TOP jockey Colm O'Donoghue – who rode a winner for The Queen – has been cleared of two counts of assault on his ex-girlfriend.
The multiple Group One-winning flat jockey was found not guilty of two alleged attacks on Jill Macken in 2018.
The court was shown a WhatsApp message from the accuser to O'Donoghue after they split which read: "Now to ruin ur life."
O'Donoghue, 40, was racing in Newmarket on the dates of one of the alleged assaults.
One incident was alleged to have taken place at his home in County Tipperary, Ireland, on October 6 2018.
Another was alleged to have occurred at the Pillo Hotel in County Meath on November 12 the same year.
O'Donoghue always denied both allegations.
He was found not guilty in Carrick-on-Suir district court on Monday, confirm the Racing Post.
The court heard O'Donoghue, whose most recent winner came in The Queen's colours aboard Clarion at Newmarket on August 3, was riding in the some location at the time of the first allegation.
Tracy Horan, a solicitor who instructed O'Donoghue's representative in court, said: "Colm has been emphatically found innocent of causing any harm to Ms Macken.
"The court also heard that Ms Macken cost Colm his entire career, as he could not get employment because of the things she was saying.
"I'm delighted for him. He didn't deserve this. Colm is considering his legal options with regard to a civil case."
O'Donoghue, who has won more than £900,000 on his rides in UK and Ireland, has not raced here since late 2019.
The jockey started his successful career with renowned Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien and his team at Ballydoyle.
He then went onto ride for Jessica Harrington before that working partnership split at the beginning of 2019.
O'Donoghue is best known for his time aboard the brilliant Irish thoroughbred Alpha Centauri.
The jockey won six from ten aboard the one mile specialist – including four Group Ones such as the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Irish 1,000 Guineas.
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