Helen Bryce Smith is Irelands most successful Irish Point-to-Point lady rider, having partnered 109 winners between the flags.
A record which was set over fifty years ago, Liz Lalor has been chasing this record and currently sits on 107 career winners.
Helen Bryce Smith known to many as Helen McDonogh, wife of Champion Hurdle winning trainer Desmond McDonogh and mother to Declan, Ashling and Shona.
Parents Cyril Bryce-Smith a successful trainer and his wife Jean were their daughters biggest supporters and bought Still William for her to ride in point-to-points, the pair went on to win 32 races between the flags.
Helen McDonogh also achieved success on the track, including winning aboard Monksfield in Down Royal in March 1980.
Helen McDonogh also achieved success on the track, including winning aboard Monksfield in Down Royal in March 1980.
This was a particularly noteworthy win as it was barely two months previous she had given birth to her son Declan, who in 2006 won the champion flat jockey award.
There was a ladies series introduced on the track in 1972 which was won by Helen on it’s initial year.
(Pictured below is Helen winning one of the series initial races with owner Michael McStay and trainer Mick Connolly.)
It was a special era for lady riders with Rosemary Rooney sharing a national title with Nicky Dee in 1977 and her sister Ann Ferris winning the tile outright the following year. No lady rider has achieved this success since.
The Rooney sisters also achieved success under rules with Ann Ferris winning the Irish Grand National aboard Bentom Boy with her sister Rosemary finishing runner-up.
These three ladies, really carved the way for lady riders today as it was during a period where ladies were not typically associated with horse-racing. When Helen Bryce-Smith first started riding there was only one registered lady handler Mrs Brewster (Ann Biddle).
(Pictured above top right) is Helen in front, with Rosemary Rooney in second. (Picture supplied by the McDonogh family)
Rosemary Rooney sadly passed away in October of last year.
