WITH a winner on my first day holding a full licence last month, I couldn’t have asked for a better start. Although I had previously sent out six winners while holding a permit, it was important to get this new venture off to a good start. Thankfully our horses have continued to run right up to form and I am very much looking forward to the coming year.

I became involved in racing through my father. He had worked for Joe McGrath in Glencairn, where Leopardstown racecourse is now situated. He later moved down to the Curragh to work for Charles and Mrs Weld, before spending 35 years employed by the Aga Khan.

It was while Dad was working at the Aga Khan’s stud that I found my way into racing. One of my very earliest memories of racing would have been Sinndar winning the 2000 Epsom and Irish Derbys. By the time Alamshar came along and won the latter race in 2003, I was completely hooked. It felt like I had a little connection to those famous silks, through my father.

When I got older, my parents bought me a pony and I then progressed on to hunting with the Kildare Foxhounds. At the age of 12, I got a weekend/summer job with trainer Frank Ennis. That was where I got my start in racing. I would have been there about five years.

When Frank retired, I moved on to work for Martin Brassil. I was still in school at the time. After I finished school, I spent a year working full-time with Martin. It was a massive learning curve. Martin is a really shrewd trainer, especially in the way that he places his horses.

He has a relatively small string but does exceptionally well with them. Not only does he produce excellent horses but he has also had some great horsemen and women pass through his yard over the years. I was certainly all the better for the time I spent with him.

Top-class horses

After Martin’s, I spent two and a half years with Willie Mullins. Again, that was an incredible opportunity. It was an ideal time to be involved, as while the yard was already amongst the biggest in the sport, it was only getting bigger. Hurricane Fly and Quevega were already after winning at Cheltenham but the likes of Annie Power and Sir Des Champs were coming through.

It really stood to me, getting the chance to ride out top-class horses and witness at firsthand what it takes to train them. If I am ever lucky enough to come across a really good horse in my own training career, I will be able to call on all that experience.

I completed by education back on the Curragh with Dessie Hughes. He also had some really exceptional horses in his care at that time, including the ill-fated Our Conor. By the time Dessie passed away, I was back at home trading a few mares and foals. I always had the intention of taking out a training licence, so I applied for a permit. Unfortunately for me, it proved to be the wrong time for such a venture.

Although I had done the modules and obtained the permit, I hadn’t committed to training full-time. With opportunities thin on the ground in Ireland, I raced most of my horses in Britain. Diggin Deep was my first winner at Musselburgh in November 2018. He went on to win twice more after that. I also sent out three winners on the flat at Wolverhampton.

On the move

I was pleased with how things were going but a couple of years later, Covid-19 hit and the whole world was in disarray. I stepped back from the training for a time and went to work for Ralph Beckett. As in my previous roles, I was exposed to some high-class horses during my time there. Scope and Angel Bleu had both won Group 1 races in France before I arrived. I ended up riding out the two of those for the majority of their subsequent careers.

Ralph Beckett is an excellent trainer, who has a great reputation, especially with fillies. I really enjoyed my time there. I’d definitely recommend that any aspiring young trainer spend a bit of time working under him. I was with Ralph from October 2021, right up to March of last year.

I had already completed all my modules, so it was just a case of applying for a UK licence. I was based with Harry Whittington for a few months after leaving Ralph’s. He knew Ann Duffield and, was aware of her intention to retire from training. Harry kindly put the two of us in touch and it went from there.

From June, I worked as assistant trainer to Ann, then after she handed in her licence, I took over in January of this year. I was incredibly fortunate to inherit an exceptional, hardworking team of staff and the majority of Ann’s loyal owners. It definitely made it that much easier for me.

We currently have 32 horses in training but have facilities here for up to 70. Paul Mulrennan and Jason Hart, two of the best jockeys in the North of England, ride the majority of our horses. Oliver Stammers rides out here twice a week and he will get plenty of opportunities.

Owners want two things from having a horse in training - entertainment and results. I couldn’t have asked for a better start when Azucena won at Newcastle on the day we had our first runners. It was important to hit the ground running.

Apart from the owners that we inherited from Ann, we have also attracted a few of our own in recent times. I’d love to build up numbers and improve in quality as time goes on. The long-term ambition is to one day be in a position to compete at the big meetings and go there with live chances.

Stephen was in conversation with John O’Riordan