WHO’S That made it back to back wins in the EBF Mares Handicap Hurdle when taking the contest for the second time at Leopardstown last Saturday.

It was fantastic for our small stable and owner/breeder David Cornwall to get among the winners on a day of high quality racing and hopefully it showcased our talents to a wider audience.

Having been introduced to horses as a kid through the Scarteen Pony Club, I first sat on a thoroughbred at my neighbour Michael Moore’s yard. I was in awe of the power and speed of the animals and from that day on it became a dream of mine to ride a winner.

I rode out in Michael’s before school most mornings, including on The Ladys Master, who went on to win the Galway Plate. The late Alan Lillingston, who won the 1963 Champion Hurdle on Winning Fair, got me a job with Arthur Moore, where I spent a very informative three-year period.

I gained invaluable experience schooling horses and rode as an amateur on the track. Rebel Song, who later went on to win at Cheltenham for Oliver Sherwood was one of the best I rode in bumpers.

Arthur [Moore] had plenty of jockeys in those days and as opportunities were limited, I decided to make a move, possibly to Britain.

However, at the same time I was considering my future, Enda Bolger had just started training and he offered me a job.

I rode my first winner on the track for Enda on Fisalmar Isle in a bumper in Roscommon.

WINNERS

I went on to take a position as a claiming amateur with Homer Scott. I rode a lot of winners over the next couple of seasons and turned professional. The Committee, on whom I won on my first ride as a professional, won five races for me, including at the Punchestown Festival. After leaving Homer’s I really wanted to get on some good horses so I approached Jim Bolger for a job. My career really took off after that and I rode at all the big festivals.

One of the highlights was winning the 1992 Irish Champion Hurdle on Chirkpar, a horse on whom I had finished second in the Triumph Hurdle the previous year. I spent three years with Jim [Bolger] and ended up running one of the yards.

I went down there to ride winners but also to gain experience as I always had one eye on a training career. A jockey’s tenure is short enough and you need to look to the future. It was a stable packed with talent and I don’t just mean the horses – Tony McCoy, Paul Carberry, Seamie Heffernan, Ted Durcan, Calvin McCormack and Christy Roche all rode work, while Aidan O’Brien was assistant trainer!

I had started breaking and pre-training horses in the afternoons and bought a small yard in Ballymore Eustace. The operation got so big I ended up renting an additional 16 boxes from my neighbour Bobby Coonan.

Later I purchased a yard and land in Athy, building it up to number 27 boxes. After 10 years, we sold the property and moved out to Laois where I am now based at Derrymore House.

We built the new yard here from scratch and now have a sand and fibre gallop, all-weather schooling facility, lunging ring, large sand manage, horsewalker and stabling for 40 horses.

Aside from our own gallop we also use Michelle Gannon’s hill at Johnstown, which we find an incredible help in gauging a horse’s ability and fitness.

DIFFICULT

It has been difficult at times, especially during the recession, but we keep things tight and are fortunate to have the backing of some very loyal owners. Last season we won seven races and had nine placed horses from 34 runners, a very decent strike rate.

Bog War won at both the Punchestown and Galway Festivals, particularly pleasing for us as he is owned by the local No Nama Drama Syndicate.

Chief Of Panama won three times over hurdles and we expect him to do even better as a chaser.

I ride out 5/6 lots a day, while David Mullins comes in and rides out whenever possible. Kevin Power is an important part of the yard and rides all our point-to-point horses. My partner Jane’s sons Luke and Mark and both Emma and Cathal Brophy are also invaluable to the running of the whole operation.

I used that last word for a reason - we are not just a training yard here. It would be very difficult to survive without branching out so in that respect we also produce young horses for sale as well as breed from our band of broodmares.

We sold Thistlecrack, the current favourite for the World Hurdle at Cheltenham, as a three-year-old and I would be so excited to see him win at the festival next month. Red Spinner won a bumper for Michael Heery and has won four times since being sold on – he is another that could run at the festival.

The business is very competitive and one needs to produce and sell horses to keep afloat. At the present time we appear to have struck the right balance between the two.

Liam Cusack was in conversation with John O’Riordan