LIKE anyone with ambitions of becoming a jockey, since I was very young I’ve dreamt of my first ride and my first winner. I never for a moment thought that both would come in the same race.

Alaskan View, trained by my grandfather, Willie, made all those dreams a reality when winning the bumper at Tramore last Friday evening. To be honest, even now it still doesn’t seem real.

I’ve been into horses from as early as I can remember. My father, Michael, was a jockey, rode in America and the whole lot.

With my grandfather training, I’d have been helping out around the yard from a young age. I’d loved it and spent every weekend and bit of time off school that I could down there.

I learned how to ride on a pony around four or five, but after that it was all the racehorses. I never did any pony club or flapping. For me, it was all about the big horses.

Trading Up, a chesnut we got off Jim Bolger, was the first racehorse I ever sat on. He was still in training at the time, but was a great ride for me starting off.

After that I moved on to riding horses like Time Stands Still, Bright Flame, Tio Esteban and Jazzy Dancer. For a small yard, my grandfather has had some nice horses over the last few years.

Plans on hold

We had a plan all set up, that I would get my licence at 16, ride in a few bumpers, then go jumping. However, after my brother Conor had his accident last year, those plans were put on hold.

Understandably, my father wanted to make sure I gained as much experience as possible before I rode in races. With that in mind he organised for me to spend the tail-end of last summer working for Liz Doyle.

It was the first time that I had worked outside of home and [it] was brilliant. Liz was awful good to me; letting me ride work and school plenty of horses.

I learned plenty during the time I spent with her, so am very thankful for that opportunity, and for her help and advice.

With plans for me to race-ride having been pushed back last year, this year they went ahead.

My father sent me to Joseph O’Brien for a few weeks at the beginning of the summer. He just thought that I could tidy up a bit, as I was riding short on the flat horses at home.

Coming from a real small yard, it was a great experience to ride out in a yard that had huge numbers out with every lot.

I really enjoyed it and, again, took plenty away from the time I was there.

Good filly

Alaskan View had always been a good filly that we thought a lot of. She had finished second on her debut at Tramore last year but then had a couple of problems. She cut her tongue one day and tied up another time.

After she had run poorly a few times, it was decided that I could have a ride on her. Initially, I was supposed to have my first ride at Wexford but was on holidays at the time so missed out on her finishing second. Alaskan View pulled a shoe on the final bend at Wexford, so we knew she could have been even closer. Her homework suggested that she had improved from the race too.

She went into Tramore in the form of her life. We expected a big run from the filly but, with a jockey having his first ever ride, you couldn’t be confident of winning. What we knew was that she would take me to the furlong pole; after that it was down to me.

Neck and neck

After leading for a bit. Patrick Mullins headed me with about two furlongs to race. We drew back level over a furlong out and went by the line neck and neck. My first thought on pulling up was that I had won but I wasn’t sure. I asked Patrick and he said that I had it.

It was brilliant when they called us as the winners. My sister and father led the filly back in and my brother had brought along five or six friends. A lot of our owners were there too, so it was great to be able to celebrate it all together.

My grandfather blew a tyre in his car, so missed the race. He wasn’t able to watch it on his phone, so rang a family friend, Katherine, to ask how the race went.

At first, he didn’t believe her when she told him that we had won. When I spoke to him after, he was delighted. Although still cursing his car!

Phidelma Elvin, who would be a good friend of my father’s, was very good to me in preparing for the race. She lent me her back protector and breeches, and showed me how to put everything on correctly.

She talked me through what I should expect in the weigh-room; the different procedures involved and so on. I can’t thank her enough for what she did for me.

Biggest supporter

My father is, and probably will be, the biggest supporter that I will ever have. He has given me opportunities that I wouldn’t have dreamt of having. He has stuck his neck out to get me an opportunity to ride in Joseph O’Brien’s and, with the help of J.J Slevin, got me in the door in Liz Doyle’s.

He has taught me just about everything I know about horses. I probably wouldn’t know a horse if it kicked me, if it wasn’t for him!

He has always backed me, especially in Tramore. I wouldn’t have even had the chance to ride Alaskan View if not for him and he must have spent hours going over the race with me and walking the track and everything else that went into the day.

In the interview after the race, you can see how much it means to him, not just getting a winner, but giving me the opportunity to share that winner with him and my grandad and my brother Conor, who owns a share in the horse.

I would like to thank both of them and everyone who believed in me for everything that they have done.

I’m going back to school at the end of the month, but I’m sure I’ll miss a few days. Alaskan View is due to run again at Down Royal on the 29th. All I’ve ever wanted to do since I was very young was be a jockey. I know I’ve a long way to go after just the one ride but, having ridden a winner, I’m hoping it’s a foot in the door.

Trainers will see that I have had a winner, so hopefully that will help when it comes to getting outside rides.

Jamie was in conversation with John O’Riordan