WITH all of the main yards that I ride for having their horses in peak form, I’ve had my best ever season in terms of winners. At the moment, I am on 53 for the campaign but with still a couple of weeks left to run, I’d be hoping to add to that number before the end of April. I’ve been based in Britain since 2007 and am enjoying my race-riding as much as ever.

Horses had always been in the family. Both my parents rode point-to-point winners and a few under rules as amateurs. My uncle Tommy Carmody was a very successful champion jockey. So, you can see that racing was in my blood. I started off on ponies at home, before going on to hunt with the Duhallow. As a family, we went to the local point-to-points around Cork or Waterford every Sunday.

Around the age of 10 or 11, I began riding out for local trainer John Joe Walsh in Doneraile. The Walsh family were very good to me growing up. I spent summer holidays and almost every weekend in there. I had a couple of point-to-point rides for John Joe when I was 16 but I was very light at that stage. In my last season in school, I rode four or five point-to-point winners for Adrian Maguire. I also led up Denman before he won on his debut at Liscarroll.

Turning points

After leaving school, I spent two years working for Eugene O’Sullivan. He was brilliant to me; he let me ride the majority of his. I was well looked after by the O’Sullivan family. Eugene set me on my way to where I am today. I rode point-to-point winners for him and four or five under Rules. The experience that I picked up during the time I spent with Eugene was top class.

In July 2007, on the recommendation of Jerome Casey from Coolmore, I came over to Jonjo O’Neill on a two-week trial. I have been here ever since! I went with an amateur licence but I was lucky enough to be allowed turn conditional straight away, given the experience I had point-to-pointing. The O’Neill family have been wonderful people to work for. I’ve never looked back since that first day I arrived in the yard.

Three Cheltenham Festival wins are the undoubted highlights of my career. They are the races that everyone wants to win but are so hard to get. It was nice that they came on horses trained by Jonjo – Holywell (twice) and Alfie Sherrin. It would be lovely to get a few more before I finish up. I’ve been lucky to ride some very nice horses along the way. Holywell was obviously a very special horse for me. I won at two Cheltenham Festivals on him. Alfie Sherrin was also a Festival winner for me. I rode Gold Cup winner Synchronised and Stayers’ Hurdle winner More Of That – although not to win those races. Regal Encore was another very good horse for me.

It takes a team

I ride out most days for Jonjo from September to October. Once the season gets going it’s more difficult then. The day starts very early and you can be on the road as soon as 6am, depending on where you are riding on any given day. I’d average around 50,000 miles a year but am well used to it now though. I still get into Jonjo’s as often as possible. His son A.J. is a joint-licence holder this year and things have gone really well. Jonjo is having one of his best seasons.

I have also been lucky in that trainers like Neil Mulholland, Ben Haslam and Anthony Honeyball have been firing in the winners this term. I ride regularly for all three of those stables, so that has definitely contributed to my increase in numbers. The McManus family have always been great supporters of mine and their horses have been in fine form all year. Frank Berry and A.P. McCoy have been a great help to me too. I’m very lucky to have them.

Although he won’t take it, my agent Alain Cawley deserves plenty credit, as he has been doing a super job! My partner Brooke Young has been a massive help in keeping me right too. Without the saunas in the racecourse now, she plans out my meals if I have light so it helps keep me fit in the correct way.

With a bit of luck, if I can stay safe and injury-free, I’ll ride on for another few seasons. When I do retire, I’d imagine that I will do something that involves working with horses. It’s all I’ve ever known.

While Ireland will always be home to me, I now live in a wonderful part of the world here in the Cotswolds. If I am able to afford a place, I’d love to set up training or producing young horses. However, I realise that I would need a good backer and a suitable yard in order for that to happen.

Richie was in conversation with John O’Riordan.