Have you got a background in the racing industry?

I’m originally a Galway man. I came to Kildare in 1980 and I did my time with Tony Redmond. I rode a few on the flat and then I rode over jumps for Tony as well. I rode 12 winners.

During the time I was with him, I got heavy then and had to give up race riding around 1985. That was my time in the saddle.

I worked in RACE as an instructor, teaching kids how to look after horses and how to ride. I spent an awful lot of time with the less experienced riders, and I found that great because they listened more.

I found the guys that had more experience thought they knew it all.

So that was my reward, that they listened. We had some great kids go through there like Sean Davis.

Ellen Hennessy and Tom Sherry also, they’re both in Australia now. I really enjoyed my time there.

My brother David works with the Aga Khan Studs and he rode for Arthur Moore back in the day.

My son, Christopher, used to ride for Kevin Prendergast, he rode about 90 winners. At the minute, he’s a big part of the Ger O’Leary team.

Had you owned any horses before Back Down Under?

I own Ernie From Nurney with a syndicate called the Tribal Lillies, ‘tribal’ being the Galway connection and lilly being the Kildare connection. He has won two for us so far. He was our first horse to get into the winner’s enclosure.

About two years ago, Padraig (Roche, trainer) told me about a filly that J.P. (McManus) had given to him, and he asked if I’d be interested in joining a syndicate that he was putting together with 15 others. I said “yes, absolutely!” So it’s full of friends of ours, friends of Padraig’s and friends of friends.

That’s how the Back Down Under Syndicate came to be.

Back Down Under has been very good. She was second in the Birdcatcher at Naas last year. She’s a great money spinner for us and gives us a great bit of fun.

There’s a good few involved in her who would never have owned a horse before, so it’s great for them. I hope the next horse we get is as lucky as her.

How was the atmosphere at the Curragh?

The atmosphere was electric. I think we kind of added to it as well, it was a special day. There were wives, girlfriends and family members there which was really good.

My daughter Leslie works for Padraig and she led up the filly on the day and I walked the filly back into the winner’s enclosure. That was special.

Have you found that being in a syndicate is a good way to be involved in ownership?

It’s a really good way to be involved, and Padraig is the most approachable guy you could ever come across to get lads into syndicates. I don’t know why he hasn’t got more, because he’s really good to work with. He tries to get friends together, and people that enjoy racing but aren’t involved in that side of it yet. He likes to get people involved.

You can ring him up any evening to see the horses riding out on Saturday morning and he’s more than hospitable to bring you down and show you around and give you a cup of tea, which is really good. His dad Christy is very good as well, a famous jockey and trainer in his day so people are just delighted to meet him. I don’t think you’d get that treatment anywhere else.

I think it’s very important for syndicates because it gives the likes of us a chance to rub shoulders with the big guys, especially at meetings like last Friday on Derby weekend.

How do you think the race went?

Padraig gave her plenty of stalls work before last Friday and she was absolutely super. Chris (Hayes, jockey) was good on her as well. He had her well awakened. He said she was very much in his hands for the first two furlongs.

Chris came back in after and he said that he’d probably hit the front a little bit soon and she was starting to pull up a bit. Chris is a great judge and he thinks that she’ll be winning again so that’s great as well.

I was a bit saddened for Leigh Roche because he got injured at Ballinrobe the Monday before. He normally rides her but it was great to get Chris, when you have a chance to use a guy like him, use him!

Have you got a long-term plan for her?

We don’t think too far ahead, we’ll see how she goes and how the handicapper deals with us, that governs a lot of where we go. There’s another six and a half or seven-furlong handicap on Oaks weekend which is our plan if she gets in.

For a small filly you’d think she’d handle the likes of Galway or Ballinrobe, but she likes a good galloping track. She’s busy and has loads of speed so she’s well able for the good tracks.

Do you often get to go racing together as a syndicate?

We do actually, I have to commend HRI for that, because there’s 15 of us. You just rock up to collect your badge and there’s no problem, everything is great.

For a while there, I think it was only three or four badge holders were allowed in on the day, and the rest had to pay to get in, it would leave a sour taste in your mouth.

I’m paying so much a week or a month to keep this horse in training and for it to run, so when it runs, why am I paying into the meeting?