WINNING a graded handicap chase at the Dublin Racing Festival last weekend undoubtedly ranks up there with my career highlights to date. Big meetings like that are a real showcase for us National Hunt jockeys; the place we all want to shine. So, to get among the winners was pretty special, especially as I only had a handful of rides over the two days.

Having overcome a number of injury setbacks early on in my career, the last couple of seasons have been very good for me. I have built up a good relationship with some leading yards and also established my own pre-training business. The decision to ride on the flat, as well as over jumps, has certainly contributed to my overall wellbeing.

My weight is very good at the moment, so I have plenty of opportunities under both codes. However, National Hunt has always been my first love as I grew up hunting and point-to-pointing with the Ward Union and Fingal Harriers.

I got into horses through my neighbours, the Staffords. Paul [Stafford] is now a trainer but when I was growing up his dad Tommy had ponies and point-to-pointers. I learned how to ride along the rest of their family, as I was good friends with all of the lads.

Apprenticeship

After my Junior Cert, I went to RACE, from where I was sent out to Dessie Hughes. In truth, that was the making of me, as Dessie was strict but very fair. He gave all of us apprentices the chance to prove ourselves as riders and was always on hand if we needed help or advice. I signed on as an apprentice but only had a handful of rides as it was always my intention to go jumping.

Having been brought up hunting and point-to-pointing, I never planned on going any other route. I saw the flat as merely a stepping stone to a career as a jump jockey. I was with Dessie Hughes for two or three seasons as a conditional jockey and enjoyed some success during that period. I then suffered a couple of bad falls from which I struggled to get back to where I was before the injuries.

I went freelance after leaving Dessie Hughes’s yard, returning home and riding out for Paul Stafford. He had some nice horses in his care at the time, including the likes of Will Jamie Run and Blueberry Boy. The former progressed from winning a handicap chase off 94 to finishing sixth in an Irish Grand National, while the latter gave me my first big festival win when successful at Punchestown.

I had a consistent run over the next few seasons, riding 150-plus horses each campaign with five or six winners along the way. Vics Canvas was a great old horse for me, providing me with another big day when winning the Cork Grand National in 2014.

Pre-training

After damaging vertebrae in my back just prior to Christmas 2017, I started up a pre-training business here at home to co-exist with my riding career. When I got back to the track, I found myself lighter and after chatting with my agent Ruaidhri Tierney we decided it was worth giving the flat another go.

Dundalk had introduced races for jockeys who had ridden 10 winners or less over a specific period and as I had been out injured, I qualified for those.

I enjoyed some success on the flat, so much so, that I decided to give it more attention. Last summer, I went down to Fozzy Stack one morning a week, as I wanted to hone my skills as a flat rider and see how it went. Fozzy was very good to me and I ended up riding a few winners for him on the flat, including my first ever two-year-old winner.

Dual-purpose

Over the coming year, I will continue to mix it between the flat and jumps. I am riding out for Dermot McLoughlin and Gavin Cromwell; two men that have always been great supporters of mine.

Next month, I will go back down to Fozzy Stack’s for a morning a week, in preparation for the upcoming turf season. My agent Ruaidhri Tierney does a great job as he is very sharp and always on the ball. I have had four or five rides at Dundalk every Friday over the last few months and that’s all down to his hard work.

Last Saturday, I had no ride at the Dublin Racing Festival but was booked for two on the Sunday. I also picked up a spare on a horse for Willie Mullins, so was delighted to get the opportunity to ride for the champion trainer.

I knew very little about the chances of Glamorgan Duke whom I rode for Paul Gilligan in the Grade A handicap chase. It was a pleasant surprise to win on that horse, on what is now one of the more recognised days on the jumping calendar.

Hopefully it will lead to further opportunities over the coming year.

In regards to my own business, I am currently renovating the yard and in the process of adding to the facilities with a new gallop going in during the summer.