HAVING first attended Tipperary races as a mere three-week-old baby, in 2013, I returned to that very same venue as Racecourse Manager. Earlier this year I was also appointed to the same position at Cork and currently hold the dual roles.

I was born into a racing family; my grandfather bred the 1972 Gold Cup winner Glencarrig Lady, while my father, Tom is a well-known trainer. Despite my mother’s best efforts to steer me onto a different path I was hunting and riding horses from an early age. Indeed, she would often drop me at the school gates in my uniform only for Dad to pick me up a couple of minutes later to ride in schooling races!

I think in time I managed to satisfy both my parents’ wishes for me, as I went on to graduate from LIT, while also riding winners on the racecourse.

We had some very decent horses at home during my school days and I recall riding out Penny Rich and Group 3 winner Common World both on the gallops and one occasion over hurdles.

While I really enjoyed hunting, as well as a few nice winners on the track including one in Tipperary and in Cork.

During my college years, where I received an Honours Degree in Business, Accounting and Finance from LIT, I lived in Limerick but went home to ride out five mornings a week.

Silver Jaro was one of the stars at the time, having won the County Hurdle at the 2008 Cheltenham Festival. Native Royal was also a high-class National Hunt mare and I won two bumpers on her, including the Bewley’s bumper at the Punchestown Festival.

After finishing college I returned home where I did a bit of farming and helped out as assistant trainer to my father.

It was a great thrill to ride work on Group 1 winner Gordon Lord Byron and travel the world with him to places such as Dubai and Hong Kong where I got an insight into how some of the best racetracks in the world are run.

In 2012 I started Chartered Accountancy but quickly realised it wasn’t for me and instead took up a role at the Irish National Stud.

It was a wonderful experience managing different yards, under the watchful eye of John Osborne, who was a brilliant mentor to me.

GREAT INSIGHT

In the summer of 2013, I moved on to HRI, taking up a position in the Racing Department.

My new role provided me with a great insight into the administration side of the industry, one I had little knowledge of prior to that.

For the first time I became aware of a whole range of different facets of the industry and when the position as Tipperary manager came up a few months later, I put myself forward.

Fortunately I was successful in securing the job, which I saw as both a very challenging and exciting prospect.

In truth I couldn’t have done it without the help and guidance of previous managers Jane Davis and Peter Roe, who were always on hand in those early weeks and I was lucky to have such an excellent team in Tipperary led by Perry Power.

My boss, John Murphy in HRI has given me excellent guidance every step of the way and it is a pleasure to work with such a vibrant committee in Tipperary chaired by Mr. Tim Hyde.

I arrived just before Super Sunday and once that busy period was over, I was sent to Fairyhouse and Leopardstown to gain an insight into how both tracks run their big National Hunt meetings. It wasn’t until April of 2014 that I had my first fixture.

Now being half-way through my third season at Tipperary, I’m fortunate to be here for Tipperary’s centenary year. It’s been a exciting year, we launched the season at our Point-to-Point Evening on the 12th May, with the opening of our Centenary Gallery which shows all the great horses who won at Tipperary from Istabraq to High Chaparral.

We have plenty more events to look forward to this year, some the highlights include, our family day this Sunday, followed by Hermitage Green playing live after racing on the August 5th, on this night we also have colour run in aid of the Irish Cancer Society and Circle of Friends.

We have our Centenary Ball on August 19th and our biggest meeting of the year Super Sunday on October 2nd to round off our centenary celebrations.

In September of last year I got the chance to work as Racing and Operations Manager at Leopardstown for a three-month period.

I learned a lot working under the guidance of CEO Pat Keogh and feel it certainly benefited me when the position as racecourse manager at Cork came up in the new year.

The latter is a very well run, organised track and the directors deserve great praise for the commitment they put in.

My short term goals are to continue the hard work of my predecessor and continue to build the big race days such as the Cork Breeders Day, the Paddy Power Cork National, the Kerry Group Hilly Way Chase, Students Day, and the Easter Festival.

Cork boosts excellent facilities but there is always room for improvement, we currently in process of upgrading our stableyard and parade ring. It is our aim to continue to grow both attendances and sponsorship.

In my dual capacity as racecourse manager at both Tipperary and Cork I am extremely fortunate to be able to call upon very hardworking and dedicated teams at both tracks.