Hopes high for Alderwood return

We have some competitive action this weekend in racing with the conclusion of the 2026 Royal Ascot meeting, and we also have the Ulster Oaks and Derby in Down Royal.

Our editor Vincent Finegan is enjoying a fine run of tipping form having flagged up plenty of winners in our weekly newsletter this Flat season.

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!