Other trainers began to use him on a regular basis and in October 1999, he partnered Zelden to success in the Derrinstown Stud Apprentice Handicap final at the Curragh.

[5] This was his second European classic success following victory in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains, which he won on Astronomer Royal in 2007.

[9] O'Donoghue has ridden for many leading trainers and owners including Aidan O'Brien, Jessica Harrington, Jim Bolger, Dermot Weld and John Oxx in Ireland, Bobby Frankel, Neil Drysdale, Bob Baffert and Todd Pletcher in the US, Lee Freedman in Australia, Dr MAM Ramaswamy, Subaiah Ganapathy and Vijay Mallya in India and Katsuhiko Sumii in Japan.

[10] From 2016, he replaced Fran Berry (who had moved to England) as first jockey on the flat for dual-purpose trainer Jessica Harrington, initially mixing that role with his Ballydoyle position.

O'Donoghue also established a relationship with Godolphin, riding for trainer Charlie Appleby at all eight Dubai World Cup Carnival meetings in 2019.