Aidan O'Brien's true colours clear as Royal Ascot jockey speaks out about Irish trainer

Sean Levey, a jockey at Royal Ascot, has shared his experiences working with renowned Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien, describing him as just as kind and diligent behind the scenes as one would expect.

O'Brien, who has made a significant impact on the National Hunt game, was invited by Fermoy-born business tycoon John Magnier to train at Ballydoyle, and his career took off from there. The 55 year old has essentially won everything there is to win in flat racing and has cemented his status as an all-time great.

His record at the Royal meeting is as impressive as one might anticipate, and he sends a large contingent to Berkshire every year in pursuit of Group 1 glory. Ryan Moore, Ballydoyle's retained jockey, rides most of these horses; however, such a large operation often results in other rides becoming available.

Levey, who relocated to Ireland in his teens, started riding out for O'Brien when he was young. He served as an apprentice under the trainer before moving to England and joining Richard Hannon's stable.

The 37 year old has ridden winners for O'Brien on numerous occasions, most notably steering Galileo colt Jan Brueghel to victory in the St. Leger in 2024. As a result, Levey is well-versed in the icon's ways and has disclosed that his hard work is mirrored in his honourable character.

"I was an apprentice there [at Ballydoyle] for a few years before I moved here [to England]. It had a massive impact," revealed Ladbrokes ambassador Levey.

"Because I obviously served an apprenticeship under him for a good few years. So it was... My initial standpoint was under Aidan, so you'd imagine he had a massive influence on a lot of the things I do now. He's a very, very kind man. The kind of man who does right by everyone.

"He's also very meticulous. I think his love for the sport kind of shines through in how he presented himself and how he's navigated training a multitude of very, very good horses. I mean, his record kind of speaks for itself, and there's not much I can really add to his CV!"

Throughout his illustrious career, Levey has had the honour of riding not only for the Ballydoyle dynasty but also for the Royal blue of the Maktoum family's stable, Godolphin.

The international stable, established in 1992, employs a select group of British trainers, notably Charlie Appleby and Saeed bin Suroor, to lead their operation from headquarters.

Levey has donned the iconic silks on occasion and believes that both Ballydoyle and Godolphin's expertise and thoroughness have enabled them to maintain their top position for such a long time.

"I think I've only ever picked up rides for Saeed [bin Suroor]. Been placed in a couple of listed races, and I've won a couple of listed races. I also rode a listed winner for Richard [Hannon] with a two-year-old that he had trained for Godolphin, so I've had the privilege of wearing the blue colours, and having winners in them," Levey added.

"They're a firm that have their team. I've just been lucky on occasion that the opportunity sort of presented itself, and I was put forward. They're a very good team with very good soldiers to boot. Their record kind of speaks for itself.

"Godolphin are... I think they've both been in the game a long, long time. They've been breeding very good horses for a long time, and they don't leave any stone unturned, the same as Aidan doesn't leave any stone unturned, and as a result, they're extremely competitive at the top level."