Stephen Donohoe is a flat racing

Flat racing

Flat racing is a form of Thoroughbred horse racing which is run over a level track at a predetermined distance. It differs from steeplechase racing which is run over hurdles...

 jockey

Jockey

A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...

, British Champion Apprentice

British flat racing Champion Apprentice

The Champion Apprentice of flat racing in Great Britain is the apprentice jockey who has ridden the most winning horses during the flat turf season...

 2006. The Athlone man rode 44 winners in 2006 and finished four ahead of his main challengers, capturing the hearts of the nation when he claimed the title in late October.

He sealed the prestigious award with victory on a 14/1 shot, Show Trial, at Musselburgh Racecourse

Musselburgh Racecourse

Musselburgh Racecourse, known until the 1990s as Edinburgh Racecourse, is a horse racing venue located in the Millhill area of Musselburgh, East Lothian, Scotland, UK, close to the River Esk....

 in Scotland

Scotland

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

.

Stephen has now established himself as one of Ireland

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

’s most promising jockeys and by winning the Lester Award

Lester Award

A Lester Award is one of a range of awards given to jockeys at an annual ceremony in Great Britain. The awards are named in honour of Lester Piggott, an eleven-time British flat racing Champion Jockey who won thirty British Classic Races from 1954 to 1992...

 for Apprentice Jockey of the Year, he follows in the footsteps of the likes of Seb Sanders

Seb Sanders

Seb Sanders is a flat race jockey.He came into racing by getting a job with trainer Bryan McMahon, and it was for McMahon that Sanders rode his first winner on 12 June 1990 on Band On The Run....

 and Ryan Moore.

Stephen, who has also recently spent some time racing in California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

, began his career in Athlone with Gerry Moran, before joining RACE in Kildare and training under Christy Roche

Christy Roche

Christy Roche is a retired champion Irish flat racing jockey.Over his thirty year career between 1968 and 1998 he won the Budweiser Irish Derby 3 times which he won in 1982, 1992 and 1997. His 1997 victory was on Desert King.-External links:*...

, Dave Evans and William Musson.