THE Organiser became the fifth winner of my career, three of which have come at the Curragh, when successful for Johnny Levins at that Co Kildare track last Saturday.

On a personal level, the Esteem Racing Club-owned sprinter getting his head in front was significant, as it was my first ‘outside’ winner.

Prior to that, the previous four had either been trained by my boss Joseph O’Brien or granduncle Martin Hassett. The early years of my life were spent living with my mother down in Kerry. However, I had always been aware of the racing connections on my father’s side of the family, so was determined to forge a career as a jockey when the time was right.

Although I spent my childhood in the boxing ring, rather than the racecourse, at the age of 12, I moved up to Tipperary to take those first steps on the road to fulfilling my race-riding ambitions.

With no previous experience of riding racehorses, I started off on ponies before progressing to riding out a couple at my granduncle’s yard. Martin is less than five minutes from us at home, so I would ride out a couple of lots in the morning before school. I only managed to do three weeks pony racing at the tail end of a season but I rode a winner, so it all felt worthwhile.

Educated

At 14, I started going in to Joseph O’Brien’s at weekends and on school holidays. It was a fantastic place to get educated, as aside from the boss, lads like Declan McDonogh, Shane Crosse, Dylan Browne McMonagle, Mikey Sheehy, Hugh Horgan and Gary Halpin all rode out there.

On week days, I rode out for Martin as before, although he only had six or seven in at that time. Earlier this summer, after finishing in school, I went full-time with Joseph O’Brien.

I am there from 7am to 12.30 each morning, then I ride a few at home in the afternoon. In March, I rode my first ever winner under rules - San Andreas at Dundalk. It was a fantastic evening, one that I will never forget.

It was really great to ride it for the boss, as he has been so good to me from day one. I have only been race-riding for less than two years but he has brought me along slowly, not rushing me before I was ready.

I have gained so much experience riding work along senior jockeys that I now feel much more comfortable in actual races. As Dundalk was just another normal day at the races, none of my family were present for that first win but all were in attendance for the second.

Special

Since I started out as a jockey, I always wanted to ride a winner for the family, so Harry’s Hill winning at Naas in May was special.

A horse I know well, I ride him out at home every day and he has been with us since Martin bought him as a two-year-old.

To ride that horse to win on the race track was an amazing experience but a month later, he provided me with an even more significant success. In July, Harry’s Hill helped me lose my 10lb claim when getting up close home to win a premier handicap – the Rockingham at the Curragh.

As a rider, that race couldn’t have gone smoother for me; Harry’s Hill jumped out, got cover and after riding for luck, the gaps appeared at the right time and he got up to win by a head. For a relatively inexperienced young apprentice to ride such a high profile winner was one thing but to do it on a cheaply-bought horse, trained from one of the smaller yards, made it a great story.

Once again, nearly all the family were able to make it to the races, so that made it all the better.

My fourth winner, the first with a 7lb claim, came via Secret Magician at the Curragh last weekend. Also trained by Martin, we were confident about his chances but given that he is a horse that tends to race lazily, I was pushing away on him at halfway, before he picked up well inside the last furlong to win by a neck.

The Organiser, who was returning from a break, had run a really nice race back in fifth in that same contest, so I was delighted when trainer Johnny Levins booked me for his next start.

As a 77-rated horse running in a (70=10-00) handicap, he was officially the best horse in the field and Johnny strongly fancied him. He had told my agent, Kevin O’Ryan, earlier in the week that he would only run if I was free to ride. It’s a real confidence booster when an established trainer takes notice and books you for a fancied runner.

For my part, I was delighted to be able to repay both his and the owners’ faith in me. The winning margin at the line was only a nose but thankfully, I was on the right side of the photo.

Narrrow calls

My three wins at the Curragh this year have all been my the narrowest of calls; a head, a neck and a nose!

Looking further ahead, the plan is to ride at Dundalk over the winter, try build up more contacts and hopefully ride some winners. While my father and grandfather have always been my biggest supporters, in terms of trainers, my boss and granduncle are very good to me. While I have been fortunate enough to ride winners for both of them already, I’d love to improve on that over the coming months.

Having also just ridden my first winner for an ‘outside’ yard, I hope that that is just the beginning.

Wayne Hassett was in conversation with John O’Riordan