BEECHLEA Bloodstock, my breaking/pre-training business, has gone from strength to strength in recent years.

Thanks largely to the continued support of Johnny and Orla Murtagh, who I owe a great debt of gratitude to, we have been able to develop and improve the facilities here over the years and I believe we are now at a standard that puts us on a par with any of the leading outfits in this area of the industry.

Champers Elysees, a filly we broke and later pre-trained, was one that gave us particular satisfaction last season. Her Leopardstown win was a breakthrough success at the highest level for Johnny and his yard and also the first Group 1 winner we broke here, so that day was brilliant for all involved. Twelve months on and Measure Of Magic looks another exciting prospect.

Measure Of Magic was broken at Beechlea Bloodstock and looks a very exciting prospect \ Healy Racing

My older sister had a pony at home, so my interest stemmed from there. Dad from a younger age was involved in horses as well, so perhaps it was only natural that I would follow suit.

My parents, family and wife Eimear have always been my biggest supporters and they are always there for advice and help. Having started off doing a bit of show jumping, I moved onto pony racing shortly afterwards.

Leigh Roche and Ronan Whelan were riding around the same time, so we grew up together. Both Leigh and I went to RACE at the same time and all three of us remain close friends.

I was sent out to Michael Halford’s yard, where I remained for the next 11 years. It was a brilliant place for an apprentice to work, with a great bunch of young future jockeys there like Shane Foley, Gary Carroll, Julie Burke and Rory Cleary.

Johnny Murtagh-trained Champers Elysees was the first Group 1 winner broken at Beechlea Bloodstock \ Healy Racing

Johnny Murtagh, who was stable jockey there at the time, was and continues to be, a huge influence on my career. The boss, Michael Halford, was a great teacher, not just in terms of moulding us as jockeys but as young men and women. His reputation for being a great mentor of young jockeys is certainly well-deserved.

After riding my first winner aboard Just For Ivy for Paul Magnier, I was lucky enough to strike up successful partnerships with Hujaylea and Russian Soul. Both trained by Michael Halford, I won five races on the former, including the Irish Cambridgeshire in 2010, and four on the latter.

The following year, while still a young 7lbs claimer, I was fortunate enough to get to ride the horse at the Dubai Carnival in Meydan.

Stalwart

Despite riding work on some top-class horses over the years, I haven’t yet been associated with one on the track, although I haven’t given up hope that this will change.

In my early days at Halford’s, I rode work on Casamento and Portage and in more recent times, I have been fortunate enough to have ridden work on Lucky Vega, who was just touched off in the 2000 Guineas. Whatharm, a real stalwart for Pat Flynn and Brendan Cooney, is one I hope could yet propel my career to that next level though.

Conor is hoping Whatharm could be the horse that propels his career to that next level \ Healy Racing

He runs in the seven-furlong Buckingham Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot next month and while I have ridden at the track before this will be a first ride for me at the prestigious Royal meeting.

Both trainer and owner have been great supporters of mine over the years, so it would be wonderful to repay them with an Ascot winner.

Whatharm is a horse that could be aimed at Meydan next winter, as the sun on his back should really suit him - a remark that also applies to Pat and Brendan! Before that however, there are plenty of decent pots open to him closer to home over the next few months.

With one eye on the future, I decided that I would like to experience how things were done in a few more yards and so after some great years working for Michael Halford, I decided it was time to move on.

After discussing it with the late, great Pat Smullen, who was a close friend and a man I had huge admiration for, I decided to spend a year with Dermot Weld at Rosewell House, followed by some time in Moyglare Stud.

Here I learned an awful lot about breaking young horses under Malachy Ryan, who has a wealth of experience in this area and was very good to me during my time there. After my spell in Moyglare, I went on to work for Jessica Harrington. At the moment, I ride out in Harrington’s two mornings a week and I spend the rest of the time either riding work for whoever else may want me, or here at Beechlea.

As I have no intention of retiring from race-riding anytime soon, I feel it’s important to keep your eye in and fitness levels up by riding work for as many trainers as possible.

Fortunately, I have some fantastic staff at home and a good routine to go with it, which allows me to combine the two roles without any worries.

New venture

In 2013, I bought my present yard as a greenfield site. Situated on seven acres of land, it now comprises 48 boxes, a one and a half furlong Wexford sand gallop, a lunge ring, an eight-horse walker, all-weather and grass turn out paddocks and my family home.

Johnny and Orla Murtagh have been with me from the start and over the last four years I have broken all of their yearlings. Some of the horses also return to me for pre-training and breaks/rehab.

Michael Donohoe of BBA Ireland, Paddy Twomey, Colm Griffin and the Lynam family to name but a few have also been loyal clients since I established the business and I am very great full for their continued support.

The likes of Champers Elysees, Miss Amulet and Measure of Magic have gone on to win at group level and they provide a major endorsement for what we do here.

Personally, I have to admit to getting as much enjoyment from their wins as I do when riding a winner myself on the racecourse. It’s great to see horses fulfil the promise they showed in the initial stages by going on to compete at the highest level against some of the best in the world. For me, it’s all about playing my part in their development and I’d like to think that we sow the seeds here for their future success.

Fresh from a successful winter at Dundalk, I am very much looking forward to the summer months. I have developed a great relationship with trainer Pat Flynn, while I also rode some nice winners for Andy Oliver during the year.

Thankfully, my weight remains very good so I can do quite light, while the hunger to ride more winners continues to burn. Anyways, with a wife and three young kids to support, I don’t think I could pack in the race-riding even if I wanted to!

With Royal Ascot next month and maybe Dubai next winter to look forward to,

I feel that I still have plenty left in me. In the meantime, whether I get to ride them on the racetrack or break them here at Beechlea, I continue to hope that Group 1 horse is just around the corner.

Email: beechleabloodstock@gmail.com

Telephone : 087-7445959

Conor Hoban was in conversation with John O’Riordan