Joey Sheridan on his first Royal win: 'Every jockey in that weigh room makes me better' Joey Sheridan spoke to Niall Tierney and reflected on a breakthrough Royal Ascot winner, riding for Joseph O'Brien, and the competitive nature of Irish racing. My first Royal Ascot winner aboard Kizlyar in the Ascot Stakes It was brilliant. Ascot is where you want to be, especially when you're riding for Joseph. It's a big privilege and nice to be getting the job done. I suppose when they've never run over that trip, and to be fair it's a mammoth trip (2m3f), until you get into the last two furlongs you don't know what will happen. He's a great ride, he's genuine and he relaxes very well. We got out into a lovely position early and didn't have to spend energy the whole way around. We went even and it suited to be on the front end and it worked out well. I had ridden Defiantly (2nd) in Killarney on his last start and I knew him well, and I knew that trip would definitely suit him anyways. He'd want that trip, so I knew he would take me as far as I needed to. I had a feeling I was up. I thought I was, but look, sometimes you don't know how those decisions can go and I've been on the wrong side of a good few photo finishes. But it was a nice feeling when they said number 20 was the winner! The magic of riding a winner at Ascot It's a magical place, Ascot. It's the flat jockeys' Cheltenham, so to get a winner there was unbelievable and it was lovely to be a part of it. It's a big privilege to be riding for Joseph O'Brien. He's an absolute gentleman and a pleasure to work with. It's one of the nicest training facilities in the world and it's lovely being on the hill. I've ridden some really nice horses for him and I'm hopeful I'll continue to do that. An emotional win for the owners I know Mikey and Andrew Heffernan quite well and I've ridden a good bit for them in the past. It was special for Margaret as well as she had lost her husband 12 weeks ago and it was a special week for the family. Margaret said to me she hadn't been having much luck of late, but it was a privilege to ride for them. They are lovely, kind people and the family actually know my grandfather Joe Sheridan very well. Margaret's father Ben would have been very good friends with my grandfather. I think he opened the Dunnes Stores in Westmeath for Ben Dunne. I have a cigar case that Ben Dunne gifted my grandfather when he opened the Dunnes Stores in Mullingar. My auntie Mary gifted it to me that on the day I was born and I have the cigar case in my racing bag for some luck. It just shows it's a small world and it made it that bit more extra special that my first Royal Ascot winner was for them. Involvement with the O'Brien yard is special It mightn't mean much to some people, but I got an unbelievable kick out of seeing Thundering On with the Oaks. Having won on her in Navan and seeing her progress was great. It's lovely to be associated with these quality horses. James J Braddock is the same. He ran a lovely race in the Epsom Derby and I'll be shouting for him in the Irish Derby. He's part-owned by Kevin Blake and he's a genius. Ever since I started riding for Joseph, Kevin has been a great help to me. It's really nice to have those people in your corner, it's what you need. They have a lot more experience in the game than I have. I love getting advice from people. It's nice to be associated with them. Denis Hogan is always looking out for me It's great to ride for Denis. He's been very good to me and he's always been there for me. I started out for him. He's a very decent fella and he's like Joseph, they are both gentlemen. They are a pleasure to work with. I rode my first winner for Denis and ever since he's just put me up on the whole yard and it's a nice yard to be with. He gets plenty of winners and it helps me numerically every year as it's important to keep getting the winners. Ireland produces the very best riders There are a lot of seriously talented riders in Ireland. If you look at the top 10, they are world-class riders. I think everyone makes each other better. You have to constantly be up on your game. There's never a moment's rest around anywhere in Ireland. It's quite cut-throat and tight, but you wouldn't like it to be any other way. You never rest on your laurels, you're always trying to better yourself. Every jockey in that weigh room makes me better anyways, and you just have to keep upping your game.
