"Pressure is what keeps you going" - trainer Cian Collins on his journey as a trainer In an exclusive interview with BOYLE Sports, 27-year-old, up and coming Irish trainer Cian Collins opens up about his journey in racing, including six formative years working under trainer Gordon Elliott. Already a Cheltenham Festival-winning trainer with Jazzy Matty, who claimed the Grand Annual at Prestbury Park earlier this year, Collins reflects on the lessons that have shaped him, shares his plans for the upcoming Leopardstown Christmas Festival and his thoughts on next year’s Cheltenham Festival. I learned plenty at Gordon Elliott’s yard - the biggest thing was learning why he’d send horses to England I rode out for Gordon for five years after my accident when I broke my back in a fall when I was 18, I always watched closely what was going on. I would watch Gordon a lot, I like the way he runs his horses. Probably the biggest thing I learned was how we travelled to England with horses; ones that couldn't win in Ireland. We’d bring them over to England and they could win a race over there which would be a big thing. You’d learn plenty at Gordon’s. It was a great place to learn. One of my first ones was Diego's Way. He never won a race in Ireland, but he won in Bangor one day, so he was one of my first winners in England. Gordon’s not afraid to run them and they usually win. He wins a lot of races with often average horses, horses that others might think aren’t good enough, Gordon will find a race for them to win. That is one of Gordon's great strengths, looking at options. He sent them over quite a lot. It's a big thing that he does and that's how he got going. I’ve been trying to do something similar. He's totally self-made and you've got to admire what he's done. He was very easy to work for. As long as you do the job right, he’s happy! Elliott’s yard is top-class and it is great to see Jack Kennedy doing so well in the saddle as well He's [Elliott] unbelievable. The yard at Cullentra and the gallops are top class and he’s getting the results. He had a four-timer at Cork at the weekend all ridden by Jack Kenendy. It could have been a five timer but one fell when going to win. He was very unlucky. It must be pleasing to see Jack doing so well considering all the hardships and injuries he’s been through. He’s a brilliant jockey who deserves everything that comes his way. Not many like him. I’m not so sure I am the coming man in the training sphere - but I am happy enough I'm not so sure about that! But we're trying anyway. I took out my licence when I was 24. It kind of just happened automatically really; I pre-trained the horses for Gordon and then step by step started training my own. That’s how it started. It’s fine. You’re better off doing it younger than when you’re older. You’re more able for it. It’s going okay, so I'm happy enough. Probably [have any regrets about his riding career ending too soon]. But riding is a tough game, maybe I am better off doing what I am doing now. You've got both feet on the ground. So, I am happy with where I am! There is a lot more that goes into training than there is into riding I find there is a lot more work to training than when I was riding - a lot more responsibility and it’s harder. I don’t really mind the pressure at all though. If anything, pressure is what keeps you going. You’re dealing with the owners one on one, and you have to deal with them and deal with the ups and downs of it all so that's probably the number one thing. Jazzy Matty winning at Cheltenham was a fairytale and we were very hopeful beforehand That was brilliant, unbelievable to get that with Jazzy Matty - it was a fairytale really. We were very hopeful to be honest with you. We would have been more disappointed if it didn't happen. We were very confident going over as you could be with a Cheltenham runner. So, we were delighted when it worked out. We got him in the Caldwell horses in training dispersal sale in 2024, the one where Caldwell Potter went for a fortune. I had my eye on Jazzy Matty and we got him for €50,000. He’d won for Gordon at Cheltenham (in 2023). Things didn’t work out for him in the Galway Plate this summer, but he has three wins in eight starts over fences. He’s a flagbearer for us and he's just back in from a break. He will have a run somewhere at the end of January or early February and then go back to Cheltenham again. You'd hope it would help you along and even down the road too. Not too many people have trained a Cheltenham Festival winner, so it's to have that on the CV. It is difficult competing against the mega yards in Ireland You have to just try and get the best out of every horse. It is difficult, but it's all about the horses really. You have to have the quality to be able to compete and it’s just about trying to find the next Jazzy Matty really. I'd like to get better quality horses in the yard. Maybe keep the numbers similar enough, but get the quality up. There are opportunities to get horses at a reasonable price but it’s not easy. Everybody wants the same. It