HAVING been Irish champion apprentice in 2023, last year I went through that difficult phase so many before me encountered.

With the claim reduced from 5lb down to 3lb, you are no longer as sought after as the promising younger lads coming through. It becomes a case of having to just put the head down, ride the waves and hopefully come out the other side.

What could so easily have been a disastrous season, dramatically turned thanks to a high-profile win in the Newmarket Cesarewitch in October.

On the back of a good winter, which ended with a couple of nice winners at Dundalk, I am really looking forward to the upcoming turf season.

Inevitable

My dad and both granddads were jockeys, so they would have been the main reason I got into racing. My cousin Robbie Dolan, who won this year’s Melbourne Cup, was starting out when I was a kid. I suppose with that much interest in the family, it was inevitable that I would end up becoming a jockey.

However, I was somewhat of a late comer, not even sitting on a racehorse until I went to the riding school (RACE) in Kildare. I was sent out on placement to Patrick Prendergast, but was only there for a month. He was retiring from training, having decided to link up with John Oxx. Patrick sent me over to Mr Oxx, who was very understanding and supportive of me.

I was very new to anything to do with horses at the time. Having never done any pony racing, I was playing catch up with most of the lads I was riding against. I was with Mr Oxx for a year-and-a-half, before he too, decided to retire. Niall McCullagh, who rode out for both Mr Oxx and Johnny Murtagh advised me that the best move career-wise would be to go Johnny.

From the beginning, I knew that it had been the right decision. Johnny Murtagh was a huge help to my career. He would sit down with me to review my rides and offer advice on how I could tidy up in a finish or do things differently during the race itself. His guidance definitely helped speed up my learning curve and get me there that bit sooner than I otherwise would have.

First winner

It took me over 70 rides before I registered my first winner - Threebagsful at Bellewstown in July 2021. To say that it was a big relief to get that one out of the way would be something of an understatement! I ended the season with six winners; something I was reasonably happy with. My agent, Kevin O’Ryan, had always said that it was a building year.

I kicked on in 2022, riding 24 winners and finishing third in the apprentice championship. I spent the winter with Robbie (Dolan) in Australia, based with trainer Mark Newham in Sydney. I had to be careful not to damage my claim, so a total of eight winners was more than satisfactory.

At the start of 2023, we had our hearts set on winning the apprentice title. Kevin did a great job in getting me up on plenty of nice horses during that season. Not only did I end the year as champion (apprentice) on 28 winners, but I also rode some big premier handicap winners.

With my reduced claim, last year was basically something of a non-event up until October. I had considered going back out to Australia to resurrect my career, but in the end decided to fight for it here at home.

Cesarewitch win

I only had six winners going into the last few weeks of the season, but Alphonse Le Grande changed everything with that Newmarket Cesarewitch win. Even with all the drama that surrounded the race, it was massive for my career to win such a big prize in Britain.

Back home in Ireland, I got a call from John McConnell, who was looking for a lightweight jockey. Siobhan Rutledge, who rides a lot for his stable, was going to Australia for the winter, so an opening emerged at John’s.

I also linked up successfully with Stephen Thorne, a relatively new trainer, whom I had known since he was based with Ado McGuinness.

Having finished last year on a high note, I am really looking forward to 2025. With only 12 or 13 winners left on my claim, the main aim over the coming months is to lose that claim.

Like every jockey, I’d also love to find that nicer quality horse that can take my career to the next level. At the moment, I am getting about as much as I can, riding work for plenty of different trainers. I am with Johnny Murtagh on Mondays and Fridays, John McConnell on Tuesdays, Ado McGuinness on Wednesdays, while I also ride out for Stephen Thorne, Noel Meade and Sheila Lavery.

Hopefully, the more contacts I can build over the coming season, the more successful it will be.

Jamie was in conversation with John O’Riordan