WINNING a Heritage Handicap on Sir Busker at York on Ebor day last month was one of the best days of my career. Just getting to ride at such a big meeting in front of the television cameras was great exposure but finishing in front will really have helped boost my profile. I have only been riding in Britain since 2020, so it’s important to be able to get my name out there. 

I am from Letterkenny in Co Donegal. Growing up, I would have messed around with ponies and done a lot of pony club and show jumping. Cousins of mine train a few flappers, so I would have been up and down to them in Oldtown when I was older. I started riding the flappers from when I was about 12.

I would have done two or three seasons at that. I probably rode about 50-odd winners. The flapping is a great education as you learn plenty about holding your position in a race and riding a finish. I would already have known Dylan (Browne McMonagle) when I first went flapping but lads like Seanie (Bowen), Sam Ewing and Danny Gilligan were all riding around the same time as me. 

There weren’t any local racing yards around where I am from, so I would have only ridden flappers. I did go away and spend a month down in Ballydoyle when I was 14. That was a brilliant experience. I got to ride out some really nice horses. Donnacha (O’Brien), who was in there as stable jockey at the time, was great to give advice. The whole place is so full of experienced jockeys that you couldn’t help but come away from there a better rider.

Racing academy

After third year in school, I went down to RACE in Kildare. As part of my work placement, I spent a year with trainer Eddie Harty on the Curragh. I got a good old grounding in Harty’s but never took out the apprentice licence here. I just didn’t see the point in it to be honest. I knew that opportunities would be limited, so I decided to look towards England. 

Through a friend of a friend, I managed to get a job with Tim Easterby. I was 17 when I first came over here in 2020. I went to go get my licence but broke my leg the week before it was due to come through.

It was something of a slow burner after that. I eventually got going; riding my first winner on Parys Mountain at Catterick in May 2022. I ended up with five winners that first season.

After two and a half years with Tim (Easterby), I moved to Karl Burke last year. Karl has been brilliant to me. He threw a load (of rides) at me, really got me up and going. I rode plenty of two-year-old winners for the stable.

I ended up with 16 winners during my first full season with Karl. Cliff (Lee), Danny Tudhope, Shane Gray and Sam James all ride out in the yard. I find it a great help to ride work alongside and learn from those lads. I am in Karl’s most days, while I ride out for William Knight when I am down south. 

It’s going the right way. It’s been brilliant this year. I couldn’t have asked for better. Look Back Smiling got the season off to a great start when winning the Spring Mile at Doncaster on Lincoln day. To ride a big winner on television so early in the year definitely gave me the start I needed.

In June, I was lucky enough to win the £10k bonus after riding a double at Hamilton in the Sunday Series. One of those winners, Fiver Friday, was trained in Co Antrim by Paul Traynor.

Big supporter

With William Knight being a big supporter of mine, I was delighted to be able to repay him in some way with the York win on Sir Busker. I have ridden 27 winners so far this year, my best to date.

With 16 of those coming on the turf, I am currently lying fifth in the apprentice jockeys’ championship. Although I have ground to make up on the leaders, it’s a very open race. It will probably all come down to who can avoid getting banned in the last few weeks.

At the minute, my plan is to stay around and graft away for the winter. I only have another two winners left before I lose my 5lb claim. It’s important to keep the ball rolling, as I will be down to 3lb from then on. If I get the same opportunities that I got this year, I’d love to give the apprentice title a good go next season.

While Karl and William have been very good to me, I realise I’ll need to build further contacts and pick up more outside rides if that is to become a realistic ambition. I’ve never even ridden, never mind had a winner, in Ireland.

I’d love to come back with a nice horse one day. I am a big lad, so I could end up going jumping at some stage. If that proves to be the case, I’d move back to Ireland to go jumping.  

Brandon Wilkie was in conversation with John O’Riordan.