John Gleeson Having a winner at the Punchestown Festival was the realisation of lifetime’s ambition, that’s for sure. I had been making the journey a long time and ironically won the same race, the Kildare Hunt Club Fr Sean Breen Memorial Steeplechase as a jockey many years ago, only to lose it in the stewards’ room. So it was very sweet to get there at last. And to do it with the young fella Billy riding was great because that’s what I got Just Wait And See for, for him to be riding. I am from Limerick and have five or six horses at Ballylooby House, in Knocklong. I learned my trade with the legendary PP Hogan, who was a master on the point-to-point scene and regularly won all these hunter chases and bank races. Later on, I worked with Tom Costello, who produced so many champions. An unbelievable amount of Gold Cup winners came out of his place. It was a fantastic set-up. The few I would have would be point-to-pointers. That has become a very tough game too but I’m in the slow lane, tipping away. I rode plenty of times at Punchestown. It was lovely of Ted Walsh to come up and congratulate me after yesterday’s race. We rode against each other plenty of times. JP McManus did the same, and he had the beaten favourite Blue Templar, who we just held off. It was just a great thrill. It must have been 30 years ago now when I was disqualified after winning the race. PP had two horses in the same race, Team Challenger and Which Way Now. I rode Which Way Now. He bumped the other fella and I lost it in the stewards’ room though I shouldn’t have. I’ve been a long time trying. We have had Just Wait And See since he was four. He’s bred by a neighbour of mine, Andy Connolly, a good friend of mine. For him to breed a winner here is brilliant. I told him on Monday morning, back this horse each-way, this horse will run well. I thought he’d love it here. He had a great run in Tramore last week when he finished fourth and I felt he was dead right for here. He loves to jump so this was perfect for him. I bought him handy enough and we brought him along. He’s good for the young fella and that’s what I bought him for. Billy gave him a good ride. He’s been around here two or three times so you had the experience, the horse and the man had, and you have to have that experience around Punchestown. Billy has been at Willie Mullins’s for the last two years and rode a bumper winner for him, Castlebawn West in Clonmel last month. Willie has been very good to him. Willie is good to everyone and I just rang him. I know him well but he said to send him up. Willie is great to us and we appreciate it. I have had some nice horses over the years. Strontium was a very good horse we had that won a few races and was just beaten in the two-and-a-half-mile Grade 1 novice hurdle by Ballygowan Beauty in 1998, with Ken Whelan on board. He loved it around Thurles, winning his bumper, his maiden hurdle and his beginner’s chase there, as well as the WT O’Grady Hurdle, which was a big win. Deerpark was a very consistent horse for us who won three times and was placed plenty more. We had a great day altogether when he won a premier handicap at the Curragh on Derby day. I don’t remember too much about that to be honest with you! Chris Hayes rode him that day and when he won in Gowran Park. Wayne Lordan won on him another time. I like to produce good young lads. I have had Donie McInerney, Adam McNamara, Jimmy Mansell, Keith Hadnett — two champion conditionals in there and all good lads. I love to see them going on and doing well in the game. Just Wait And See is in again Thursday and Saturday. I’ll have to see how he is but he’ll probably run again Thursday if everything is okay. He’s in good form anyway and likes it here so we might as well.
