I’M from Newmarket-on-Fergus in Co Clare. My dad was very involved with point-to-pointers and stuff like that. He worked with Aengus King for years. I started off with ponies at home and it went from there.

After doing my Junior Certificate, I left school and went to RACE. I was sent to work for Kevin Prendergast and became apprenticed to him. He was very good to me. I rode a winner for Kevin on my very first ride on the racecourse; Miss Cunning at Dundalk in August 2020.

It was a shock to the system really. It was mad. Having got that winner so early in my career, I then had to wait almost two years for the next to come along. I was unlucky with injuries for a while. I broke a lot of bones in between winners! It took a while for me to get going again.

Miss Cunning was also my second winner. By that time she had moved down to Aengus King. She was his first winner on the flat on her first run for the yard at Dundalk in February 2022. I was still based with Kevin Prendergast at that stage.

In September of that year I rode a Listowel Festival winner on Butterfly Garden for Kevin.

The same year, I had a couple of rides over hurdles on Capture The Drama for Aengus. The horse was nearing retirement by then but was a grand safe spin. Coming from a point-to-point background, I had always wanted to ride over jumps. I was too small and light for that though. Still, it was nice to get the opportunity from Aengus and to be able to say that I did it.

I had a good few rides but no winners in 2023. I moved on from Kevin Prendergast’s and was then apprenticed to John McConnell.

Long break

I didn’t ride at all last year. After breaking my collarbone in a fall at Naas, I was off for almost a year and a half and I gave birth during that time. But it was always on my mind to come back and race again. It bugged me that my last ride was a fall. I just didn’t want it to end like that.

The plan was just to come back for one or two. When it’s in the blood though it’s not that easy to give it up. I do it for the love of the game. Since I started back race-riding I have been based with Eddie and Patrick Harty on the Curragh. I can’t say enough good about them, to be honest. They have been so good to me, giving me every opportunity.

Over the years I’ve had a few good results at Dundalk. Bungle Inthedesert gave me my first winner back at that track for John McConnell in April. Although I don’t ride out there anymore John still supports me whenever he can. I’m very appreciative of that.

In May, I rode Omakase to win at Gowran Park for Paul Fahey. I was delighted with that one, as Paul has been very good to us. When we moved back up from home, Paul took us in and the Faheys have been like a second family to me. Paul’s son Aaron is a good friend and my partner Cian runs the yard.

I rode Areana to win twice for Eddie and Patrick Harty. She hadn’t been in the yard very long when I started. We didn’t know that much about her at first but she has been brilliant. She isn’t easy and takes a lot of work. I have Eddie and Patrick to thank for getting her right. I just do the steering.

Rain was another winner I rode for the Hartys at Galway last month. Like Areana, she also looked to benefit from a change of scenery. I’m very fortunate to find myself in a good yard. Eddie and Patrick tell you what you did wrong or right and help you to improve. Even if I ride for someone else Eddie will be on the phone straight after to discuss my ride.

I’ve also been doing a lot of work on the simulator with Niall McCullagh. Having a coach has definitely helped bring about improvement in my riding.

Last Tuesday at Cork I rode my sixth winner of the season on La Tulipe Noire at Cork. Riding another winner for Aengus King meant everything. He only does it for a hobby but has always been a loyal supporter. Aengus only has a handful of flat horses but puts me up on all of them. To be honest, he has kept me going over the years. I believe he only ran the flat horses to help keep my name on the racecard.

La Tulipe Noire had always worked really well at home but never brought that to the track. It was nice to finally see her put it all together; to show us that we weren’t wrong.

I’ve already had the best season of my career and hopefully there might be a few more winners to come. Looking ahead, I just want to pick up as many rides as I can, improve as a jockey and see where that takes me.

Jessica was in conversation with John O’Riordan.