THE environs of Chantilly were buzzing with anticipation last Sunday as the crowds flocked to the race track for the running of the classic Prix de Diane, and for some young international riders it was an extra special day.

The prestigious Prix Longines Future Racing Stars, a race that brings together apprentices from the top racing schools in 10 countries, was being run for the fourth time and the Irish representative was Donagh O’Connor, a Wexford man and recent RACE graduate now based with trainer Johnny Levins on the Curragh. He rode a good race to finish third behind the winning German jockey Tommaso Scardino and French apprentice Pierre Bazire and came home with a bag full of prizes and mementoes.

The race day itself was the culmination of a few days of activities organised for participants by the sponsors and France Galop. These events are designed to broaden the horizons of young riders and give them an opportunity to experience another culture, interact with their peers from other countries and develop their professional experience.

They rode out with local trainers (André Fabre in the case of the Irish representative), stayed in a hotel at Chantilly, were present at the official draw on Friday and were interviewed by various media personnel. They made new friends from other parts of the world and tasted something of the French way of life. It’s another formative experience in their young careers and hopefully one they will capitalise upon.

For the participating riders from the European countries plus Australia, the USA, Japan, South Africa and Turkey, this race day experience will be of great benefit as they were faced with all of the elements at play on a high-profile race day in front of nearly 50,000 spectators and a huge television audience.

The presence of international stars in the weigh room, including Frankie Dettori who engaged the crowd with his trademark celebrations after Star Of Seville won the feature race, the enormous buzz in the parade ring with multiple television cameras and photographers, all added to the atmosphere and created an experience they are not likely to forget for a long time.

With competition for rides so intense and opportunities so few within the apprentice ranks, this type of event offers a brief glimpse of life at the top level and can hopefully act as a good motivational tool for any young riders with ambition.

Graduation day approaching

GRADUATION day is fast approaching for this year’s group of RACE trainees and, as they finish up their final week of work placement, they can reflect on their year’s work and prepare themselves for the next phase of their career. All modules and assessments have been completed and industry induction was rounded off with a trip to Leopardstown this week.

Meanwhile, Gaisce records have been submitted and decisions are being finalised in preparation for our prize-giving ceremony on June 26th.

While certificates and prizes provide concrete evidence of progress and attainment, the most important reference point for these trainees as they begin the next chapter of their lives will be the personal standards they set for themselves and their ambition to be better. Forty-two weeks in RACE has hopefully provided a good foundation and sown seeds for development in their adult lives, but the desire for continuous improvement has to come from within and their capacity to develop a professional mindset and self-discipline will largely determine how resilient they will become and how far they are likely to go in developing their potential in the years ahead.

The racing industry in Ireland has an urgent need to develop career pathways for young entrants so they can branch off into other areas in a structured and supported manner if their initial aspirations to become a jockey are thwarted. After all the initial groundwork, it seems a shame that capable individuals sometimes feel compelled to leave the country or depart the industry due to the absence of any suitable framework for advancement.

As the class of 2015 finish up their programme, we wish them well and hope that they meet a greater level of support from the industry along their career pathway than many of their predecessors have enjoyed.