Una Healy recently confirmed that she was in a relationship with former jockey Aidan Coleman. The singer is among the guests on Friday night's Late Late Show.
Coleman is a Cheltenham Festival-winning rider, having won four races at the famous meeting. His first success came at the 2009 Festival when he landed the Pertemps Final on the Venetia Williams-trained Kayf Aramis at odds of 16/1.
The Cork native had to wait ten years until he returned to the winners' enclosure at the meeting again, winning the Stayers' Hurdle on Paisley Park for trainer Emma Lavelle before partnering Put The Kettle On to success in both the 2020 Arkle and 2021 Champion Chase for Henry de Bromhead.
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Speaking about Coleman as they attended the The Irish Post Awards at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London together last month, Healy said: "He's hiding on his crutches tonight, but he's a great guy and I'm very happy."
On how they met, she added to The Sun: "He reached out to me and we met up and clicked. He's such a kind and great person - I love him."
Una and Aidan’s new romance was rumoured back in August when the couple enjoyed a holiday together.
In September, the pair were spotted attending a wedding together in Thurles and later that month they were pictured partying with friends in Dublin, while their appearance at The Irish Post Awards was their first public appearance together.
Coleman was considered one of the top riders in the industry when his career came to a devastating halt due to injury.
His retirement from the saddle came in April of this year after he failed to recover from a knee injury which he suffered the previous June.
“The prognosis early was quite bleak about returning to ride,” he told Racing TV’s Luck On Sunday back in April.
“But around September when the rehab was early I was kidding myself that I could get back from this. In early December I had another operation and since that the progress has really plateaued.
“The gym is good because it’s a stable surface but I can’t run or jump. I can’t ride a horse really. A lot of people would say I couldn’t anyway so what’s the difference!
“Since Christmas, every time I’ve tried to ride a horse it’s not really gone well and I just can’t really do it and I definitely wouldn’t be able to ride in a race or anything like that.
“Speaking to Jerry Hill (the BHA’s chief medical adviser) and my surgeon, my chances of improving are negative now, so that’s it. My knee won’t stand the demands of being a jockey or get anywhere near it, so that’s it.”
Coleman enjoyed a successful association early in his career with Venetia Williams but overlooked her 100-1 Grand National winner Mon Mome in favour of stablemate Stan.
There were many good days in a stellar career, though, with Paisley Park winning the Long Walk Hurdle three times, as well as the Stayers’ Hurdle in 2019.
Coleman also picked up the rides on Epatante, winning an Aintree Hurdle and two Fighting Fifths, and Jonbon, on whom he won multiple Grade Ones.
“I think the last few years I’ve been at my happiest, riding horses like Paisley Park has been a mainstay since 2019, we picked up Epatante, Jonbon, winning the Champion Chase on Put The Kettle On. I would have a good army of behind me when I got to September and they hit the board regularly,” said Coleman.
“I kind of gave up the idea of being champion jockey and being a slave to the game, that just wasn’t for me. I enjoyed the good horses so much I just wanted to focus on them rather than the numbers and since I did that I think I rode better.”
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