A GROUP of local lads had a horse called Marketo with Dad. He actually beat the Foxhunters’ winner Lovely Citizen in an open lightweight at Dromahane, the year before Eugene O’Sullivan’s horse won at Cheltenham. Marketo was put into training with Eric McNamara, for whom he won twice on the track. I remember being at Listowel in 1990, when he won a handicap chase. I think that was what sparked the interest in Dad to take out his own licence, so that he could train a couple under rules. I was only about six at the time, but Marketo was the one that started it really. When I was a few years older, I got into ponies and show jumping.

The Bookie, a Grade A pony who jumped all over Ireland, would have been the best of them. I qualified for Millstreet and all the big shows on him. I continued show jumping right up until I was 16. We had the likes of Moonlight Gazelle and Caislain Darai (dam of King John’s Castle) at home, when I started riding out the point-to-pointers.