IT has been business as usual at our Newbridge yard since I took out the licence at the start of August and two wins from nine runners has given us the start we needed.

I was always surrounded by horses growing up through pony club and hunting and went to all the local race meetings as a child. However, it wasn’t until a mare called Dromadapan who had been injured after running in a few point-to-points arrived in the yard in 2001 that my passion for racehorses really began.

I started to ride her out every day in the fields at home and around that time, while still in school, I also started to ride out for local trainer Michael O’Brien. She started to get fit and copying Michael’s training system and using his gallops for fast work she won a confined hunts maiden for me at the local south county Dublin point-to-point in Naas (under Simon Mc Gonagle).

Our family at the time were very involved with the hunt and my father was the race starter and the mare ran in my grandad’s colours so it was a day I’ll never forget.

From there we got another couple of horses and my parents got a permit to run a couple of horses on the track. On my 16th birthday, I had my first ride in a point-to-point on a horse called Red Setter, which like my second ride a few weeks later, ended up on the floor.

A few rides later, when I learned to hold my neck strap and drop my irons, I rode a winner in Askeaton on a horse called Limart. I also got a couple wins on Red Setter who went on to be my first track success, winning the Ladies Cup at the local Punchestown Festival.

After completing Leaving Certificate, I went to ride as an amateur for Michael O’ Brien as well as running the yard at home. Michael was a brilliant trainer – what I learned there still sticks with me today and during my time there I rode some great horses. I even somehow managed to get beat on the great Essex at 4/9 fav in Tralee – luckily enough there was no Twitter back then!

Yorkshire

In 2008, I moved over to Yorkshire to join trainer Sue Smith. Sue and Harvey are great horse people and gave me some great chances. It was unbelievable to ride around the big tracks on Saturdays. That really opened my eyes.

After a bad injury from a fall in Market Rasen I spent some time in Oaksey House and having struggled with weight and talent issues, I gave up riding and moved back to Ireland. In total I think I had about 400 rides and 20 winners (one was lost in the stewards’ room but I still count it!).

I always had training on my mind even when I was riding. I loved watching how things were done in different yards and asking questions. Over the next few years, I worked for many trainers, watching how they worked and picking up ideas along the way.

It was during my time riding out for Tony Martin that I rode horses for Con and Mag Power who are undoubtedly the biggest influence on how I do my horses now. The way they educated and brought along the young horses to be so balanced and relaxed, whether it was show jumpers or racehorses, impressed me a lot and I use that system for all my young horses. At the home yard I started to break and pre-train, both thoroughbred and sports horses and with Madeleine (Tylicki) built up a good business. We bought and produced yearlings and older horses, many of whom went on to do quite well. Eventually it got to a stage where we wanted to run our own horses, so Madeleine applied for a trainer’s licence.

Madeleine

Over the last four years, with Madeleine holding the licence, she made a big impression in a short period with success under both codes. During that time, we ran 11 two-year-olds, three of them winning maidens, and achieved blacktype on three occasions. In such a competitive environment, taking on some of the leading trainers in the world, horses like Mary Salome, Elm Grove, Port Lions, First To Boogie, Sir Jack Thomas and Coeur d’Amour among others gave us some great days.

We have some very loyal owners so it was great when We’ll Go Again, owned by a good friend of ours Andrew Roe, was my first winner in Punchestown. Freddie Tylicki has been a great help over the years. He knows exactly what to look for when sourcing horses, having ridden Group 1 winners, and has built up a strong reputation as a bloodstock agent this year buying the winner of the Italian Derby from England for his new Italian owner.

As my training career is still in its infancy, I am fortunate to have his invaluable advice and he is at all the sales.

One thing I noticed when I was riding is just how good the top jockeys are, so where possible, I try to use them. Their feedback and read of a horse is invaluable, while in the races themselves, their ability in the saddle stands out. We are very lucky in that we have built up a great relationship with Billy Lee, who in my opinion is as good as there is. Billy rides work for us regularly on the Curragh and we use him whenever he is available.

Another thing that stuck with me was the importance of good people in the successful yards and I’m extremely lucky in that department with Gerry, Nicole and Timmy doing a brilliant job. It’s a real team effort and we try to do whatever possible to keep the horses happy and healthy; getting them out to the paddocks and in to the river, as well as some trips to the beach.

Aside from a four-furlong gallop at home, we also hold a Curragh licence which is invaluable, with a variety of world-class training facilities and top-class jockeys to sit on the horses when needed. My parents have been a big help and my brother Mark has the machinery to help us continually improve and upgrade our facilities.

We have around 15 horses riding out at the moment, including some nice two-year-olds that we are really looking forward to. As regards the future, I’m a big fan of how Ken Condon and Ger Lyons run their operations so I’ll be aiming to build things up over time in a similar style. It’s a very competitive and expensive game so I’ll be aiming to finish each season knowing my horses all overachieved on their ability and won as much prize money as possible for their owners.

Andrew Kinirons was in conversation with John O’Riordan