ROSEYS Hollow, an impressive winner on her racecourse debut at Cork earlier this month, will bid to follow up in the Grade 3 Mares’ Bumper at the Punchestown Festival on her next outing. Having won that same race with Minutestomidnight in 2017, it would be fantastic to do it for a second time in three years.

I am the eldest of four children; three of whom went on to work with horses. My brother Nathan rode for a time in England before injury forced an early retirement.

He continues to be very involved in the industry, breaking and working with endurance horses [Arab horses]. Rachel, my sister, went to RACE and worked in various different yards. She is now married with a young family but rides a lot of the important work for me, as well as acting as Travelling Head Lass. She is also a qualified Riding Instructor so is kept busy!

The two of us started out together with breaking horses and working with point-to-pointers and she continues to be a big part of the operation.

I went to RACE at 15 years of age and later secured a job with James Burns on the Curragh, before moving down to Andrew McNamara. Both men were big influences in shaping my future career as a trainer.

Andrew won a Kerry National during my time there and sent out a number of decent bumpers winners under Enda Bolger.

My education was completed with Paddy Moakley; a well respected trainer and breeder who thought me plenty about the game.

When I was 20, I left racing for a time, spending four years in Australia. On my return, I worked for Pat Mulcare driving an excavator for 10 years.

During that time, I bought some land and built stables, in which I kept a few hunters and broodmares. Rachel and myself began to break and pre-train horses, which in turn led me to training them for their point-to-point runs.

By 2013, I was doing well with point-to-point horses and applied for a trainers license as it was the only recourse open to me.

If I didn’t, I would have lost those horses when they graduated to racing under rules.

In July 2014, Barnahash Rose became my first winner on the racecourse when successful in a bumper at Roscommon. That same horse went on to give me one of my biggest wins when taking the Grade 3 Shannon Spray Mares’ Novice Hurdle at Limerick in 2016.

I was thrilled with the win at the time, being only too well aware that lads with 25-30 horses can go a lifetime without winning a graded race.

A year later, I was lucky enough to win a second Grade 3 prize, with Minutestomidnight taking the Mares’ Bumper at Punchestown.

Although I seem to do particularly well with mares I don’t think there is any real secret to this success.

A nice horse is a nice horse, mares just seem to fit into our training system and thrive. I love training mares, they can be tougher than horses and work with you rather than for you.

Last year we were very unfortunate to lose a horse we thought the world of, Caracara Mail. He had won his point-to-point and was third in a bumper behind subsequent Cheltenham winner, City Island.

Our horse hit the front that day but ran very green and we fully expected him to go on to better things.

Sadly, he lost his life at home in a routine piece of work.

RACING CLUB

Battling Spirit was a welcome winner earlier this year, as he is owned by the Jonathan Sweeney Racing Club.

The latter is a very affordable way for owners to get involved at an entry level and members have enjoyed some great days out. I am very lucky to have the backing of great owners and their support is much appreciated.

We are hoping to add a second horse to the racing club in the coming weeks and new members are always welcome.

Roseys Hollow was a mare that showed us plenty last year but the ground went on us, so we decided to leave her off.

The lads that owned her asked me to start her off in a bumper this year, so we picked out a local one at Cork, confined to Lady Riders.

Liz Lalor was booked well in advance and gave the mare a great ride on the day. It was very satisfying to see Roseys Hollow confirm our faith in her and show that she is a very decent prospect.

Roseys Hollow has been sold since that Cork win and will carry the JP McManus colours on her next start.

Mr McManus very kindly left the mare in training with us and it is fantastic to have such a prominent owner in the yard.

At present, the intention is to run in the Grade 3 Mares’ Bumper at Punchestown, ground permitting.

We are a very close knit team here at home, with my patient wife Keara playing a leading role, along with Rachel and my parents who are a huge support. The girls and lads in the yard and those that come in to ride out are also very important cogs.

It’s a small yard and their attention to detail is a big part of our success. Jamie Codd, Derek O’Connor and Katie O’Farrell have always been very accommodating, either in terms of riding a horse work or in their races. Without the help and support of all those involved, we would not be where we are right now.

Jonathan Sweeney was in conversation with John O’Riordan