AS assistant trainer to Ger Lyons, part of my job involves travelling with our international runners. Over the last 20 years, the yard has gone from strength to strength, attracting a nicer calibre of horse, as well as some of the leading owners and breeders in the world. This weekend, I’m in Newmarket with Red Letter, who represents us in the 1000 Guineas tomorrow.

I wasn’t born into a family steeped in racing or anything like that. My mother Antoinette always had a hunter, so my brother Ronnie and myself were part of the Ward Union pony club from an early age. We have been childhood friends with the Geraghtys in Pelletstown, so most weekends and summer holidays were spent with Bea and Tucker and family. Donie Fahy, another good friend of ours, was always with us too. Ross, Norman and Barry were all riding at the time. I rode in a couple of local pony races with Sascha (Geraghty), but that was as far as it went.

Growing up on the Fairyhouse Road in Ratoath, I met Nina Carberry in school and we’ve been friends ever since. Fairyhouse and the Irish Grand National is a massive event locally. My first proper memory of that was my dad Ron bringing us to see Desert Orchid win. I started off riding out for local trainer Andy Lynch, who was just down the road in Dunshaughlin. Andy, Sneezy Foster, Joanna Morgan and Shane Donohoe were a big help to me during my riding days.

First winner

I rode my first point-to-point winner on King Of Killeen for Andy Lynch and my first winner under rules was for Tucker Geraghty on How Ironic in a hunters chase in Gowran. I also rode King Of Killeen to win that same afternoon for Gerry Keane; my first double. I later won a handicap chase on him at the Punchestown Festival, so he was a very good horse to me.

I rode out for plenty of different people in those years. In 2004, I started going in to Ger, as I wanted a base locally. He was getting bigger at the time and it was a nice place to have. Ger had some really nice flat horses, which helped keep me fit and tidied up my style. One of my best days as an amateur came when My Cool Lady won a bumper at the Punchestown Festival for Sneezy in 2010.

That was a great day, as I had been with her from the early days of my riding career. A few years before that, I had won the Conyngham Cup at the Festival on Kings Glen for Tommy Carberry. It was nice to win in the colours made famous by Bobbyjo.

Tommy and my dad, who was also there on the day, have both passed on since. Two bumper winners at the Curragh and a couple of flat winers on the beach at Laytown for Ger and Eddie Lynam were other highlights. In all, I rode over 100 winners.

Injuries

Over the years, I suffered my fair share of injuries. I did my knee a couple of times but after a cruciate injury I struggled to get back going. After an operation, I was out of action for six or eight months. Ger asked me if I would travel to Dubai that winter with our runners and that sort of became the path I took after that. I went full-time in the yard.

I liked the responsibility and everything that goes with it when taking horses aboard. You meet a lot of great people along the way. I’ve been assistant trainer for nearly 10 years now. We have a great team here in Glenburnie; myself, Martin, Shane and Kerri have been here forever really! We all know what has to be done to keep everything running smooth for the boss.

It has been amazing to watch the yard grow over the last two decades. Every year, we have gotten bigger and that, in turn, has led to a nicer type of horse. We have been very lucky to attract some big owner/breeders like Juddmonte and Newtown Anner to name a couple.

You just never know where the next good horse will come from. I think that’s what makes it so exciting, particularly at this early stage of the season when dreams are still very much alive.

It was a nice surprise when Ger and Kerri nominated me for the Godolphin Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards. That in itself meant a lot, but to actually be named one of the winners was a real bonus.

Like anyone, it’s lovely to be recognised and appreciated for the work that you do, firstly by your boss and, secondly, by your peers. Godolphin and the Irish Stable Staff Association deserve great credit for sponsoring the awards which prove very popular within the industry.

Andrew was in conversation with John O’Riordan.