Warren Kennedy

Last updated

Warren Kennedy
Warren-Kennedy-jockey.jpg
Occupation Jockey
Born (1980-04-14) 14 April 1980 (age 44)
Durban, South Africa
Major racing wins
Thekwini Stakes (2019)
SA Fillies Classic (2020)
Gold Challenge (2020)
Woolavington 2000 (2020)
Allan Robertson Championship (2020)
Summer Cup (2020)
Empress Club Stakes (2021)
Significant horses
Summer Pudding, Rainbow Bridge, Vernichey, Gabor

Warren Brian Kennedy is a South African horse racing jockey currently riding in New Zealand. He was Champion Jockey in South Africa for the 2019/20 and 2021/22 seasons and in New Zealand for the 2023/24 season.

Contents

He has won Group 1 races in South Africa and in New Zealand.

Riding career

Kennedy attended the South African Jockey Academy in 1995 when he was 14 years old. He became a qualified rider in 2000. Kennedy won the National Apprentice title in his final year. [1]

His first race win came on board Coded Missile for trainer Nic Claasen at Fairview on 15 May 1998. It was a chance ride as the trainer's stable jockey fell ill. The race was the Lady Pedant Stakes, and being a listed race, Kennedy received no apprentice claim. [2]

His first Grade 1 victory came on board Gabor in the Thekwini Stakes at Hollywoodbets Greyville. Other Group 1 wins include the Summer Cup with Summer Pudding, the Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge with Rainbow Bridge, and the Allan Robertson Championship with Vernichey. [3] He also rode Triple Tiara winner Summer Pudding to victory in the Grade 1 SA Fillies Classic, the Grade 2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas, and the Grade 1 Woolavington 2000.

In 2022 Kennedy moved to New Zealand where he was engaged by Byerley Park founder and Director Daniel Nakhle and managed by former Gauteng-based jockey Donavan Mansour. [4] Kennedy quickly achieved race day wins. [5]

Major New Zealand winning rides

Personal life

Warren is the son of former jockey Terrence Kennedy.

Kennedy is married to Barbara (née Badenhorst), [14] with whom he has two daughters.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thoroughbred racing in New Zealand</span> Horse racing in New Zealand

The racing of Thoroughbred horses is a popular gaming and spectator sport and industry in New Zealand.

The Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes is a Group One horse race held for Thoroughbred two-year-olds at Awapuni Racecourse in Palmerston North, New Zealand run over 1400 metres in late March or early April.

The Livamol Classic is a weight-for-age Thoroughbred horse race run at Hastings Racecourse in Hawke's Bay and was at one stage New Zealand's richest horse race. It is run at a distance of 2,040 metres (1.27 mi). The race is run in October. The weather in the Hawke's Bay's means the track conditions are usually excellent.

The Group One Levin Classic - formerly the Bayer Classic - is one of the premier races for three-year-old thoroughbreds in New Zealand.

The International Stakes is a Thoroughbred horse race run at Te Rapa Racecourse in Hamilton in early February every year. The race is now run as the Herbie Dyke Stakes.

The Karaka Million refers to two major New Zealand horse races for young horses - the original Karaka Million for two-year-old (2YO) horses and the Karaka Million 3YO Classic that started in 2018. Held at Ellerslie Racecourse, they are New Zealand's richest races, with a stake of NZ$1,000,000 each. The races are restricted to horses sold through the New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sales held at Karaka. The two $1,000,000 races are held on the eve of the National Yearling Sales Series at Karaka.

Volksraad was a British-bred thoroughbred horse who when standing at stud in New Zealand was a champion sire. He dominated the New Zealand sires lists, with six consecutive titles from 2001 to 2007.

The Zabeel Classic is a Group One Thoroughbred horse race run at weight-for-age over a distance of 2000 metres at Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland, New Zealand. It is held on Boxing Day, a raceday steeped in tradition that frequently attracts in excess of 20,000 Aucklanders to the famous course.

The Railway Stakes is a Group One New Zealand horse race. Held at Ellerslie on New Year's Day, it is held over 1200 metres, and is one of New Zealand's feature sprint races.

