Rory Mulligan

Dad (Paul Mulligan) was a jockey himself, and we always had ponies around the place - I was on them for as long as I can remember. I always rode different ones around the yard for dad. Then when I got a bit older, I started pony racing and I was mad keen to be a jockey. I suppose Colin Keane would have been my idol. He was always around at home because dad used to work for Colin's father Gerry. I always thought that I wanted to do the same as Colin. He would have given me tips on riding when I was pony racing. I was pony racing from about 10 to 16, but I missed a good bit of it with Covid-19. I could have missed two seasons because of that. I rode nine winners I think on ponies. I was only five and a-half stone and dad wouldn't let me ride the horses.

After covid, it was my last season pony racing, so I went at it to have a good year and had plenty of rides lined up. The first day I had nine rides and a few of them ran well as they were just getting fit. Then on the second meeting, I got a bad fall in the first race, and it put me out for the whole season. I got a bleed to the brain and lost the movement in my leg. It was a six-month recovery and thank God everything came back 100 per cent normal. I didn't remember any of it and I'm probably better off that way. I woke up in hospital a few days later and that's when it all really kicked off. The feeling in my leg came back quickly, my toes and movement of my foot took maybe a month to six weeks to come back. I was young at the time, and the main thing was getting the foot back working and to get back riding. I had never a second thought about getting back. It never comes back into my head at all now because I don't remember it.

That was always going to be my last season pony racing and I was intending to turn apprentice on the track. I was in Ger Lyons' at the time, I was there about two years and he was a big help to me and gave me plenty of good advice. I was riding out with Colin and Gary Carroll, Sam Ewing and all those good lads. I then signed on as apprentice to Pat Martin. I was still finishing the Leaving Cert in school and I wanted to get that done. Pat was giving me chances when I was only starting out and was teaching me plenty too. Pat was training for a good while and had some amount of winners. I was also able to get a few outside rides. I was mainly focusing on school at that stage, though. I finished my Leaving Cert in 2023. Pat was winding down a bit at that stage, so I moved on to Johnny Murtagh in the first week of December that year. I was actually speaking to Niall McCullagh in Dundalk one evening and he told me Johnny would be a good person to go to and that he would teach me plenty. I listened to Niall, thank God! Niall is my jockey coach and I am in with him once a week for a simulator lesson. I'm loving that, Niall is great and he looks after me well.

I was only in with Johnny two weeks and, on my first ride for him, I rode a winner on Daamberdiplomat at Dundalk, it all worked out well! It was unbelievable. There was a couple of us upsides going by the line at the finish. I was that used to finishing second and being placed that I couldn't believe it. Seamie Heffernan was beside me (on runner-up Dontspoilasale) and he told me that I won and I was happy cantering back. I went back to Kildare on my own in the car and I think I pulled in two or three times to watch the replay! Johnny always looks after me well. If I'm ever not up to scratch riding, he tells me. If I give something a good ride, he will tell me that too. He gives you confidence in yourself. I'm now riding out with Ben Coen, Jamie Powell Seamie and Niall as they are all in there. The work is unbelievable, it is all quality. Johnny organises it all and he knows the best way to do it. I'm now up to 32 winners. I had a winner on Rahmi in the Sovereign Path on Champions Weekend (Leopardstown, September) last year for Johnny. He's probably the best horse I have ridden yet. That was the big winner so far. Johnny had a few in the race and it was nice to come out on top. After I won that, Jonny brought me to Ascot to ride him again. He finished sixth that day (heritage handicap, October), but it was just unbelievable to get to Ascot.

My weight is good and I'm obviously claiming 5lb now, so the lightest I will have to do is 8st 2lb. I'm sitting around 8st 5lb most days, so I can do the weight easily. Johnny is my main trainer as I'm with him every day, but I'm free to ride for others whenever I can. I've had plenty of luck with outside rides so far. I'm riding loads of work for the likes of Diego Dias and John O'Donoghue down in the Curragh. I started off last season well and then I got a fall riding out at home and I fractured my fibula, so I was out for about five weeks. I struggled to get momentum going then for a while, but I suppose Champions Weekend got me back and the winners started coming. I finished off the season well and I won a premier handicap on Titanium on the final day (Curragh, November). I actually ride him in the Lincoln on the opening day on Sunday at the Curragh and I'm hoping he will have a good chance in that again. He loved the heavy ground on the last day of the season. I rode him up in Dundalk a few weeks ago and he should be fit.

I went to Australia for two months at the end of last year and I did plenty of track work for Robbie Griffiths. It is great riding off the clock. It is a completely different way of doing things and it gives you a good clock in your head. If you're making the running, you would have a better idea on how fast they go over a trip. Also, you could be sitting fifth or sixth and feel that the leader is going too quick, and that you're better off staying back. I'd love to go back out. I wasn't able to get a licence out there because you need to have 40 winners ridden. I suppose I've eight more to go. Hopefully, we get a few more than eight this season. It is one goal, though. I'd love to get racing out there and it would stand to you when you come back to Ireland. Robbie said I would have got rides off him if I had the licence. I would probably go back to him, he looked after me well.

A long-term goal is to ride out my claim. I'm just down to my 5lb claim now. Hopefully, I will be in contention for champion apprentice this year, and ride as many winners as possible, and maybe a few more premier handicaps. I was planning on going for the champion apprentice title last year, but I was out too long injured. Hopefully, I stay sound this year and get a good run at it. Jamie Powell won it when he was signed on to Johnny, so it can be done. Johnny is a big help but, if I can get a few outside winners as well, it should give me a chance. I love working in the Irish racing industry. I get on great with most of the jockeys and am good friends with them. Johnny's is a great place to work and there are nice people around the place. I love riding horses and it isn't really a job when you love it.

Rory was in conversation with Michael Graham.

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About Michael Graham

Michael has worked in horse racing journalism for more than 15 years, having also written a weekly betting column on Gaelic football and hurling for a newspaper. He is involved in writing the My Racing Story features on this website. He spent a year in South Africa completing a Diploma in Business Administration and also studied Newspaper Journalism in Belfast. He enjoys playing 5-a-side football on a regular basis.

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