Josh Halford on landing his first Grade 1 - 'I nearly fell off, the feeling just goes out of your body'

Josh Halford, a 20-year-old jockey and son of former brilliant trainer and current Joseph O'Brien representative Michael Halford, enjoyed the biggest moment of his young career when landing the Grade 1 bumper at the Punchestown Festival aboard With Nolimit , a 14/1 chance trained by Gordon Elliott and owned by Gigginstown Stud.

Speaking to Niall Tierney of IrishRacing.com, he reflected on the whirlwind of that day, the surreal feeling of success, and the people who helped him along the way, while also casting an eye toward what lies ahead.

It was a pleasure speaking to Josh who mentioned during the call he had the replay of the race on in the background and I think the 16.50 event last Wednesday evening will live long in the famous Halford household

When did you find out you had a ride in the race?

I was riding out in Gordons and it was half eleven, and I had a missed call and a text off Alex Hutter in the office. She said she was putting me up in the Grade 1 bumper, so I rang her to double-check. And she said that I was up on With Nolimit.

To be honest with you, the first thing that came to mind was whether he was even going to run, because the O’Learys already had two horses in it and they don’t tend to always run them.

I didn’t want to get ahead of myself and I just didn’t want to believe it, you know. I was honoured, to be honest with you, but I was excited as well.

I met two good pals of mine that I was in school with before I went, and we kind of got dreaming. Then I drove to the racing, and everything only really felt real when I got on him.

You always seemed comfortable throughout the race, could you believe how well you were going?

When we jumped off, I had Harry Swan beside me and Rob James in front of me, and I knew Rob was going to be handy. I just tracked him the whole way.

Turning in, I saw Declan Lavery beside me, and I couldn’t have been happier to see anyone else there, to be honest with you.

Even then, it still didn’t feel real. I’ve played it over a hundred times in my head since it happened.

There were so many moments where I could have made the wrong decision, but for once, I made all the right ones. It was just great. Even afterwards, I didn’t believe it.

It genuinely felt like a movie, everything went quiet for a few seconds, and then you realise what’s just happened.

Coming up the straight, I didn’t even get excited. Normally I might feel it building near the finish, but I didn’t this time because I just didn’t believe I’d be able to ride a Grade 1 winner.

I’ve never been as cool on a horse in my life, because you’re not expected to go and win a race like that. When I passed the line, everything went quiet again for a few seconds, and then it hit me.

You always think that if you win a Grade 1 you’ll have some sort of celebration ready, but that was the last thing on my mind. I nearly fell off - the feeling just goes out of your body.

When did it start to sink in that you had just ridden a Grade 1 winner at 20 years old?

The most surreal moment was when Katie Walsh came over with the microphone. It’s such an iconic part of it, a Grade 1 race on RTe, and you always think, I’d love that to be me one day. When I saw her coming over, I got a bit emotional.

That’s when it really sank in. It just felt mad. The whole thing is still very surreal. When I won on Ballyfad twice this season, I thought that was my peak for the season and that it couldn’t get any better than that.

I didn’t expect something like this to come along.

You spoke about the support you have received throughout your career so far, tell me more about that?

As an amateur, you don’t really have agents looking after you a whole pile but Gary Cribbin has been a great help to me, I have to make a lot of the calls myself. There are plenty of people I owe thanks to.

First of all, Mam and Dad. I grew up showjumping, and they put so much time, effort and money into getting us good ponies and proper training.

My childhood in show jumping was magical, and it always felt like racing was where I’d end up. That background was a huge help starting off.

Gordon has backed me from day one since I finished school, so I owe him everything. The O’Learys have been brilliant this season as well, giving me every chance.

And Enda Bolger has been a massive support, he lets me ride most of his point-to-pointers, and that experience has been vital in helping me learn.

Gordon is brilliant for giving young riders opportunities, isn't he?

You don’t get opportunities like that everywhere. Gordon is known for giving young riders a chance, and you can see it in the likes of Danny Gilligan, Sam Ewing, Jack Kennedy and Jordan Gainford.

If you’re not given those chances, it’s very hard to make it. He really puts his neck on the line for young riders, and it means the world to repay that faith.

You need days like that in every jockey’s career. When you look at other riders, you can always picture their big moment - their standout day.

Whether it’s Danny Gilligan in the Galway Plate or the big wins Jack Kennedy has had, everyone has their moment. To have one now myself, where people might say I was good on that day, means so much. It’s something I’ll remember forever.

Punchestown made it even more special. It’s local to me, and I’ve had so many firsts there - my first ride, my first winner, my first fall, everything.

To ride my first Grade 1 winner there is just class.

Even though Mam and Dad couldn’t be there, I had friends and family around me - the Costello family, my good friend Cian Reilly and others and that made it really special.

We all grew up together and a lot of the lads wanted to be jockeys. Most of them are still riding, and I’m probably the only one mad enough to keep pushing at it.

To share a day like that with them was magic.

You mentioned after the race that you are going to turn conditional soon?

It was always the plan to stay amateur for another season.

Around the time of the Troytown, I thought it would do no harm to get another year under my belt, and it’s turned out to be the best decision I’ve made.

The point-to-point scene is brilliant, and the experience you get there is invaluable. I still have a lot to learn, but I’m really looking forward to what’s ahead.

Riding a winner like that can only help. I’ve never really set specific goals, I’ve always just wanted to get better.

If you improve, the rides and the winners will come. That way, I don’t put too much pressure on myself. I just focus on what I can control.

I’m hungry for more. I want the next winner as much as anyone. But in this game, you have to stay level-headed.

Riding a Grade 1 winner at 20 takes a bit of pressure off as well, it’s a big one to get on the board early. It still doesn’t feel real. You see the newspapers with ‘Grade 1’ beside your name and a picture of you holding the cup, and it feels like a joke.

But it’s not - it’s real. And I’m just going to enjoy every second of it.