IN September of last year, I came back home to Ireland to work with Stephen Thorne.

I had known Stephen since my apprentice days, so when he approached me about becoming assistant trainer, I didn’t have to think twice.

My partner Lisa and I had just had our first child, so the opportunity to return home couldn’t have come at a better time. Given how well things have worked out since Stephen took out his licence, it’s a decision that I have never had any regrets about making.

My grandfather always kept a few horses in training over the years. They would have been more National Hunt horses but I definitely got the interest from there. As a child, I would have gone racing with him whenever he had a runner. My brother Mark always had the racing on the TV as well, so his influence wasn’t lost on me.

I learned how to ride at a local riding school but that was basically it. Then in transition year, in secondary school, I had to organise a bit of work experience and I ended up going in to local trainer Pat Martin for the week.

It was the first time that I had sat on a thoroughbred and really enjoyed it. Once the work experience finished, I stayed on with Pat at weekends and holidays. After my Leaving Certificate, I spent a year working full-time in the yard.

I then moved on to become apprenticed to Damien English. During the 18 months I spent there, I rode three winners. Geological was the first, in a handicap in Limerick in June 2018. An opportunity then arose for me to join Ado McGuinness as an apprentice. Stephen was there as assistant trainer at the time and he ran the hugely successful Shamrock Thoroughbreds syndicate.

Opportunity

I ended up getting sponsored by them, so all my riding gear carried their logo. At the end of 2020, Ado asked me to go out to Dubai for the winter with two horses. I jumped at that opportunity.

I enjoyed the whole experience immensely. It was Covid time, so nobody came out from Ireland. I looked after the horses on my own, riding track work and preparing them for their races.

Being quite tall and struggling with my weight, I knew that I wasn’t ever going to get too long out of the riding. In the back of my mind, I always knew that I would end up involved in the training side.

I had got to know the lads from Newmarket quite well during that time in Dubai. In February 2021, I moved over to ride as an apprentice for James Ferguson. I had 50 odd rides that first season, riding one winner.

That winter, I broke my wrist and collarbone in a fall. Being out of work, I went into the yard every day, spending time with James in the jeep or office. He could see that I had a keen interest in that side of things.

At the end of the season, James asked me if I would be interested in becoming assistant trainer. It was an easy decision for me. I gave up the riding and took on the new role.

I looked after a lot of the quarantine horses that were bound for Chris Waller in Australia.

I did the quarantine for two Group 1 winners, El Bodegon and Via Sistina, who went on to be very successful down under. Aideen Marshell, who was head girl at James Ferguson’s taught me how important looking after the welfare of horses was.

I had always wanted to give Australia a crack, as I knew I’d regret it if I didn’t. In 2022, I went out for six months, basing myself with Richard and Will Freedman.

During that time, I rode a lot of track work and barrier trails. I had a few rides on the country tracks but that was the height of it. In the spring, I returned to Newmarket to resume my job as assistant trainer with James Ferguson.

It was a great experience working with high-quality horses. We had a Group 1 winner and a couple of Group 2/3 winners during my time in the yard. I was also lucky enough to get to take a horse to the Breeders’ Cup.

I learned an awful lot and sat on some very nice horses. James was a fantastic boss to work for. I have fond memories of my time in Newmarket. I know that the friends I made there will be friends for life.

After Lisa and I had our baby last May, we had discussed the possibility of coming home. When Stephen phoned me in July to tell me that he was starting up training later in the year, I knew I wanted to be involved. We came back in September and I was with Stephen in Jack Davison’s until he got his own licence.

Behind the scenes

Although we have worked really hard behind the scenes, I don’t think either of us could have imagined making such an immediate impact.

Stephen only trained his first winner in November but ended up being leading trainer on the all-weather at Dundalk.

We continued that run when Laugh A Minute became our first turf winner on the opening day of the season at the Curragh.

It is hard to put expectations on the year ahead given how well the winter went. The handicapper could have a handle on most of those horses now but we have some exciting new recruits to run.

We also have some nice two-year-olds to look forward to as the year progresses.

I’m very thankful to Stephen for approaching me with the role, bringing me home and giving me the opportunity. We have an excellent relationship which definitely makes life easier.

We talk everything through and every horse has a plan. While we probably agree 90% of the time, if we don’t, we usually talk it through and meet somewhere in the middle.

Hopefully we can build on our early success during the current season and enjoy plenty more winners.

Stephen was in conversation with John O’Riordan.