“To succeed and be happy in life, you need three strong bones.

A Wish Bone to dream the dream, a Back Bone to work hard and make it happen and a Funny Bone to enjoy the journey.”

I came across the above quote recently and it was something that stuck with me. Although I don’t come from a racing background, only developing an interest in more recent times, I have worked hard to ride relatively successfully as an amateur jockey.

Since 2010, I have partnered 19 winners in point-to-points and under rules and managed to share the ladies’ point-to-point title in 2019/20.

Unlike most of my peers, I race-ride as a hobby, while at the same time, holding down a full-time job as a vet.

For me, the riding is all about the enjoyment and thrill of being involved in the sport, mostly on horses that are owned by my family and more recently, loyal friends of Ballycurragh. Since marrying Willie in 2018, I have also taken a more active role in the running of Ballycurragh Stud, Co Carlow.

Different racing

As a young child growing up, it was a different kind of racing that captured my attention.

My grandad trained greyhounds, so much of my childhood was spent walking his dogs, attending trials and going racing every weekend.

I was eight-years-old before I got my first pony but from there, I went on to do pony club, eventing and show jumping.

My education came through the Kennedy Equine Centre in Tralee, where Philip Enright was also starting out. He has since gone on to establish himself as a leading National Hunt jockey, arguably riding even better than ever at the present time.

During college in UCD Dublin, I worked weekends at the eventing yard of Ann O’Grady in Newcastle West. She has produced top-class sports horses for the major competitions at the RDS, as well as world class eventers.

It was also during my years studying for a veterinary degree, that I first developed an interest in thoroughbreds.

While out on work experience, I visited both studs and racing yards, learning about reproduction, helping with x-rays, scoping and treating various forms of injuries.

I subsequently found myself following the fortunes of horses I had helped treat, once they resumed their racing or breeding careers.

I managed to convince my siblings to get involved in a racehorse, which would later become my first winner as a jockey.

Chrisdonlady won her maiden point-to-point at Rathcannon in September 2010, on my first point-to-point ride. The following June, she also credited me with my initial success under rules when winning a hunter chase at Listowel. That was a special day; winning on one of the three Kerry tracks.

With Killcara Boy scoring over hurdles at Killarney in 2013 and Lolas Fancy winning a point-to-point in Tralee, I managed to complete the set.

Rockshandy winning a beginners’ chase in Galway a few years ago was another memorable day for me.

Over the years, I have dipped in and out of racing, taking time out to travel and box. I spent a breeding season working as a vet in Australia and represented Ireland in amateur boxing.

Full-time

Since 2018, I have been based full-time at Ballyragget Veterinary Clinic in Kilkenny. It is a mixed practice, but I deal with both equine matters and smaller animals.

Along with the reproductive work at home on the stud, last year I also did some part-time work with the IHRB as a race-day Veterinary Officer.

Being involved in racing in a different capacity was very enjoyable and hopefully there may be an opportunity to do some more of that after my riding days are over.

Rose Of Coolbally was a four-time winner last year and I rode my first winner this year in Tinahely last Sunday week. Just one shy of losing my claim, that is the immediate ambition in terms of race-riding for the short-term. A bumper winner would also be nice to knock off the bucket list!

Tradition

Ballycurragh Stud has a proud tradition, dating back to Dusky Boy who was champion National Hunt sire in the 1970s. In later years, Kambalda, sire of leading jumpers Barton Bank and Miinnehoma, represented the farm with credit.

Up until just before Christmas, Alkaadhem and Snow Sky were our two stallions but on December 24th, Flag Of Honour was added to the roster.

A former Irish St Leger winner for Aidan O’Brien, he is an exciting addition who has already attracted plenty of interest from breeders.

Alkaadhem produced a Cheltenham Festival winner last year, in Grand Annual victor Global Citizen. The horse, who Willie (Murphy) trained to win his point-to-point, topped the Cheltenham Sale, before being sold on. That is the business model by which we operate here at Ballycurragh Stud: two-fold; breeding side and producing horses to win their point-to-points before selling on.

Smaller scale

Given the smaller scale operation, we tend to take in a lot of homebred horses, as opposed to graduates of the Derby or Land Rover Sale. We have some very loyal owner/breeders who have been with the stud for years. They support us by sending us horses and sending their mares to our sires.

We have enjoyed plenty of success selling on horses over the years; aside from Global Citizen, the likes of Grade 1 winner Annacotty, Mr Fred Rogers, De Barley Basket and Rose Of Aghaboe also went on to win under rules.

Snow Sky is a relatively young stallion at the age of 12; he has his first six-year-olds on the ground this year. He has already had success with point-to-pointers, so the hope is that he can establish himself over the coming years.

Likewise, Flag Of Honour. The eight-year-old has his entire breeding career ahead of him and the dream is that perhaps one day, he can be spoken of in the same glowing terms of those Ballycurragh Stud stallions that have preceded him.

Moira McElligott was in conversation with John O’Riordan