THREE Majors win at Dundalk last Monday came at the perfect time for me, less than a fortnight before the start of the turf season. Anthony McCann’s horse was giving me my first winner of 2018, so it was great to get my name back out there with the new campaign fast approaching.

I am the first in my family to be involved with horses and it took my parents some persuading in the beginning! I began going to a local equestrian centre after convincing the mother of one of my classmates that I had been given permission to go along with her daughter.

She took me on that first occasion, on the complete understanding that my parents were perfectly happy for me to attend.

I succeeded in getting my mother onside after that first visit but Dad thought that horses were just a phase that would eventually pass – how wrong he was!

I continued on at Trevor English’s Equestrian Centre outside Clonmel and later rode out for our neighbour, Sue Perry, who bought and sold horses. She introduced me to Aidan Kennedy, who trained point-to-pointers as well as preparing sales horses. The latter was very good to me and thought me plenty about riding.

Eventually, he got me a job with Edward O’Grady, where I spent a year riding out during school holidays and weekends.

My weight was very good, so I began thinking about a flat yard. My neighbour, Paul Kavanagh, suggested Jim Bolger’s, as he knew Ronan Whelan and had seen from Ronan that you couldn’t be in a better place.

PONY RACING

I spent two seasons pony racing and although I only rode two winners I gained plenty of invaluable experience while doing so.

It certainly prepared me for what lay ahead when I got my jockey’s license and rode on the track. I took last year out of school and worked in Mr. Bolger’s full-time but had to return to education in September so that I could compete my studies and hopefully get my Leaving Cert next year.

I am now in fifth year, so will concentrate on school for at least another 12 months, then hopefully forge a career as a jockey. Last March, I rode my first winner on the track, Locus Standi, on my very first ride under rules. To say I was shocked would be something of an understatement, as I hadn’t become accustomed to winning when pony racing.

To be honest, the whole occasion was something of a blur and I didn’t really appreciate it at the time. Fortunately, I rode a further three winners before the end of the turf season, including one called Truffles for Sheila Lavery.

I was delighted to get a winner for Sheila, as she gave me plenty of chances during the season and stuck by me even when I had failed to win a race for her.

She uses Ronan Whelan a good bit and thankfully decided to use me as well.

I hope that I can reward her loyalty by riding further winners in the coming months.

BALL ROLLING

Last Monday’s win at Dudalk was very important as it is great to get the ball rolling so close to the new season. Anthony McCann is a great man to ride for and has promised to support me during the turf campaign. Hopefully I will be able to do my part as well and we can forge a successful partnership on turf.

I didn’t ride in Dundalk every weekend as I was concentrating on my studies but once I finish for the summer I intend to give it a real go for the rest of the year.

I hope to have Dave Keena as my agent for the new season and hopefully he can find me plenty of rides.

I couldn’t be in a better place than Mr. Bolger’s and he is a great boss to work for. He is strict but very fair and his way is the right way. I owe him so much for getting me started as a jockey and continuing to give me loads of opportunities.

I am also very fortunate to get to work alongside Kevin Manning and Ronan Whelan, two leading jockeys, who have taken me under their wings. Both men are always open with their advice and are constantly on hand to steer me right.

I learn so much just from riding alongside them and sitting down reviewing my progress after.

Gordon Power, my jockey coach, also works in Bolger’s and has been instrumental in my development.

Not only does he help me with my style on the simulator, he also gets to watch my progress at first hand on the gallops.

IMPROVEMENT

My immediate aim for the new season is to ride as many winners as possible and continue improving as a jockey.

Numbers wise, I would be thrilled to ride at least five winners, something I think is quite achievable at this stage. I am conscious of the fact that I have my Leaving Cert next summer, so it will be 2019 at the earliest before I can really put my head down and devote my full attention to race-riding.

Similar to everyone else in the sport, my ultimate ambition would be to become champion jockey one-day. I am under no illusions just how difficult that would be, as very few get to do just that.

However, you need to have something to aim for in any walk of life and I feel it’s important to have goals.

The success of Colin Keane last season really inspired young lads such as myself and made us believe that with hard work anything is possible.

Gavin Ryan was in conversation with John O’Riordan