My Story

My passion for National Hunt racing began early, long before starting primary school. We used to go to Fairyhouse every Wednesday of the Irish Grand National meeting. Back then the Easter Festival took place on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. I graduated to attending almost all the local fixtures at Fairyhouse, Navan, Bellewstown and Dundalk and branched out further afield to Leopardstown, Sligo, Galway and even The Pheonix Park before it closed. leading me to work with trainer Gerry McArdle at the age of 15.  Fast forward almost three years, I moved to England and joined Tom George’s team as an amateur jockey. Tom supplied me with my first ride on a horse called Dellone at Hereford on December 4^th 2001. We came home in splendid isolation to win by 23 lengths. It was magic!  I spent three enjoyable seasons at Tom’s, riding for the likes of trainers Steve Brookshaw, Robert Cowell and owner Terry Warner.  Towards the end of the third season, I was picking up plenty of rides in point to points and after a chance meeting at Haydock with trainer Howard Johnson, he booked me to ride his horse Katmandu in an Amateur Riders’ Novices’ Hurdle at Sedgefield on March 30^th 2004. As a lifelong Newcastle United fan, it was very special putting on the black and white striped silks of owners Alan Shearer and Terry McDermott. It was made even more special when Katmandu galloped to a four-length victory leading me to a job offer from the county Durham handler, a position I was to take up in July of that year.  Following that win on Katmandu, I got plenty of rides on the track and managed to ride a few more winners, building plenty of momentum. Unfortunately momentum stalled for whatever reason when I moved up north. After an eight-month spell and time spent on the sidelines with a broken collar bone, it was time to move on.  Henry Daly’s Downton Hall Stables situated in the beautiful countryside just outside Ludlow, overlooking the racecourse, was the next stop.  I got plenty of rides while based with Henry, riding at the Cheltenham Festival, over the Grand National fences at Aintree, at the Galway Festival. It was great.  Towards the end of my third season, Henry’s horses were running below par due to a virus in the yard and opportunities from the trainer had dried up. After receiving some advice from the trainer I decided to move back up north as I was riding at most of the northern meetings. It wasn’t an easy decision as I loved it at Downton Hall.  I spent a few seasons in the north as a freelance before returning home to Ireland.  I was very luck to live my dream and ride for some of the best trainers including Richard Fahey and the late Ferdy Murphy and even managing to spend three summers during the national hunt quiet period, riding out for Mark Johnson, where I rode out Monterosso. He was a 2 year old at the time and he went on to win the 2012 Dubai World Cup.  After suffering multiple injuries over the years, I transitioned to the media side of racing through JETS. I completed media training at Racing TV and CSports Media. I completed a marketing course and earned an honours degree in Business from DKIT.  In January 2023, I joined The Irish Field team as an Advertising Executive.  I mc and tip in the hospitality suites at Fairyhouse, Navan and mc at Dundalk.  I also present on Racing TV. I’m very lucky to be still involved in the industry and it’s a dream come true to be able to ride at the Curragh while supporting the Irish Injured Jockeys, who make a real difference to the lives and welfare of jockeys during difficult times.