DUE to my inter-county commitments with Limerick hurlers, I don’t get to go racing as much as I would like but I am very passionate about National Hunt.

In recent years, I have gotten to know some of the leading names in the sport, partly due to my involvement with the Hurling For Cancer Research charity match.

As a child I would watch racing on television and was particularly drawn to the green and gold hoops of the J.P. McManus runners. My father had told me that the owner was a fellow Limerick man, who modelled his silks on those of his local South Liberties club.

J.P. [McManus] is one of the biggest owners in racing, so it was rare to watch a big event without being able to cheer on those hooped silks. In later years, I gave gotten to know J.P. through his support and sponsorship for the Limerick GAA teams.

Indeed, one of my most enjoyable trips was a visit to Jackdaws Castle with the Limerick team prior to the 2014 November meeting at Cheltenham. Jonjo O’Neill very kindly gave us a guided tour of the famed training establishment and I make no secret of the fact I was like a child at Christmas!

HURLING

I have never managed to make it to the festival in March, as it clashes with hurling commitments but Cheltenham has always been a huge occasion for me, so much so, that I was allowed take two days off school every year to watch the meeting.

I never pulled a sick day during term and was always straight up in asking to be granted those couple of days to enjoy the racing.

As long as I worked hard in my studies and behaved in school, when March came around I knew I had Cheltenham to look forward to.

Racing and GAA go hand-in-hand and three years ago I first took to the pitch for the Jim Bolger/Davy Russell Cancer Research charity match. It is a fantastic opportunity for racing men and women to line out alongside GAA players both past and present.

Everyone gets involved and we even had Rich Ricci take up umpire duties on one occasion! Any notions I may have had that the match itself was merely a “friendly” were dispelled quite early on.

I played at full forward in my second year and was moved out to centre forward, where I was marked by Kilkenny legend Tommy Walsh.

I half heartedly went for the first ball that was played into me but was met with a ferocious belt from my opponent – charity match or no charity match! This year was the first time since 2015 that I didn’t play in the match but as Limerick were playing in the All-Ireland the following weekend, I had a legitimate excuse.

I’m sure Davy Russell would have preferred if I was in Newbridge and Cork were preparing for Croke Park!

I go racing in Limerick every Christmas and am already looking forward to this year’s festival. For the very first time, the track will stage a Grade 1 race, a long overdue reward for those that have worked so hard behind the scenes.

With the hurlers having won our first All-Ireland in 45 years, Limerick is on a high at the moment and the city really appreciates its sport.

I have known Ken Whelan for years and he is stone mad about his hurling. A couple of years back he introduced me to Mark Enright, a fellow Limerick man, who also loves the game. We have become firm friends since and talk regularly.

I have spoken to Mark about getting involved in ownership, something I am keen to do at some point. I am under no illusions about how expensive it can be to race a horse, nor do I expect instant success but I’d like to put together a syndicate or the like.

Some people are into racing for the gambling side of it, while others become interested purely for the love of horses; I am very much in the latter category. I see it more as a hobby, a very enjoyable one where you get to meet so many great people. I met Tony McCoy at the Galway races and was very conscious not to talk horses with him, as I felt he probably gets that from everyone he comes in contact with.

However, once he broached the subject of hurling with me, I felt I had the green light to talk racing!

Aside from Limerick, I love going to Galway and I was at Listowel on Friday, where I enjoyed a great day’s racing. As an avid National Hunt follower, I would love to attend the Punchestown festival but alas, similar to Cheltenham, it falls at the wrong time of the season for me.

In one sense, it is a good complaint to have, as missing those big meetings means I am still playing hurling and Limerick are challenging for top honours. Long may it continue.

Shane Dowling was in conversation with John O’Riordan