SINCE retiring from race-riding I have built a new life out here in Dubai where I continue to work with horses. While I initially came out to break yearlings, I am now also training to become a farrier.

It is all a far cry from growing up in Tipperary town, where I never saw a horse, except for the occasional trip to the races. My father had an interest and would bring me along to our local meeting at Limerick Junction. I loved going with him and have no doubt my interest sparked from there.

When I got to secondary school I hadn’t much love for learning so my career guidance teacher gave me an opportunity to visit the RACE school in Kildare. I applied for a position on the 10-month course and thankfully I got accepted. I left home at 14 years old - my mother and uncle were very supportive!

After the course I was sent to Michael Halford’s as an apprentice and I remained there for five years, riding on the flat before I got bit heavy. Then I joined Christy Roche, who started me as a National Hunt jockey, and J.P. McManus and Frank Berry gave me my first dozen rides. I am very grateful to all of them for the chances that they gave me.

I moved closer to home after eight years on the Curragh. Firstly, I had a stint with Tony Martin for whom I had a good few rides over hurdles. After that Michael Hourigan offered me a job – his son Michael Jnr actually gave me my first winner over hurdles.

I was going really well in the conditional title that year only for several broken collarbones to halt my progress! I rode a lot of winners for Michael over hurdles, fences and in bumpers.

I also rode a lot of work for Tom Hogan and some really good horses. I won the £50,000 Betdaq Hurdle at Market Rasen and a listed hurdle a week later in Punchestown on the same horse, Rooftop Protest. I also got to ride another good horse in Sonnyandjoe.

DUBAI

Then I joined Tom Foley as stable jockey where I had some good success including riding a double over fences in Gowran Park and some good horses in graded races. When the recession hit, I got an opportunity through a friend, Rory Bannon, to work and break yearlings with John Hyde and his crew for Sheikh Hamdan in Dubai - some very well-bred and expensive purchases.

Since moving to the Emirates I work part-time at all the race meetings. Shane Ryan, a fellow Irishman, is the starter at the carnival and every race throughout the Dubai season. I was lucky to be involved with Arrogate this year, gate schooling him, along with other leading US and Japanese horses. Over 90% of the time these horses are just loaded before backing out - they rarely jump from stalls.

I am also training with master farrier Chris Nurse, who is Sheikh Hamdan’s personal farrier. My day begins with breaking the yearlings, then I shadow Chris Nurse for the remainder, unless I am working as a stalls handler at a meeting.

I am really enjoying the work and hopefully it’s a step in the right direction. There are 10 of us over here at the moment including Matt Enright, Shane (Ryan) and recently retired jockey Davy Condon.

My last ride on the racecourse was for a good friend of mine, Roy Kisvla, who trains in Sweden. Fittingly, it was a winner in the Swedish version of the Champion Hurdle, on a horse named Dalintune.

I was thrilled to end my career in the saddle on a winning note.

I’m an outside person who is not afraid of hard work – a big plus in this business.

I am really thankful to John Hyde, Chris Nurse and the Dubai stable team for giving me the chance to retrain and continue to be involved with horses.

David Flannery was in conversation with John O’Riordan