Jessica O'Gorman delighted with her Derby weekend winner: 'I was quite shocked to get the call' Those keeping an eye on the finale at the Curragh last Saturday would have checked their racecards and noticed that regular stable jockey Shane Foley was not on the 11/1 shot Suspicious Mindz, and that 7lb claimer Jessica O'Gorman was given the leg up instead. It proved to be a brilliant move, as the jockey, who has made a really good start to her career over the last couple of seasons, looked a natural in the closing stages when Dylan Browne McMonagle and the Joseph O'Brien-trained Starborn Legend came to land the spoils but were denied by O'Gorman and the Jessica Harrington-trained son of Bated Breath. Speaking to Niall Tierney of IrishRacing.com, Jessica outlined a bit about her recent success and her ambitions for the future. My winner at the Curragh on Derby weekend Saturday was brilliant. I was delighted that Shane Foley put me forward for the ride. To ride a winner on Derby weekend is just a great feeling. I was quite shocked to get the call. I'm still learning and I have a long way to go, but to see one of the senior jockeys think that I would be able for it and that I can do the job is a great vote of confidence for me. Before the race, Jessica (Harrington) said to me to jump out and let him rock and not to get too much involved with him, and it seemed to work to my advantage anyway. My racing brain is why I ride winners For me, I think it's my head that gets me my winners. I wouldn't say I'm the most polished or stylish rider, but I feel like I have a good racing brain and it plays a big part in my success. I used to ride before and you'd nearly be in the weigh room on your own, but now it's so much better. There's more female riders and we're all friends. There's normally about five of us there every day and we're all supportive of each other. It's great to see the girls getting chances and success as well because it is quite a hard game. A lot of trainers have been very good recently to put us up on horses and it's just great. Hartys and Fahey have been my biggest support At the minute, I'm in Eddie and Patrick Harty's every Monday to Saturday, every week, but I'd ride work for some other trainers. I'm very lucky to have the support to ride for the Hartys, and they have put me on board so far and seem to use me a lot and keep using me, so I am delighted. Paul Fahey is brilliant. He's more family to me, and it's been great to get such a good tune out of Our Lucky Lady. We ran her a few times last season and it was disappointing, so they sent her hurdling and it seemed to help her mind. It was great to get the two wins on her this season. She's a tricky horse and she's not simple at all, so it's brilliant that Paul thinks I have the ability to ride her, and that's great. I can't thank him enough. Hopefully the success with her can continue. Great camaraderie in the weigh room When I was growing up, I never had it in my head that I wanted to be a jockey. I didn't sit on a racehorse till I went to race, and then I wanted to go point-to-pointing, which was in my head. I suppose in the weigh room we thrive with each other. When one of them rides a winner, we just say, 'Oh, I'll beat you the next time,' and we have the laugh and play off each other, which is great fun and a great help too. We've a great weigh room. It's a tough job. Something can happen so quickly in a race. Some horses aren't easy and you have to be always on the ball, and we have to keep each other safe and mind each other. It's a positive thing that we all have a good relationship and we can look out for each other. If someone's in bother, you'll do your best to help them out. It's great that they are so helpful and kind. A big handicap winner among my goals Even the senior jockeys, I've noticed this year, are a lot more helpful with us girls that are coming through, so it is nice to have that support. You want to take their advice. They have been there on the big stage, so it's a big help to us. We don't want to be getting in people's way. The aim for the season is to ride a big handicap winner. That would be one of my goals. I just want to keep getting as many winners as I can and as many rides. I want to keep improving and getting experience, but a big handicap winner would definitely be a highlight if I could get it.