is very hard to get the quality. You need the owners to be able to be able to buy them. We're very lucky, we're very good owners and very nice people that have patience and they’re great to have. We’re always looking for anything that has ability really. It's tough but with a bunch of good owners it makes it a lot easier. Gordon is really putting it up to Willie Mullins this season I think Gordon is putting it up to him. But Willie really does have the quality and the top class horses, so it is very tough for anyone to compete for him. Gordon is putting it up to him more this year than he has in other years. I think it would mean an awful amount for him to win the Irish trainers’ title. That’s what he's dreaming of and maybe one day he will get it. I think he will. Over in Britain, the Skeltons are really on the scene this year so it could be tough for Willie to win the Championship over there again especially with the amount of runners the Skeltons have at the moment. Why I was forced to stop riding I was 18 and I broke my back. But I kept working and I wasn't long getting over it. I had to stop riding though on medical grounds. At the moment, fortunately not [suffering discomfort]. But on and off you’ll notice it the odd time. I don't feel too much pressure really as a trainer, it is more excitement than pressure. I don't find the pressure too much. The horses from my yard I am most excited about this season Jazzy Matty is number one but there's a few nice ones there; Katie Daniels is a nice one as well. She likes soft ground and won a maiden hurdle at Fairyhouse last month. Sopelana is a nice three year old and has run a few nice races. There are plenty of young horses there that haven't run yet. I am looking forward to next year. The Leopardstown Christmas Festival is amazing - and the best horse usually wins It’s amazing. It is brilliant racing. The quality is brilliant. Even if you don’t have a runner, it is great to watch. All the best horses go there and take each other on. That produces great racing and it’s brilliant to see. It is a great track. The best horse normally wins. The festival is getting bigger every year. Definitely more horses are aimed specifically at Leopardstown, maybe more than they used to be when the aim was only about Cheltenham. But Cheltenham is the main deal! Galopin Des Champs’ win there two years ago is my favourite Leopardstown memory. The atmosphere is great. Leopardstown for me is second only to Cheltenham. The HRI has got things right with the festivals in Ireland. The timings, the racing, it all fits well. You definitely get a good few pointers from what wins at Leopardstown and how that might influence Cheltenham. It would be great if more British runners came over. I am not sure why they don’t come over more often. Looking ahead to the big races at the Festival Kopek Des Bordes in the Novice Chase. He was unbelievable last time out and his jumping was brilliant. He is one to look forward to. But to be honest Romeo Coolio was the one I’ve been most impressed with. He was absolutely brilliant at Fairyhouse. Jack [Kennedy] never looked in doubt, and I can't wait to see him run again. I am not sure if Romeo Coolio is going two miles or three miles. If he does go two miles, then I think he will be a very classy horse. The Arkle would be an obvious choice. Brighterdaysahead might take on Lossiemouth in the Cheltenham Festival Champion Hurdle from what I am hearing Yes. And I think Brighterdaysahead might go for it as well from what I am hearing from Gordon. So that’ll be a good match between them if they both turn up. In the Faugheen Novice Steeplechase, Final Demand will go at Limerick. He was very impressive at Navan and will go to the Champion Hurdle I’d imagine. I’ll be looking forward to seeing him back out. Inothewayurthinkin is the one to beat in the Savills Chase Maybe Gavin Cromwell's horse Inothewayurthinkin might improve from Punchestown. He could well be the one to beat at Leopardstown. Then there’s Fastorslow, Galopin des Champs, any number of good ones. It’ be a great race to watch but Gavin’s would be the one I am going for. What about the good horses from England you’ve seen? Paul Nicholls has a good one in No Drama This End. People saying he could be another Denman. Lulamba is a possible Champion Hurdle horse for Nicky Henderson and the Skeltons have got any amount of talent now as well. Mydaddypaddy looks pretty good. There's a lot of really good horses. But it's a bit early to tell. I'd like to see them in their next races and who they take on, maybe at Christmas time, and be able to say then what we’re up against. What I would change in racing More prize money would be number one and then maybe more low grade races. There are a lot of low grade horses in Ireland and in England. It might work better if there was more low grade racing for them. Every owner that wins would be delighted, and then they’d want to keep their horse in training. So, I think if there's more chances for the low grade horses it would work better for the owners and trainers.
