Ben Coen

I'm 20 and from Killusty in Co Tipperary. My mother's brother, Andrew Slattery, is the racehorse trainer. I grew up around the yard and, when I was nine, I started riding the pony that was in the yard. Then I started trotting a few racehorses and started riding out. I started pony racing when I was 11. (Jockey) Billy Lee's mother used to let me ride a 12.2h pony called Biscuit, she was actually the one that got me started pony racing. It took me a couple of years to get going in the pony racing, but my last couple of years were good so I got a very good grounding out of it. It stood to me when I started riding on the track.

I always kind of had an interest in being a jockey but, when I was really young, I was kind of more interested in football and soccer. Just being around the yard, I got interested in racing and riding out the pony. Andrew Slattery (jnr) and I were apprenticed to his dad Andrew Slattery. We used to ride out one lot before school and then the two of us would head into school. It was great as were taught a lot from riding the breezers and riding work. After a few months, the two of us were nearly riding all the horses. It was an unbelievable place to start, I learned a lot down there.

The first winner was always the best, that day on Timia for Keith Clarke in Dundalk in November 2017 is a day I will never forget. I got a great kick out of my first Group-race winner (Know It All in a Group 3 at Leopardstown in July 2020 for Johnny Murtagh). That was my first year at Johnny's actually going in a couple of days a week to him. It was great to do it at Leopardstown for him. I was still going in to Andrew's a day a week until last year. We are just that busy in Johnny's at the minute that I just couldn't go down to Andrew's this year.

It was a great opportunity and I jumped at it the minute he said it to me (to be number one jockey for Murtagh's yard in January 2021). I suppose I was riding a good bit from the year before - myself and Shane Kelly were sharing the rides. I was very excited to start. Johnny's a great tactician for races and I suppose when I go over to England, he knows all those tracks. Some of them I haven't ridden at yet. All I need to do is ask him and he will tell me everything I need to know. He talked me through Ascot and he said the best way to ride it, and gave me a few pointers going out to ride Create Belief in the Sandringham Stakes at Royal Ascot last year. To have that kind of advice at your fingertips is brilliant. Johnny is big on confidence, he is always trying to fill you with confidence, help you, and try and improve you the whole time. He is good at teaching people.

I won the Ebor and the Irish St Leger last year on Sonnyboyliston, so he has been a very good horse for us. It was great to get that first Group One in the first year I was retained by Johnny. For it to be a Classic, in the Curragh on Champions Weekend, as well was the icing on the cake. I rode the horse quite a bit so, before the Irish St Leger, Johnny said 'you know the horse and just do what you think'. He's a fairly straightforward horse anyway. That gives you even more confidence when the trainer has confidence in you. It is different to any other race after passing the line, it is hard to probably explain - you get some kick out of it alright. I'm really looking forward to getting back on him (this season). I'm not sure where he is going, but I suppose the definite plan is to try and get him back to the Curragh for Leger weekend. He seems in good form at home.

Raadobarg is a horse to look forward to. He likes a bit of soft ground, so we are looking forward to when the rain comes for him. He's in good shape at home. I suppose he would feel like a Stakes horse, the Irish Lincoln was very competitive and the horse he beat in Tipperary the last day (Lust) has come out and won a Listed race. He has the form to be a Stakes horse. One For Bobby is an exciting filly, she won her maiden in Gowran Park and came out and won a very competitive conditions race at the same track. She has plenty of options and I'm looking forward to riding her.

I'd obviously love to be champion jockey but I'd just like to keep improving and get better rides in good races, keep riding winners and keep getting better the whole time. My brother Jake has signed on to Joseph O'Brien and he's still at school, it's nice to see him doing well.