AFTER 13 years working as travelling head lad for trainer Jessica Harrington, I am set to embark on a new venture in the coming weeks.

While I know it is somewhat of a cliche, I can quite honestly say that I loved every minute of my time with Mrs Harrington and there isn’t a thing I would change. Hopefully the upcoming chapter in my life will bring as much fulfilment and job satisfaction.

My brother Ian and I, have been around horses/racing from as long as I can remember. Both my father, Ally, and late uncle, Padge, worked at Milford Stud. The former drove the lorry while the latter was employed as head stud man. Another uncle, Benny, was the stallion man there.

My mother, Faith, has been entering and winning Best Dressed Lady competitions for the best part of 40 years, so as kids we would regularly attend race meetings with our parents.

However, despite that early introduction, neither of us had any direct contact with racehorses until our teenage years.

Our granny on my mother’s side lived only a couple of 100 yards from Paddy Mullins’ yard, so that was where we got our start. For the most part we were mucking out stables or painting fences but sometimes you got to brush one over.

That would have been around 1992, as I remember there was great excitement after The Gooser won that year’s Galway Plate.

Summer jobs

Over the next couple of years, both of us would have held summer and weekend jobs with Paddy Mullins, Pat Fahy and later, Willie Mullins.

Willie would have been in the initial stages of his training career at that time, having had a hugely successful career as an amateur jockey.

A prominent memory from those years is of a gang of us sitting in Willie’s yard, cheering David Casey home on Mystical City in the Galway Hurdle (1996).

Although I was always too big to make it as a jockey, Ian went on to ride plenty of winners under rules. In fact, he rode his very first winner on a horse trained by Willie Mullins – Its Time For A Win at Tipperary in 1998. That same horse later went on to beat Monty’s Pass in the Topham Chase at Aintree when Ruby Walsh was in the saddle.

I had known Ruby since we were both young lads in Willie’s and we remained friends throughout the years.

After leaving school, I worked in the sugar factory for a few years, as well as dipping in and out of work for Willie and Pat Fahy. Ruby was flat-out by that stage, travelling between Ireland and the UK, as stable jockey to both Willie Mullins and Paul Nicholls.

He asked me if I would be interested in a job as his driver, something I ended up doing full-time for 10 years.

Airport

I drove all over Ireland during that period. Usually, you would have a big meeting over here on a Sunday, so I would pick Ruby up at Dublin airport on the Saturday night. Then on the Monday morning, I would drive him back to the airport, where he would catch a flight to the UK.

Ruby would then ride over there for the next three days, before returning home on the Wednesday, in order to ride at the Thursday meeting at Thurles or Clonmel.

After that, it was back to the airport, for a return flight to the UK for Friday and Saturday racing.

We had that schedule for more or less a decade; something that would be almost unheard of in present times.

During the big summer festivals at the likes of Galway, Killarney or Listowel, the jump jockeys would stay there for the entire week but the flat lads had to commute in order to ride work in the mornings.

I drove the likes of Fran Berry, Mick Kinane, Pat Shanahan, Kevin Manning, Declan McDonagh and the late Pat Smullen during those times.

In 2010, a few weeks prior to that year’s Galway festival, I fell into the job at Mrs Harrington’s rather by chance. Ruby had broken his arm in a fall, so was out of action for a short spell. Robbie Power’s wife, Hannah, was finishing up in Mrs Harrington’s, so there was an opening at the yard. Ruby just said to me “go learn as much as you can and I’ll take you back when I start training.” I’m still waiting on him to make good on that promise!

Travelling head lad

Having gone in as travelling head lad, essentially, I went racing every day there was racing. My downtime was the days on when the stable had no runners. I would organise the colours, tack and passports on the morning prior to leaving the yard.

After loading up and transporting the horses to the track, I would stable them, lead up and wash down after racing. I was also responsible for checking the horse(s) over post-race, in case they picked up any little cuts or knocks.

In most cases, I was able to address the problem myself, but if necessary, I would consult the on-course vet. On the journey home, I would ring the head lad in order to make him aware of anything that might require further attention the following morning.

Over the years, I travelled horses all over the world: America, Canada, France and the UK to name a few. As our first child was born at that time, I never made it out to Dubai with our runners but I have been there on holiday subsequently.

On a personal level, I would have to say that Sizing John winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup was my highlight during the 13 years. Not only did he win that race but having won at Leopardstown on his previous start, he followed up at Punchestown after. Considering how many great chasers have tried and failed to do the treble it puts his performance into perspective.

Very special

Alpha Centauri winning the Irish 1000 Guineas in 2018, then adding three subsequent Group 1 victories was also very special. I think we probably didn’t really appreciate the magnitude of her achievements at the time; thinking that this was the new norm. As time passes, I come to realise what an incredible race mare she truly was.

I consider myself very fortunate to work in the Irish racing industry. It is such a close-knit community, where everyone knows one another and are prepared to help out at a moment’s notice. No matter where you are in the world, you will always meet someone from home, or that you have a mutual acquaintance with.

Recently, I was honoured at the Godolphin- sponsored Irish Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards. A wonderful initiative, which showcases the hard work of those behind the scenes, Godolphin should be commended for their involvement.

In my job, I am away for long periods of time, so without the support from home it just wouldn’t be feasible. In that regard, I am fortunate to have such an understanding family in my wife, Sinéad, and our daughters, Jane and Grace. Whatever the future may bring, I am looking forward to sharing it as a family.

Bubba Amond was in conversation with John O’Riordan