Oisín Orr The race to be champion apprentice is going down to the wire but I can assure you I’m not getting stressed about it at all. There’s no point. It won’t get you anywhere. The fact of the matter is that I’m in bonus territory now. It has been my best year ever, in every way imaginable, in terms of winners and getting my first group victories so while it would be great to be champion again, having done it two years ago, I won’t be overly disappointed if Andrew Slattery holds on. We are good friends and we have had a good bit of craic about it. It is funny the way that we have both gotten great support from Dermot Weld and that has propelled us both forward. Mr Weld has been brilliant from the very start. I think it was my agent Kevin O’Ryan and Pat Smullen that put a word in for me with him and it couldn’t have gone better. Kevin is actually Andrew’s agent as well so we give him a bit of slagging, asking him is he favouring one of us over the other. He has been a big part in the way my career has gone and again, is very fair. I won the champion apprentice title two years ago with 20 winners and before racing in Dundalk tonight I’m on 41 and two behind! That says a lot for Andrew but again, it shows that it has been a brilliant season for me. Last year was a little more difficult. It always is when your claim drops and you’re not as attractive to outside trainers in particular. But this year started very well and the momentum just kept going. Imaging has been great for me. I won a Listed race on him at Leopardstown at the beginning of April and 10 days later, we won the Gladness Stakes. To win a Group 3 was just a great feeling. The following month I won another Group 3, the Amethyst Stakes on Hazapour. Mr Weld has given me so many opportunities in races like that. Riding good horses gives you confidence and so does riding in Group races. They are completely different types of races, with the best operations represented. It’s different tactics, different pace and to be able to get a couple of them in the locker this year is great. Whatever happens over the last two days of the Flat season, I am going to head for warmer climes. The last few years I have stayed around and put weight on so this year, I’m going to go to Australia. I know Robbie Dolan, who was champion apprentice in Sydney last season and is doing so well, and a few more of the Irish lads over there. I have no job lined up but am just going to go over and ride work for anyone that wants me and see what happens. It will be better to be busy and to get a bit of nice weather too. Hopefully I’ll be a bit lighter coming back and raring to go. That’s the plan anyway. Will I be coming back having been champion apprentice? I’m up against it now. At one stage I was 15 ahead and now I’m two behind. That’s a credit to Andrew as I said already but I have five rides in Dundalk tonight, most of them favourite or second favourite. I have a good book at Naas on Sunday too so by no means am I giving up. I’ll definitely give it a rattle and after the last race, what will be will be. It has been a season to remember.
