A RETURN home to Dublin has coincided with an upturn in my fortunes of late. After riding two winners in recent weeks, I feel that I have reached a turning point in my career. Hopefully I can now build on what I have achieved to date and continue to progress as a rider.

Racing is in my blood, although I never sat on a thoroughbred until I was 16. My father went to RACE in 1982; the same year as Gold Cup-winning jockey, Conor O’Dwyer. Dad went on to become apprenticed to Con Collins but never managed to get a spin on the track.

After completing my Junior Certificate, I followed in his footsteps, leaving school to enroll in the Co Kildare racing academy. Growing up in Dublin, I made a conscious decision to avoid riding horses bareback, as I wanted to learn properly from the professionals.

I spent the first year of my racing career with Michael Halford; a trainer who proved to be a big influence in my early education. In Halford’s, I got to ride work with loads of top-class jockeys.

However, that also had its drawbacks, as with so many decent riders in the yard, I knew that opportunities would be few and far between. Having come to the conclusion that there was no future for me with Mr. Halford, I moved on to join Michael O’Callaghan.

I spent two years with Michael [O’Callaghan] and he was very good to me. I got my apprentice licence very early on and he gave me opportunities on the track. Indeed, I rode my very first winner, Aggression, for Mr. O’Callaghan, at Dundalk in 2017.

As with Halford’s, I learned so much riding out with leading jockeys such as Kieren Fallon, Pat Smullen and fellow apprentice Sean Davis.

As time went on, I felt I just wasn’t really getting going as a jockey, so I had a chat with the boss and he advised me to do what I felt was best for myself. I spoke to Colin Keane, who suggested I give Ado McGuinness a call. Colin felt that Ado was a trainer who really looked after his apprentices and gave them plenty of opportunities on the track. I contacted Ado who told me to come up to see him and I started work soon after.

SUCCESS

Both Ado and assistant trainer Stephen Thorne have been instrumental in my recent successes. The boss has put me up on some nice horses, while Stephen has been fighting my corner at every turn. When jockey booking are being discussed for the following days races he will often throw my name into the hat for the ride. Stephen has enjoyed great success with his Shamrock Thoroughbreds Syndicate and I am delighted for him and its members.

The owners in the yard have also got behind me and I can’t thank them enough for their support. Gary and Joe could easily have asked for a more experienced jockey on Aussie Valentine the last day but they stuck with me and I am so grateful to them for doing so.

I am the only apprentice in the yard at the present time, so am lucky in that respect. I get great experience riding work with Colin Keane and Rory Cleary when we take horses to the Curragh – the two lads have been very good in that respect.

Despite having ridden those two recent winners, I am still struggling to get outside rides. My agent, Ruaidhri Tierney, has been working very hard for me but trainers have been slow to book me.

My aim in the short term is to build more contacts and ride for as many yards as possible. Ado has a decent strike-rate at Dundalk and always has a nice team for the all-weather, so hopefully I can make the breakthrough this winter.

Before that, I am looking to add a few more winners to my record on turf, be it for the boss or outside handlers. I just want to improve as a jockey, build up my confidence and get to where I can make a comfortable living doing what I enjoy.

Thomas was in conversation with John O’Riordan