AS a jockey, my first and last winners were both at Dundalk. I later spent over 12 years working as a stall handler. I suppose it was a given that my final night in the job should also come at that track. Having bowed out of racing earlier this month, I am now very much looking forward to spending retirement with my family.

I got into racing through my brother Jimmy (Coogan), who served his apprenticeship with Clem Magnier. Daddy before us, was a jump jockey in England. He rode winners over jumps for Ryan Price in the ‘50s. Daddy only had one ride over fences in Ireland; he rode a horse called Carey’s Cottage for Tom Taaffe and he finished third in the Galway Plate. We grew up in the family pub, The Happy Brig, in Newcastle, Co Dublin.

As a young lad, I wouldn’t go to school. It was like a red rag to a bull with me! At 12, I started in racing with (trainer) Frank Oakes. I used to help out around the yard. He gave me my first ride in a pony race on a little filly called Noddy. They never got the better of us going to school. So, I left at 14 and followed Jimmy down to Magnier’s in Athboy.

At 15, I had my first ride as an apprentice; I had one ride at the Curragh. The following year, I won on my 10th and 11th rides. I rode my first winner at Dundalk on a Friday night, on the old grass track. A horse called Barely Worth It, for Clem Magnier, in a two-mile handicap. When I was 17, I rode the winner of a listed premier handicap at the Curragh.

That was the first big win I had; the Madrid Handicap on Polar Jinks, also for Clem. That day, I carried a pound overweight on 6st 12lb. He had a dual-purpose yard, with about 65-70 horses in training. I rode two winners over hurdles as well, when I was only 19. I was doing 7st 12lb on the flat, so I was too light to go jumping. I spent seven years riding for Clem Magnier before going it alone.

Freelancing

Although I was freelancing for the first year, I rode a lot of winners for Noel Meade. By 1980, I was riding a lot of Edward O’Grady’s flat horses. I rode a few winners for him. I also rode a good few winners for Larry Greene, a veterinary surgeon in Roscrea. Liam Browne recommended me for the job in England with Mel Brittain. In 1984, I went over to ride as his stable jockey. He had 50 horses at that time.

I spent two seasons there, riding about 25 winners. On my first ride at Newmarket, I rode Grey Desire to win the Listed Criterion Stakes. I won another three listed races on him as well. I came home in 1985 and I started riding for Michael Cunningham. I was more or less with him full-time. I rode in the (1000) Guineas at the Curragh in 1986 on a filly called Atlantic Dream.

I had won at the Phoenix Park on her before that, but she didn’t stay a mile. She was a six-furlong filly. When Jimmy started training in 1989, I rode all of his. I rode his first winner at Naas on a horse called Never Wrong. That was named after my sister Anne, because she is never wrong! Anne owned a half-share in the horse. Jimmy would have had about 25 horses in training at that time, a mix of both flat and jumping.

In 1987, I started with Dermot Weld as a work rider. I continued in that job after retiring from riding in 1995. Up And At ‘Em came along in 1992. He won four as a two-year-old for Jimmy. After winning the Listed Round Tower Stakes at the Curragh, I rode him at Ascot in the Group 3 Cornwallis Stakes and he won that. It was special that day. My mother and father, who are passed now, were both there that day. It was great. It was a real family occasion. I remember it was like riding a Cheltenham winner that day. We took over the place! That was definitely the highlight of my career.

Retirement

I rode on for a few more years after that, but I wasn’t getting enough rides. That’s why I packed it up. I called it a day when I was 37. I retired young, but I wasn’t getting enough to keep going.

My last winner also came at Dundalk on a horse called Ballynakelly for my brother Jimmy. He was named after the area of Newcastle where we grew up. I was with Dermot Weld as a work rider until last year, when I retired. I rode great horses in Weld’s. I rode all the good horses work; Vinnie Roe, Grey Swallow, Executive Perk. He had brilliant horses back in the day. I could sit here all day naming them.

You could say this is my second retirement. Last year, I retired from riding out. This year, I retired from the stalls. This is it now; I’m done. I don’t want to have as many retirements as Frankie Dettori!

I had been doing the stalls 12 or 13 years. I wanted to do another year after finishing up in Weld’s. They are an amazing bunch of lads and we had some great craic. My brother George is still a stalls’ handler. I’ve been working with horses since I was 12, so I think I’ve earned the right to step back. Nowadays, the apple of my eye is my granddaughter, Isabella. She keeps me busy. I’m looking forward to spending more time with her, my wife, Kerry and daughters, Lucy and Rachel.

Benjy was in conversation with John O’Riordan.