WORLD Of Fortunes is a mare who will always mean a lot to me. I rode my final winner on her at Wexford three years ago and, last month, she was my first as a trainer when winning a listed race at Kelso. I only have two horses for the track, so to have one as good as her is brilliant starting off. She might run at the Punchestown Festival next, but if not, there is also a suitable race for her at Ayr.

Dad had been training point-to-pointers since around 2004 or 2005. A couple of years after, he took out a restricted licence to run a few under Rules. I learned how to ride from my father.

We never had any more than 10 or 15 for point-to-points. It was a small family-run operation and some years we didn’t have anything at all to run on the track.

I hunted with the Island Foxhounds here in Gorey and right through into my mid-teens I did a massive amount of show jumping. I reached a relatively high level, competing at the RDS for four or five years in a row.

At 17, I took out my amateur licence. I was fortunate enough to have an ideal schoolmaster in Vital Plot. Our Henrietta was my first winner at Killeagh in January 2017. I rode two further winners on the mare that season.

After I finished in school, I spent a summer with Joseph O’Brien. In January of the following year, I starting working for Colin Bowe.

I was with Colin for five years and he was really good to me. I rode out for him in the mornings, before helping Dad at home in the afternoon.

Colin also supported me by sending me horses to pre-train. Linking up with Colin also helped me progress as an amateur. I rode 39 point-to-point winners and shared the western title with Barry O’Neill and Rob James in 2020/’21.

I rode nine winners on the track. World Of Fortunes won her first three starts over hurdles when Jordan Gainford rode.

Having retired from riding, I had been helping my dad with the training for the last two years. Towards the end of last year, we decided that it was the right time for me to get the licence out in my own name.

Crystal Gold was my first runner, when finishing third in a Punchestown maiden hurdle in November.

I couldn’t have wished for a better first winner than World Of Fortunes.

While they all count no matter what the grade, winning a listed race was brilliant.

To do so on a Saturday in a big race in England, made it extra special. With my friend Jordan (Gainford) in the saddle, I couldn’t have asked for anything else.

Two weeks earlier, I had sent out my first point-to-point winner when The Orphan Girl won at Tyrella. Her jockey, Graham Devitt, was also riding his first-ever winner.

World Of Fortunes will get a couple of entries at the Punchestown Festival next month. If she doesn’t run there, I also have my eye on a mares’ handicap hurdle at Ayr on Scottish National day.

Crystal Gold will most likely have her next run at Cork over Easter.

I have about 20 in at the moment and our aim would be for them to win their point and sell them on. I wouldn’t rule out taking in one or two more for the track, if a nice horse came along.

My dad has always been a huge help and continues to be. I can’t thank him enough for his support.

Darragh Brennan, who worked for Dad, is also a massive help. As is Ross Sugrue, who rides the majority of our point-to-point horses. He comes in to ride out once a week.

My girlfriend, Holly O’Shaughnessy, is also a great help around the yard when she isn’t working.

James was in conversation with John O’Riordan.