A LONG trip to Beverley paid dividends last Wednesday, when Allhallowtide credited me with my first success as a trainer. The journey home certainly felt that little bit shorter, as not only had I trained the winner but I also bred her myself. Despite holding a licence for the best part of a year, I have only had a handful of runners in that time.

As both my parents were teachers, horses or racing wasn’t something I grew up with. Don Atkinson lived next door to us and sparked my interest from a young age. I used to see him pass our gate on a horse a couple of times a day so was keen to discover more. The Lordan family were also close neighbours and when Wayne (Lordan) started his apprenticeship I followed his career closely.

Another neighbour, Paudie Palmer, had a contact in John Murphy’s in Upton, who arranged for me to spend a summer in the yard. Neil Hurley, who also worked for John (Murphy) brought me to Eric Tyner’s one morning and it all took off from there.

Pony racing

Eric got me started in pony racing around 13 years old, a discipline I enjoyed over the next four seasons. I rode mainly on the Midlands circuit, where I was crowned champion rider one year. After completing my Leaving Certificate, I started full-time with John Joe Walsh in Doneraile. I rode my first winner under rules, Connemara Mist, in a handicap chase at Thurles for John Joe.

I later moved on to work for Francis Flood with whom I developed a great association. One of the better winners I rode for the stable was Monte Solaro, a mare who went on to fame as the dam of Altior. Another mare I rode, Knotted Midge, also did better in the breeding sheds, producing both Might Bite and Beat That.

Biggest success

I went freelance after leaving Grangecon, riding for a number of trainers, including Liam Burke. The latter gave me my biggest success on the track courtesy of Sir Frederick in the 2007 Galway Plate. I broke my collarbone on three separate occasions soon after, as well as breaking my wrist in another fall. I had more or less finished up in racing by 2009 and the following season I retired from the saddle.

I walked away from racing entirely for four years, going back to college to study Sport & Exercise Science in UL. As part of my work placement, I spent three months in Ballydoyle, overseeing the heart rate monitors. That undoubtedly sparked the interest again, so much so, that after graduating I went to work for Michael O’Callaghan on the Curragh.

I also broke and pre-trained a couple of my own, as well as preparing horses for the breeze-ups. It was through that latter end of the business that I ended up taking out my trainer’s licence. I had a couple of horses that didn’t sell at the sales, so was forced to take them to the track. I started last season but only had a couple of runners. I now have three two-year-olds and one older horse for the track.

Homebred filly

Allhallowtide is a homebred filly who wasn’t accepted into the breeze-ups. As she hadn’t been through the sales ring, I was forced to run her in open maidens against very good opposition here at home. I knew going to Beverley that her Irish form would be good enough to go close, as long as she reproduced it on the day. Thankfully she did just that, showing real maturity for such a young horse.

At the moment, I am in the process of moving from the Curragh and relocating to Carrick-on-Suir where my wife is from.

The four horses in my care will come with me and hopefully I can add another few in the coming months. I am going into my new venture with my eyes open, well aware that it’s a competitive game and there aren’t that many owners out there.

I am hoping that with my background in sports science, I have a fresh approach to bring to training, something that will hopefully bring results. I am a firm believer in data providing concrete evidence of a horse’s true ability.

Not for one minute am I suggesting that a trainer or work rider is less important, merely that one cannot argue with cold hard facts. The whole lot combined is what is needed to get a true picture of a horse’s abilities.

Kevin Coleman was in conversation with John O’Riordan