WINNING any race at Galway is special but the GPT Handicap is one of the highlights of the season for amateur jockeys and I was fortunate enough to take this year’s renewal aboard Swamp Fox. Over the coming weeks I will rethink my career and am seriously considering a return to the paid ranks, where I had a brief stint a couple of seasons back.
My introduction to horses came about through close neighbours who were involved with hunters and point-to-pointers. By the age of 13 I was riding out regularly and, during secondary school, I spent time with both Peter McCreery and David Broad.
Later I did a season pony racing before taking out an amateur licence, riding for David (Broad) and a horse of my own. Peter Flood gave me my first winner in a point-to-point at Lingstown when I was 17.
Having gained plenty of experience in the point-to-point fields, I headed to Britain at 19 and turned conditional while with Evan Williams. On my very first ride for the trainer, I rode a winner – Cold Harbour at Worcester in 2011. Despite the boss giving me chances, luck wasn’t on my side and soon after I had a bad fall where I tore my cruciate ligament and broke a bone in my knee. That injury kept me off the track for 4 months, resulting in my return home to rest and recuperate.
I did eventually go back to Wales, where I went on to ride a further two winners for Mr Williams, but in August 2012, I took the decision to relocate to Ireland.
Back home I started working for Gordon Elliott while also turning back to amateur riding, as I felt I needed to learn more.
In hindsight I probably rushed into becoming a professional jockey in Britain without having the riding know how or experience at that time. I certainly benefited from the three years I spent with Mr Elliott and left with a much broader understanding of both race riding and the everyday working of a stable.
Last October I met Ted Walsh who mentioned that Oliver McKiernan was looking for an amateur jockey at his Rathcoole yard. After weighing up the options, I felt I would get more opportunities there, as I was just one of many at Elliott’s. Things have gone really well for me since starting my new job and Mr McKiernan has been very good, putting me up on three winners during the winter. I now only need a further 13 wins before my claim is reduced and that is my immediate goal.
BIG WINNER
On Sunday morning last, I didn’t have a ride in the GPT Handicap and had resigned myself to watching from the sidelines. Just before declarations, my agent Gary Cribben rang saying that Swamp Fox had a light weight and he had secured the ride if I was able to take it. The horse’s trainer Joseph Murphy felt that he had a serious chance and having gone through Swamp Fox’s recent races I was also fairly confident of a big run.
Prior to the race Mr Murphy impressed on me how important it was not to allow the race to turn into a sprint, as he felt the horse was tough and genuine, galloped and stayed very well. The horse had seemingly improved with first-time blinkers on his previous start and now carrying a light weight everything was in place to give him a decent chance.
I was surprised how well we travelled down into the dip and from there I just had to make his mind up for him and set him for home. It was a fantastic feeling to ride such a high profile winner and hopefully I can build on this over the coming months.
I am very lucky to have the backing of Mr McKiernan, my agent Gary Cribben, close family and friends and many smaller point-to-point trainers. My weight has also levelled out and I feel better than ever at the present time, able to claim off 10-7 without killing myself. Having gone back and gained the racing education I believe I missed out on first time around, I am confident that my second coming as a professional jockey will prove fruitful.
Barry Browne was in conversation with John O’Riordan