider, but he has not looked back since and credited Bluestocking for changing his life following Sunday's race.

"A horse can really change your life and she has mine," he said. "It's all down to her trainer and the team at home. They've made my dreams come true. To do it on a global stage is what it's all about.

“She has fulfilled what I possibly thought she could do and all credit to the two men sitting next to me. I’m just the lucky one to be on her, but there are a lot more people who have done a lot more work than me with her.”

Trainer Ralph Beckett stated that the win provided him and his team with their "best ever day" as he revealed that he "never thought she’d win".

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“It’s a tribute to her constitution as much as anything,” said Beckett. “It’s extraordinary to have a horse to start in May and dance all those dances, the King George, the Juddmonte (International), and get beaten and come back and do that.

“After only three weeks and what looked like a tough race in the Vermeille, it’s extraordinary. She is an extraordinary beast.

“I think the draw helped, it was terrific. He got her into the right place and everything went to plan, he was able to pull it off.

“Westover hit the front with a furlong left last year and I was kind of waiting for something else to come and get her, what a day.

“This is our best ever day, it has to be. I’ve been lucky enough to win a couple of Oaks but this is our best day, for sure.

“Barry Mahon and the Juddmonte team are an extraordinary outfit to work for in that there is no pressure, ever.

“Good horses train themselves. Amazing, really. I never thought she’d win.”

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