WINNING the Midlands Grand National on Idas Boy last Friday night was just massive for me. I got off to a flyer over jumps last season but then things just went a bit quiet.

I was getting plenty of rides, picking up lots of experience but the winners just weren’t coming. It had been a frustrating start to the new season, so winning the biggest race of my career to date couldn’t have come at a better time. 

My uncle (Benny Walsh) rode in point-to-points, so that would have been the starting point for me. As kids, every Sunday, we would have followed him in point-to-points wherever they were on.

We always had horses at home, ever since I can remember. I would have learned how to ride at home, before doing pony club, hunting, show jumping and eventing; the whole lot. I started pony racing when I was 10. At that time, I had started riding out for my uncle Benny on weekends, school holidays or whenever I was off.

Pony racing

I did the pony racing for five years, although it was really just four, as Covid put paid to an entire season. During that time, I probably rode about 85 winners on the pony racing circuit. During Covid, when the racing was off for a short time, I had also worked for breeze-up consignor Katie McGivern.  

From the age of 15, I started going in to Joseph O’Brien. I became apprenticed to Joseph while still in school and had my first rides while in fifth year. When I did get going as an apprentice, it took me 20 rides before I had my first winner.

That eventually came on Malaysian for Charlie Moore at Dundalk in early December 2022. Towards the end of that month, I added a second when Dancing Tango won for Joseph, also at Dundalk.

The following year, 2023, was a big year for me. Joseph used me plenty and that was a big help. When trainers see you riding for the likes of Joseph O’Brien, they take notice. I ended up with 26 winners, finishing third in the apprentices’ title. 

National Hunt

I had always wanted to ride over jumps. To be honest, I had no interest in flat racing until I went to Joseph’s. I had grown up watching my uncle ride in point-to-points, so National Hunt was always my favourite.

Although I had done well in 2023, towards the end of the season, with my weight creeping up, I decided there was no point in fighting it. I started with Gavin (Cromwell) in the last week of November and rode a winner over hurdles on Dgalwaygallivantor on the Sunday.

My second ride was also a winner, when Solness won a listed handicap chase for Joseph at Fairyhouse in early December. I suppose given that great start, it could only go one way from there. I had another two winners before the end of last season, ending with four overall. 

I rode Time Marches On to win for James Motherway at Tipperary in May but up to last week that had been my only winner of the new season. I had never ridden for Noel Meade before last Friday.

Chance ride

The chance ride on Idas Boy in the Midlands National was entirely thanks to my agent Garry Cribbin. Although he was an outsider, both Noel and Sam Ewing, who rides him out at home, felt he could run a nice race. It was massive to get a big one like that during the summer months, especially with Galway around the corner.

It’s so important to keep the ball rolling after a winner like that. I want to keep picking up rides and getting among the winners.

Railway Hurricane capped a great 48 hours when winning the feature race at Wexford on Saturday. It was my first winner at my local track, so meant a lot to me.

He had been an unlucky horse a few times this season, bumping into a couple along the way, so it was great to get the win. I knew coming to the second last that he had plenty left. Just one winner behind my total for last season, I should hopefully surpass that. If you can keep bettering the previous year then you are doing well.

Obviously the conditional jockeys’ title would be nice to win but there is a lot of water to pass under the bridge before all of that. For now, the main aim would be to keep riding winners and stay injury free. 

Conor Stone-Walsh was in conversation with John O’Riordan.