MULLACASH Buzz got my training career off to the perfect start, when winning at Dundalk last Friday night.

My first ever runner, who I had expected to run a nice race, belied his 66/1 odds to come through and get up close home. Although I knew he was better than his rating suggested, it was still beyond my wildest dreams to saddle a winner at the first attempt.

Growing up I had zero contact with horses or racing – it wasn’t until I left school at 16, that I first had any exposure to the animals. I had left mainstream education in order to pursue an apprenticeship as a plumber.

My boss, John Lennon, also trained a few horses as well as running his own business. When the plumbing went a bit quiet, he asked me to lend a hand at the racing yard by mucking out a few boxes.

A few of the other lads that worked in the stables decided to throw me up on a horse one morning and it just went from there really. As the work picked up, John asked if I preferred the plumbing or the horses and my response was pretty quick! That was the end of the plumbing and the beginning of my career in racing.

I stayed on working at the yard for a further year, before moving on to Francis Flood. It was while I was based with the latter, that I began riding out and schooling horses. After that, I moved on to Philip Rothwell; a man that has been a huge influence on my career.

He really got me going as an amateur, giving me rides in point-to-points and a few bumpers. Almost as soon as I started, I suffered a couple of bad falls which resulted in a broken pelvis and back.

Trend

Unfortunately, that was a trend which was to follow throughout my career as a professional jockey. I had already ridden a winner in a point-to-point, by the time Kennedys Mor gave me my first winner under rules, at Tipperary in July 2014.

By that time, I was working down in Cork for John Joseph Murphy, trainer of that aforementioned horse. He was very good to me, giving me every opportunity, but with mostly flat horses in the yard I didn’t have enough to make it viable.

Following a chat with my agent, Ruaidhri Tierney, I took the decision to relocate to Britain. In truth, I knew I was going nowhere here in Ireland and like most lads in my position, the move to the UK was the logical career move.

Having been made aware that trainer Charlie Mann was looking for a jockey, I made the call and was on my way just before Christmas 2014. Initially, I rode on my Irish licence but after a short period I was able to ride under the British equivalent.

First winner

My first winner came not too long after; Sands Cove at Southwell in February 2015. A month later, I rode my second winner, when Bridal Suite won at Fontwell. With my career looking set to take off, the injury curse struck again, forcing me to miss much of the remainder of that season.

I rode six winners the following campaign and bettered that a year later with eight winners. I was still based with Charlie Mann at that time but rode out one morning a week for Henry Oliver. Henry was also a very good supporter and put me up on a few nice winners towards the later stages of my career.

However, a very bad fall at Fontwell in 2016 all but put paid to my days as a jockey. I confounded many medical experts by returning to the saddle after those injuries but in truth, I was on borrowed time.

Freelance

Ironically, my final season (2017/18), proved to be my most successful, as I rode 11 winners as a freelance jockey. Zoe Davison, a great friend and fantastic lady to ride for, gave me most of my winners that season. We remained close even after I retired and I still keep in touch with Andy and the family to the present day.

A fall at Chepstow, in March 2018, resulted in the neck injury that finally ended my career. With only restricted movement in the neck, doctors deemed it unsafe for me to resume race-riding, as I couldn’t turn my head sufficiently to look behind me.

So, at a time when I was riding more winners than at any time in my career; it was all over. My girlfriend Nicola was in America at the time, so she suggested I come out for a few weeks. I really enjoyed the break, during which time I stayed with a good friend, jockey Declan Cannon.

Nicola and I returned to Ireland just before Christmas 2018; she started working for Peter Fahey and I went to Michael Grassick. I am still with Michael, riding out in the mornings, before doing my own horses. I also go racing for the yard whenever I am needed.

Throughout our time in Ireland, we have always broken and pre-trained a few horses. That business was quite successful, with some of the horses doing well when they went into training after.

Training

A few clients had been asking us to keep the horses to train ourselves, so earlier this year, Nicola and I decided to take the plunge. Training had always been something I wanted to do, it was just a case of the right time and place. I had started doing some of the modules while I was still race-riding, as long-term I knew it was where my future lay.

Dermot Murphy and Eileen Farrelly, who we rented from when we first came back to Ireland, have been a great support to us over the past two years and helped us with all the administrative work in obtaining the licence.

Our current landlords, Martin and Maureen Flinter, have also been a huge help to us in terms of support and advice. They live right beside the yard and take a very hands-on approach. Michael Grassick has been brilliant as well, both as a boss and advisor.

Nicola plays a major part in the running of the whole training operation; I wouldn’t be able to do it without her.

In terms of training, I’d rather have a small number running well than a big string running poorly, so it will be quality over quantity. We have seven horses in at the moment, a mix of flat and jumpers. As the season goes on, we will bring horses in or move others out, depending if they are good enough or not.

Tommy Dowling was in converstation with John O’Riordan