I HAD mixed feelings when I heard I was going to be spending my summer working in Johnny Levins’ racing yard. With no background in horses, I was afraid I wouldn’t know what to do, while the prospect of getting up at 6am certainly didn’t appeal. At the same time, I had always been fascinated by the power and strength of racehorses, so was curious to learn more. As it turns out, the whole experience has been fantastic, so much so, that I am already planning to continue at weekends once school resumes.

My first memory of going racing was Irish Derby day at the Curragh. I was immediately struck by how strong the horses looked in the parade ring; literally pulling the arms of the lads and girls that led them around. Although the horse I had my euro on could only finish second, the fact he was involved at all made the whole day so much more exciting. The colour, the crowds, the atmosphere; I loved it all.

My stepdad is good friends with Muredach Kelly and sometimes I would go and watch his horses work on the Curragh. One particular morning, Muredach handed me a fiver and told me to make sure to put it on a horse he had racing in England later that week. I decided to hedge my bets; spending half the money on chocolate and keeping the remainder for my hot tip. The chocolate tasted great at the time but when Muredach’s horse went on to win I was sorry I didn’t keep it all!

I am generally quite shy and hate meeting new people, so was extremely nervous the first morning I went up to Johnny Levins’ yard. There was no need for me to have worried as everyone was so nice and made me feel very welcome. Josh Kavanagh, who is Assistant Trainer, was given the unenviable task of showing me how everything was done. I failed miserably at my first task, which was to replace the water buckets in the stables. I know I spilled more than I brought back and the lads weren’t slow in letting me know!

Mostly I just followed Josh around for the first few days; brushing the barn and mucking out a few boxes. He has been really good to me and I am lucky to have had such a nice and patient teacher in my first job. As the weeks went on, I grew in confidence and it definitely helped that people trusted me and asked me to do more. Now I am putting horses on the walker, bringing them in and out of the paddocks, holding them for the farriers and hosing them down after work. I have yet to master the art of giving the riders a leg up – more often then not sending them flying into the air!

Recently I have been helping Abid to tack up whichever horse he is riding and he has promised to let me sit on one once I have learned how to do it properly. Donagh [O’Connor] and Sean [Kirrane] also get me to hold their horses or lead them around the Weeping Willow in the centre of the yard. Despite the early starts, I really look forward to going in every morning and catching up with everyone.

Aside from those I already mentioned, Shabir, Akseer, Paddy and Jess also work in the yard. Johnny [Levins] and Tara[Browne] have made me feel really welcome and I feel very much part of the team. Since I started in the yard just over a month ago, we have had five winners, including a double at Tipperary. It may just be a coincidence but I am still claiming some of the credit! As I wasn’t able to go racing when Zippy, El Tren, Hasselnott or Palavicini Run won, everyone said I should stay home whenever we had a fancied runner. I took a chance and went to Dundalk last week when Zippy made it two in a row. People in the stands were looking at me funny as I just stood there with a cheesy grin. Johnny was away at the sales in Newmarket, so I got to go up to receive the prize; cue an even bigger cheesy grin. Whenever we have a winner, Johnny goes down to Mary-Kathryn’s Deli in Kildare town and buys us all sausage rolls and cakes. If you called in there any morning recently and they had sold out of sausage rolls you know who to blame!

This summer seems to have just flown by; a strange complaint for a student to have. I know I will really miss work when I finish up at the end of August.

It will be a luxury having a lie in until 7.30am but in many ways I will miss the early starts. Johnny has already told me I am the stable’s lucky charm so hopefully I’ll continue to be involved over the winter months. Now that I have got a taste for Dundalk I want to go back.