I’VE been delighted with how things have gone since I took out an amateur licence towards the end of 2023. It gives you a meaning, something to get up for in the morning. I’ve been lucky enough to ride some really nice horses and, for some big name trainers. When someone said to me recently that I was really in the light, I replied that I’d spent long enough in the dark.

My mother was a social worker and dad a mechanic; so I had no background in racing. I got into ponies through Jill O’Gorman, who was in my class in school. The Griffin family, who bred Rocky Creek amongst others, were also neighbours of ours. I would have ridden ponies with both when I was younger. About 12, I started going in to local trainer James Sheehan.

I would only have been mucking out at first. It was over a year before I first sat on a racehorse. James was very good to me. He taught me how to ride properly and, basically everything about horses. After that, I kicked on and did pony racing from around 14 or 15. I would have ridden around 19 or 20 winners. I spent a bit of time with Jim Bolger in between. Again, it was James who arranged that.

In secondary school, I got the opportunity to over to Vicky Hancock in England during Christmas holidays. She got me in to Michael Bell’s to ride out. When it came time to return home, Mr. Bell asked if I would be interested in staying on as an apprentice. I told him it wasn’t me he should be asking but my mother. He went away and made a phone call, then came back and told me I was going home. It was only for a couple of days to pick up my things though!

Moving on

I really enjoyed my time with Michael Bell but I got heavy quickly, so it was never going to work out. I rode three winners during my stint as an apprentice, including a winner on my first ride on the track - Kylladdie for Steve Gollings on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket.

After a year and a half with Michael Bell, I came home. I was in and out of racing for a while. I worked in a factory with my uncle for a few months but I hated it. Then I went up to the Curragh, where I was apprenticed to Adrian Keatley for five or six months. I claimed off about a half dozen horses carrying big weights but without any success.

In August 2015, I moved to Australia. I spent two years out there, employed as a work rider on the flat. I met plenty of nice people in Australia and, rode for top trainers like Chris Waller.

It was all about clockwork over there, so I definitely improved as a rider. Once I returned from Australia, I didn’t ride a horse for three years. I became an apprentice electrician. To be honest, I hated that too! I think it was more about pleasing other people at the time. After I met my girlfriend Shannon, I gradually got back into racing. We went over to Nicky Henderson, where I rode out for seven or eight months.

I think it was while I was at Seven Barrows that I rediscovered my love for horses and the hunger returned. Mr. Henderson was very good to me and, I got on really well with Nico (de Boinville). I had intended to get out my licence again but then Shannon was pregnant and we decided to come home. When I got back, I would have ridden out breakers for a few months. With the hunger to race ride, I went ahead and took out an amateur licence in late 2023.

I had said that I was just doing it for a bit of craic but I was fooling nobody. Deep down, I am very competitive and I knew that if I was doing it, I was doing it properly.

Back on track

I had my first ride at Boulta in December and the following March rode my first winner on Can Daddy Dance at Borris for Johnny Hurley. I ended with riding a further two winners that first season. In October, I also rode my first jumps winner on the track, on Colin Motherway’s Pebble Bleu at Punchestown.

Last season proved to be a real breakthrough one for me. I thought that if everything went really well and I had luck on my side I might ride 10 winners. I ended up with 16. I rode plenty of work for different trainers and, that in turn led to them supporting me when it came to rides in point-to-points. I am also under no illusions that I enjoyed more than my fair share of luck. A few of the lads got injured and I was fortunate enough to step in for those rides. I was very lucky in that sense.

In April, I rode a treble at Dromahane. One of those winners, Bugs Moran, went on to give me another rules win when landing a hunter chase at Listowel in June. I was delighted when trainer Eugene O’Sullivan told me to go out and make it. Bugs Moran jumped great and I didn’t see another horse. Earlier this month, Bal Kauto became my third jumps winner when winning for Declan Queally at Kilbeggan. I was delighted to ride one for Declan, as he has been very good to me.

Both himself and Noel Meade have really supported me since I got going under rules. I also have to thank the local Cork and Waterford based point-to-point trainers who really helped kickstart it all by giving me the initial chances. They have all been very good to me and I appreciate everything that they have done. Given how my career has taken off again over the last year and a half, I’ve never for once doubted my decision to get back into racing.

Michael was in conversation with John O’Riordan.