Sacred Falls was a champion New Zealand Thoroughbred racehorse and sire.

The 2018 New Zealand Derby was a horse race which took place at Ellerslie Racecourse on Saturday 3 March 2018. It was the 143rd running of the New Zealand Derby, and it was won by Vin De Dance.

The 2019 New Zealand Derby was a horse race which took place at Ellerslie Racecourse on Saturday 2 March 2019. It was the 144th running of the New Zealand Derby, and it was won by Crown Prosecutor. With a dividend of $105.40 for a $1 win bet, it is considered the biggest upset in Derby history.

Avantage is an Australian-bred, New Zealand-trained Thoroughbred racehorse who has won nine Group 1 races.

The 2021 New Zealand Derby was a Group I horse race which took place at Ellerslie Racecourse on Sunday 7 March 2021. It was the 146th running of the New Zealand Derby, and it was won by Rocket Spade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Opie Bosson</span> New Zealand jockey

Owen Patrick "Opie" Bosson is a jockey in Thoroughbred racing in New Zealand.

Chris Johnson, also known as "CWJ" or "The Magic Man", is a jockey in Thoroughbred racing in New Zealand. He is most notable for holding the national record for winning rides in New Zealand and for winning the New Zealand jockeys premiership twice.

Roger James is a New Zealand Thoroughbred racehorse trainer. He is notable for having trained six New Zealand Derby winners, which is more than any other trainer in New Zealand and for having won many Group One races in New Zealand and Australia.

The 2023 New Zealand Derby was a Group I horse race which was run on Saturday 4 March 2023. It was the 148th running of the New Zealand Derby, and it was won by Sharp 'N' Smart.

Orchestral is a New Zealand racehorse and one of only five fillies to win the New Zealand Derby since 1982.

The 2024 New Zealand Derby was a Group I horse race which was run at Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland, New Zealand on Saturday 2 March 2024. It was the 149th running of the New Zealand Derby, and it was won by Orchestral.

References

  1. ↑ "Warren Kennedy". Sporting Post.
  2. ↑ "PERSONALITY OF THE WEEK IS JOCKEY WARREN KENNEDY - SAHorseracing.COM - South African Horseracing and Betting". www.sahracing.com.
  3. ↑ "Gr1 Milestone Magic Moments". Sporting Post. 5 July 2020.
  4. ↑ "Goodbye Warren Kennedy - Now Zackey Follows". Sporting Post. 11 October 2022.
  5. ↑ "South African jockeys making an impact in New Zealand". The New Zealand Herald . Archived from the original on 26 December 2022.
  6. ↑ https://www.news.com.au/sport/superracing/defibrillate-wins-mondays-group-1-zabeel-classic-in-new-zealand/news-story/5366f87bbb914fdf1c1ffc2f452871eb
  7. ↑ "Race 6 KARAKA MILLION 3YO CLASSIC at AUCKLAND THOROUGHBRED RACING on 21 JAN 2023 | LOVERACING.NZ". loveracing.nz.
  8. ↑ https://www.racingnews.co.nz/crocetti-confirms-superstar-quality-in-2000-guineas/
  9. ↑ "Race 8 SISTEMA RAILWAY at AUCKLAND THOROUGHBRED RACING on 1 JAN 2024 | LOVERACING.NZ". loveracing.nz.
  10. ↑ "Race 8 AL BASTI EQUIWORLD DUBAI NEW ZEALAND OAKS at WELLINGTON RC on 16 MAR 2024 | LOVERACING.NZ". loveracing.nz.
  11. ↑ Writer, Staff (16 March 2024). "Pulchritudinous claims Group 1 New Zealand Oaks | Horse Betting". horsebetting.com.au.
  12. ↑ "Race 9 LIVAMOL CLASSIC at WAIKATO THOROUGHBRED RACING on 12 OCT 2024 | LOVERACING.NZ". loveracing.nz.
  13. ↑ "Snazzytavi's stunning win at Te Rapa cements her Group 1 potential". NZ Herald. 12 October 2024.
  14. ↑ "Family Counts". Sporting Post.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.