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My Racing StorySponsored By Tote
I'm from Moneygall on the Offaly/Tipperary border. My association with horses started with my father. We always had National Hunt mares and foals around the place as kids. Dad was always breaking horses, getting a mare covered or getting foals ready for sales. When we were old enough to look after our own, we got a pony. There was always a horse in the place. I was pretty much born to the game. I always wanted to be a jockey, but I never thought about it, I just went with the flow. I started off with Charlie Swan when he was just down the road from us. The I took it a bit more seriously and I ended up going to Race (Racing Academy and Centre of Education) in Kildare and that's where it all really started. When I finished in Race, I served my apprenticeship with Paul Deegan. I rode my first winner on Srucahan in Cork in October 2012 for Paul. It was good although I probably didn't have a clue what was going on at the time! I think Paul told me not to get there too soon, and I was in front two furlongs from the winning post! I was 17, nearly 18, and old enough when I started race riding. A lot of the lads that were around me in the apprentice school were 16 when they came out of it. I'm nearly sure Pat Malone weighed me out for that first winner and then he weighed me out for Saunton Surf who I rode my claim out on in Downpatrick last week. By the looks of it, only for Pat I wouldn't be doing any of it!
Weekend lucky 15s and Irish Derby preview
Johnny Ward and Brendan Duke preview the Irish Derby Festival, including the Irish Derby, Pretty Polly Stakes and their Lucky 15s for the weekend.
By John O'Riordan - A race that often goes to a lightly raced improving three-year-old sees the hat-trick seeking DARIUS DARK hold leading claims. Unbeaten in both starts over this distance, the Johnny Murtagh-trained Dark Angel gelding remains capable of better on what is only his sixth career start. A game winner at Leopardstown last time, the application of first-time cheekpieces could eke out further improvement. Beaten just a length when third in that same contest, Keepsgettingbetter shouldn't be far away. A dual winner at Dundalk, the Donnacha O'Brien-trained filly showed that she handled the turf just as effectively on that occasion. Eastern Peace and Faro Island also catch the eye with leading apprentices booked.