LAST Sunday I travelled horses to Salisbury for my boss Pat Shanahan, where we were successful with two of our four runners. This weekend I am on the road again, as we have a couple engaged in Hamilton tomorrow.

My background is in pony racing, where I initially worked with my father, before training a few on my own. Dad always had a couple for flappers and as soon as I was old enough I was helping him at home. I rode a small bit myself but was always a bit on the big side. Our small yard saw many fine riders go through it’s doors over the years including the likes of John Egan, Muredach Kelly, Graham Gibbons and Mick Darcy.

In later times, when I took over the training, young jockeys such as Megan Carberry, Ronan Whelan, Luke McGuinness and Luke Bleahan rode winners for me.

I struck up a particularly successful relationship with Ronan[Whelan] after his dad Tom bought a few horses to give him rides. We ended up with 10 or 12 horses and did really well for a couple of seasons. Having gone on to become champion apprentice on the flat, he now rides for Thistle Farm as well as his retained employer, Jim Bolger.

After leaving school I worked in a meat factory for over 12 years. When my father died in 2004, I became more involved in the flapping. I was Chairman of the Midlands Pony Racing Committee for 10 years, helping to revive what was at one time a sport in decline.

We had 174 runners at my first meeting in Athenry and it seemed for a time everyone had, not one, but three or four ponies.

Like racing itself, when the recession hit numbers dropped significantly and entries suffered for a time. I can’t speak highly enough of the people involved in running pony racing. It is a wonderful training ground for young jockeys of the future. I don’t think outsiders appreciate the time and effort it involves, especially for the parents of those competing.

I got a call eight or nine years ago to go driving horses for showjumper, Cian O’Connor. Having accepted the offer, I went all over the world with his jumpers, often spending a month or six weeks away each time. In all, I spent two years working full time for Cian, a job I thoroughly enjoyed. He kept his half-bred mares in a farm in Kilkenny, which is owned by Thistle Farm’s Racing Manager, Andrew Hughes.

BY CHANCE

Just by chance I was in the yard one morning and got chatting to Pat Shanahan, who had just started training a few months earlier. A week later he rang asking if I could transport some horses to the Newmarket Horses In Training Sales. That was over five years ago and I have been with him since. Pat is a great man to work for and we have a small but select team here at Thistle Farm.

The horses want for nothing and are very well placed by the boss. I always feel confident going to the races because I know they are fit and ready to do their very best.

Having initially spent a couple of years working full time at Thistle Farm, breaking yearlings as well as travelling, I now just transport the horses. That side of my life has become busier of late and over the winter I did plenty of freelance work, taking runners to Wolverhampton for Ado McGuinness, to various parts of Britain for Robbie McNamara and to Cheltenham and Aintree for Henry de Bromhead. I think at this stage I know the BHA rules better than those in Ireland, as most of my time on the track is spent in Britain!

I am responsible for the horses once they set foot on the ramp, so passports, tack, additional headgear and the like are all under my care. I usually travel with one or two from the stable, depending on how many runners we have. Nicky O’Connor and Sarah Phelan went to Salisbury with me last weekend - they are two of Pat’s most trusted staff.

I transport every horse that leaves Thistle Farm, be it to go schooling, to the races or the sales. I feel privileged to be part of the team and really enjoy what I am doing.