AFTER nearly a decade based in Australia, I plan to move back closer to home sometime next year. My partner has family in the UK, so perhaps I might try to find a role as an assistant trainer in a small mixed operation over there.

Having cut my teeth on the National Hunt scene at home in Ireland, I spent the last few years training my own flat string here in Perth. Hopefully the wealth of experience I have built up under both codes will stand to me when it comes to finding a new challenge in life.

Like many young people who went on to forge a career in racing, I started off on the pony racing circuit. My older brother Padraig was already well established on that scene by the time I became involved, so some of my earliest memories were of watching him in action. In the mid-1980s, I rode ponies for local men John Paul Pierce and Bosco McMahon who were based in North Kerry.

The latter trainer arranged for me to spend a summer up with Michael Hourigan when I was 14 years old and in truth, there was no going back from there. Adrian Maguire, who was stable jockey there at the time, was a huge influence on me that summer. Both himself and Michael brought me on a great deal as a horseman in those months. When it came to returning to school that September, I think my mother knew she was fighting a losing battle! In the meantime, I was tapped up to go to Eric McNamara’s as a work rider, so I began full-time employment in that role when I was just 15 years old.

Good riders

Eric had really good riders such as Ray Hogan, James Jones and Gerry Mulcare in his yard back then, so I developed further as a jockey learning from them and schooling alongside their horses. One afternoon, I was at Patrickswell schooling a few for the boss when Tom Costello approached Eric and asked would I ride one of his.

Being a young lad I was eager to give it a try but they didn’t tell me until after that the horse couldn’t jump! Fortunately we both got around in one piece, something that pleased Tom enough to offer me a job with his son John.

I was one of the few outside jockeys to ride in point-to-points for the family during those years, as Dermot, Junior and Tony all held amateur licences. I rode both Merry Gale and Life Of A Lord in schooling races around Galway one day, while I regularly partnered One Man during his time in the yard. My first winner in a point-to-point [Quin, Co Clare] was at the age of 16, on Beale Fair, owned by Kerryman Andrew Pierce. I stayed in Costello’s a further two years, before moving to Germany for a year with fellow amateur Billy Dunne.

We rode out at the Dusseldorf stable of Peter Lowther, who had close to 100 horses in training.

His retained jockey was an English rider named Alan Bond, with whom we became quite friendly. Peter had some decent horses in his care who were up to listed/Group 3 standard over there. It was my first time working closely with flat horses so that was a very positive experience to take away from the trip.

Travelling again

On the advice of a guy we met in Germany, Billy and I decided to apply for a job with Richard Hannon after returning home. Soon, we were on our travels again, over to Hannon’s where there were upwards of 100 young horses to break and pre-train each year.

Among the young stock we had a hand in breaking were Bold Edge, Brave Edge and Daunting Lady. Richard was a great trainer of a two-year-old, doing plenty of work with them during the winter, then taking them up the grass in bunches in spring.

We always worked in groups of four or five, so the juveniles got used to being in among horses.

Steve Knight, who won the Grand National on Maori Venture, was assistant trainer – a great horseman to learn from. Barry Fenton rode out in the yard for a time, while a very young Ruby Walsh and Norman Williamson also spent a summer with us. In all, I was with Richard Hannon for seven years, before returning to Ireland with my partner Lorraine in 2000. I rode out for trainers Seamus Lynch and Tom Cooper, while also race-riding as an amateur.

In 2001, Shannon Ranger gave me my first winner under rules when taking the Slán Abhaile race at Listowel. Two years after, Beale Hill was a very significant winner, as I rode him to success in a Thurles bumper for my brother Padraig.

Later that same year [2003] I partnered Total Enjoyment to win two bumpers on the track for Tom Cooper. Unfortunately for me, I broke my leg on a horse quite aptly named The Broken Man shortly after, which resulted in me missing the winning ride on Total Enjoyment in the Cheltenham bumper. I came back and rode in point-to-points after that, as well as playing a part behind the scenes in Forpadydeplasterer’s Arkle success.

Towards the end of the decade, I bought a farm outside Listowel and started to break/pre-train horses but once the recession set in most trainers did that job themselves. So, in 2012, we took the decision to move to Australia to sample life out there.

Big move

Initially I travelled over to Sydney alone, with my partner and daughter due to follow. However, despite getting a work visa to ride out for trainer Rick Worthington, I just didn’t take to Sydney, so after a fortnight I moved on to Perth. My family followed soon after and we have been based here ever since. I had two phone numbers in my pocket when I arrived in Western Australia – Fred Kersley and Daniel Morton.

For no particular reason, I chose the latter; a decision I never regretted. He gave me the sponsorship I required to stay in the country and set me up with a job. I broke horses and rode work, as well as keeping a few of my own for racing. Just over three years ago, I made the decision to go out on my own as a licensed trainer, as I had built up a small number which I owned myself.

Reef Keeper was my first official winner as a trainer when successful in my colours in 2017. At the beginning, I also pre-trained horses for others but recently my own operation developed to the extent that I no longer had the time. Star Value has been one of our best horses to date, winning five races and over $200,000 in prize money. Freo, who was written off as a headcase before coming to us, has gone on to win a Group 3 race at the carnival.

Right now, I only have five horses in, as restrictions due to Covid-19 continue to affect racing over here. At the height of the season, I would have 22 horses in training; a number I find works for us, as there is just myself, my partner Lorraine and daughter Cameron here. My nephew Ryan is also here in Perth but he is based with Fred Kersley. There is a large Irish community throughout Western Australia although not as many working in racing as in other parts.

With my daughter Cameron now 10 years old, we are looking at coming home in the near future. Although I certainly wouldn’t rule anything out just yet, I am most likely going to try to find a job in racing somewhere in England. I just feel that I have given Ireland a try already and perhaps there are more opportunities across the Irish sea.

I have done my share of travelling and feel it’s the right time for the family to settle down. Lorraine has loads of relatives in the UK, with plenty cousins for Cameron to get to know, so it makes sense to move over. My own niece Shauna is married to recently crowned Champion All-Weather Jockey Ben Curtis and they also live over there. So, we certainly wouldn’t be short of relatives if we do decide on making the move!

I feel that I could bring something to an up-and-coming yard in a role such as assistant trainer or traveling head lad. If such an opportunity arose, I’d be keen to keep a handful in training myself as it’s something I have come to really enjoy.

Donal O’Connor was in

conversation with John O’Riordan