WINNING the Grade 2 Bet365 Hurdle at Wetherby last month on Botox Has was undoubtedly the high point of my career to date. Having now shown that he is capable of mixing it with the best stayers in training, that horse could quite easily develop into a genuine Cheltenham Festival contender next March.

However, before all that, I have two nice rides at Newbury this afternoon. As a jockey, competing at those big weekend meetings is where you want to be, so I appreciate how fortunate I am in doing so.

I got into racing through my cousins, who had a couple of point-to-point horses in training. Having gone out to see them in the yard one morning, I caught the bug there and then! At the age of six, I got a pony of my own to go hunting and basically never looked back.

Towards the end of primary school, I started pony racing on the Midlands circuit, something I continued right through to my late teens. In all, I rode upwards of 40 winners; three of which came at Dingle - my personal highlights. During secondary school, I rode out for local trainer Brian Hamilton at weekends and on school holidays. As a former amateur jockey, Brian was a huge influence on my early career, teaching me so much in terms of riding work and schooling horses.

After leaving school, I went over to Warren Greatrex in Upper Lambourn. Initially, I was meant to go to a flat yard for the summer but my cousin, who worked in Warren’s, knew the boss was looking for an amateur so put my name forward. I was there for over a year before getting my amateur licence but made up for that when riding a winner on my very first ride - Sarim on the flat at Kempton in November 2019.

After that, I had a handful of rides in point-to-points but just one other under rules, when third in a bumper, before turning conditional with Warren. I was lucky enough to also partner a winner on my first ride under that new licence, when successful aboard Bill Baxter in a Fakenham bumper. That same horse has since gone on to do very well, winning the Topham Chase at Aintree in April.

Early in 2022, my then agent Dave Roberts got me on a horse of Gary Moore’s named Hit The Rocks, who duly won at Lingfield. On the back of that success, I picked up a few more rides for the Moore yard. Towards the end of the campaign, Jamie (Moore) told me that his dad was looking for a conditional jockey if I was interested. Having thought it over, I made the decision to join up with Gary Moore in August.

Momentum

The new season had started off well for me, as I hit the ground running, riding five or six winners over the summer. Carrying that momentum forward into the winter months, I ended up with a personal best 25 winners in 2022/23.

Botox Has, was also the highlight of that campaign; winning a Grade 3 handicap hurdle at Haydock in November. He is a super little horse who had been working very well in the run up to that race. I count myself very fortunate to have got on him when I did. Unfortunately, he had a few niggly little injuries after that which meant he failed to give his true running in two subsequent starts. The boss then decided to bypass the spring festivals, cutting short the horse’s season in order to have him right for this year.

Botox Has looked much more like his old self when battling bravely to win at Wetherby on his reappearance. Although he wouldn’t have been mad about the testing ground, he showed real determination in winning by a length. With the third horse having finished runner-up in the Stayers Hurdle last year, one could argue that it is strong form.

However, while Cheltenham is now obviously in the back of our minds, before all that, the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot is the main target. That race was mentioned immediately after Wetherby and nothing has changed in the interim. On his Bet365 Hurdle win, our horse is fully entitled to take his place at Ascot; in fact he should be one of the strongest contenders.

On Saturday, I have two really nice rides at Newbury on Coral Gold Cup day. Nassalam, who I rode to finish fourth in the Grand Sefton at Aintree, should improve from his reappearance. A previous course winner, he will love the ground and trip, so hopefully can run a big race. Having shown up well in some decent contests last season, he deserves to get his head in front. Fingers crossed, Saturday might be his day.

My other ride, Teddy Blue, has yet to fire this term but ran a career best when third in the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury last year. Hopefully, a return to that track may see him put his best foot forward.

On a personal level, I am thrilled to be riding horses with live chances at such a prestigious meeting. Having broken my collarbone at the start of the summer, I have found it harder to get going this season. Botox Has was a major boost at Wetherby, so hopefully I can press on from there.

Despite missing out on some time, my goal to beat last year’s tally of 25 winners is still the same. Once I can stay injury free and ride as many winners as possible in 2023/24, I will be able to look back on it with some satisfaction.

Caoilin was in conversation with John O’Riordan