THE success of Moll at Dundalk last Friday night, added to that of her stable companion Miracles In May, the previous week, ensure that I retain a 100% record on the flat this year. For a small yard with just a handful of horses to run over the winter, I am delighted with the form they have been showing recently.

My late father Tom was a permit holder, so I was born into a racing yard. Although I was very young when he trained his first winner, I do recall the day that horse, Quick Romance, gave him his first success. Over the years that followed, I rode out for my father, as well as gaining further experience with different handlers.

In my younger years, I was far more interested in hunting than racing but as soon as I sat on my first racehorse at 14, that all changed. I continued to hunt though, riding a pony for Vera Carroll on Saturdays, then hunting my own horse on a Sunday. I decided I wanted to work in racing shortly after and so left school and signed on as an apprentice to Mick O’Toole at 16.

Mick was going strong at the time, with over 50 horses in training. John Banahan had been crowned champion amateur the previous season and David Marnane came in in his place. Muredach Kelly and myself were also working for Mick and race-riding. Weight was an issue with me, so I only had three rides on the flat before Micko kindly released me from my apprenticeship so that I could turn amateur.

I left the Curragh and came home to Tipperary, where I joined Mouse Morris as an amateur. Mouse gave me my first winner on the track, Veruna, as well as riding work on some of the established stars of that era (Trapper John, What A Question, Belvederian and Cahervillahow). Having spent four years with Mouse, I then moved on to work with John Nallen.

Dad had also started to get busy at the time, so I spent the mornings with John then went to Dad in the afternoons. After Letterlee won the Thyestes Chase in 1998, I went home, working full-time in the yard with my dad. I had always ridden for dad but over the following years we enjoyed plenty of success with horses such as Tippthecat, The Premier Cat and Cheeky Lady. I continued to ride as an amateur on the track, as well as in point-to-points at the weekends.

First winner

After my father passed away in 2008, I took over the licence to train. Hansel Monday was my first winner in a point-to-point, with Garron Crest giving me my first success under rules. The latter horse was owned by Frank McNulty, whom I got to know through Matt Maher. Frank has been a great owner for me over the years and we have enjoyed plenty of success. Horses such as Pilgrim Way and Theatre Run kept things going, winning multiple races between them over jumps. I have also been pre-training horses for Eoghan O’Neill, so that is a big part of our operation as well.

At any given time, I would estimate it is roughly half and half between the number of horses in training and those in pre-training. We have 21 horses at the moment, with room for another four or five. Like anyone, I would never refuse a nice horse if the right one came along. I am fortunate to have great help here in the yard; my partner Selena Kearns rides out and does the office work, my brother Paul and niece Roisin also ride out, while Neddy Maguire drives the box. Curraghmore Gallops are close by and I have always found the owners most accommodating whenever I need to use the facilities.

Miracles In May always showed us plenty but was very weak as a two-year-old, so his owners deserve credit for their patience. He always promised enough to keep going with him and we have been rewarded with wins at Naas and Dundalk.

Moll came on immensely from her racecourse debut at Naas to run a very promising race at Dundalk on her second start. She then went close from a terrible draw on her third start, before winning her maiden last Friday. I am hopeful that both Miracles In May and Moll can continue to be competitive on the all-weather. It would be fantastic to add to our success on the flat before the turf season.

Mark Cahill was in conversation with John O’Riordan