START strong and finish stronger. No Irish-based jockey has begun the 2023 flat season more brightly than Shane Foley, and the in-form rider’s hunger to drive on and make the current campaign a memorable one isn’t to be doubted.

Across March, April and May, the multiple classic-winning rider notched 20 winners on home soil - his second highest return for those months since taking out his licence in 2007, and well up on his return of nine over the same months last year.

It hasn’t just been a case of quantity for Jessica Harrington’s stable jockey, though.

Added to his CV over the past two months were no fewer than five listed or Group 3 successes, namely the Saval Beg Levmoss Stakes on the surprise package Yashin, the Committed Stakes on improving sprinter Ocean Quest, the Marble Hill Stakes on thoroughly likeable two-year-old Givemethebeatboys, the P.W. McGrath Memorial Ballysax Stakes on White Birch and the Derby Trial Stakes on Sprewell. More on the latter-named pair of high-flying three-year-olds in a moment.

The numbers are all beginning to add up for Foley too. A well-executed front-running ride aboard Roscommon scorer Pivotal Trigger on Thursday took his career haul to 924 winners in Ireland. Throw in 15 winners he recalls from previous stints in Japan, 11 more in Britain, three in Saudi Arabia, two in France, one in the US, and the major landmark of 1,000 career victories is not all that far away for the 35-year-old.

Eager to keep the revs up on a cracking start to the season, Foley manages to squeeze in time for this interviewer’s request in the middle of a manic Thursday where he rapidly departed Roscommon after a winner on his third and final mount on the card, venturing east to Fairyhouse for the business of five more rides.

“Things couldn’t have started any better this season,” says Foley, drawing breath between the action on a baking-hot afternoon at the Connacht track.

“I’d love if our two-year-olds were maybe a bit more prominent than they have been so far but they’re probably more big, strong, seven-furlong or mile types with good pedigrees. We’ll have them to look forward to for the second half of the season and they’ve given us a nice feel this spring.

Quality team

“It’s fantastic to be a part of an operation that is supported by big owners, and to be involved with a team who do a great job. There are a lot of people behind the scenes who play a huge role. Kate [Harrington] has really stepped up to the plate in recent times, since Jessie was sick. Jessie is the boss. Richie and Emma [Galway] are very important and there are some quality head lads and managers in the yard who all make the systems go. I feel I’m a small cog in a big wheel.”

Remedial work on an important cog in Foley’s own system looks to have given him a new lease on riding this season. A hip replacement surgery conducted over the winter has relieved considerable pain that the dual Irish Guineas and Irish Oaks-winning jockey was riding through for a period.

“I’m not sure, but I might be the first jockey to ride with a prosthetic hip,” he says. “I was in agony for a while last year and at one point I said to my wife Lorraine that I had contemplated packing it in over it. Thankfully I had the procedure and was allowed to ride with the replacement - I don’t know myself now. I took the recovery process seriously because I knew I’d only get one chance at it.”

While the equine team at Commonstown Stud have been motoring along at high speed in recent months, it comes during a most challenging period for the operation’s history-making head figure. Jessica Harrington has been a trailblazer in the world of sport for decades, but she has become truly inspirational for more reasons of late through the remarkable attitude she has shown in facing up to breast cancer.

Foley insists the fire burns as bright as ever with the outstanding horsewoman.

Legendary figure

“Someone asked me the other day to describe her in two words, but I told them I only needed one - legend,” he says.

“She’s brilliant to work for and I enjoy working there, which is important when doing this job. She’s not afraid to give a bollocking and I’ll take it - I’m used to it at this stage. It keeps you on your toes.

“Vice versa, if I feel something needs to be said I have no issue with saying it. We get on well together.

“Teaming up with Jessie has been massive for me. She’s really brought me to the next level with the type of horse there is in Commonstown at the moment.”

Is the current version of Shane Foley a happier one than we would have known five years ago, when riding freelance following a change in riding plans with Mick Halford?

“I suppose I’m in a different kind of scenario now. I’ve been driven since the very start and have always loved it. I was with Mick for a long time and I think he put that mentality into me, the professionalism that’s required and how to deal with people. I just think that has carried on.

“I was freelance for a year, worked very hard and the position with Jessie popped up. It’s been a type of comfort, in a way, to know that those smart horses are there for you when you get up in the morning. I appreciate it.

“I’m there in the office 30 minutes before our first lot every morning going through entries, and I enjoy going through the catalogue, going through the programme book to know where horses are going. It’s to my benefit too that I know where horses are sent, that they’re in the right spots. I enjoy that side of things. Not all jockeys might be as involved in what goes on behind the scenes but I get a kick out of that.”

Classic claims

Winning one of the most famous races in the world, Saturday’s Betfred Derby at Epsom, would be quite the thrill too, to say the least. Sprewell is clearly a live contender for Foley and Harrington.

The Churchill colt’s improvement from a pair of promising maiden defeats last season has been immense over the past two months, scoring readily on his comeback at Naas in March before following up with an impressive win in the Derby Trial Stakes at Leopardstown four weeks ago.

Some shrewd judges have talked up Foley’s mount for top honours this weekend, but he is not allowing himself to get swept up in dreaming about what a Derby win might mean for him.

“Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to win it, but I don’t build myself up too much for the big days because it leads to you becoming more disappointed if it doesn’t work out,” he says. “You have to take it in your stride.

“I’m definitely looking forward to it, though. The horse is in savage shape. He’s so relaxed and is a dude to deal with. He travelled over on Wednesday and all he’s seemed to do since is sleep and eat like he’s in his own yard. I’m happy enough that we’ve got a nice draw in stall six.”

Has Sprewell’s rapid rise to Derby contender in recent months come as a surprise to connections?

“We loved him as a two-year-old,” Foley explains. “We were disappointed that he got beaten on his second start last season at Naas, having run a lovely race on debut at Gowran. He had probably just weakened a little bit on us after Gowran and we thought he might get away with it, but he ended up bumping into one on the day.

“That happens, but it probably stood to him because he was able to have a run before he went for his trial this season, as opposed to jumping straight into a trial if already a maiden winner. It probably worked out for the best.

“In terms of the ground, he’s a good mover by Churchill. He handles heavy ground so well that it is a question mark. I’ll tell you for definite on Saturday evening! What I will say is that this horse would do anything for you. He’s flying.”

Foley is also extremely familiar with one of Ireland’s other major Derby hopes, the John Murphy-trained White Birch.

Winner of the Ballysax Stakes and second in the Dante under the Graiguenamanagh, Co Kilkenny rider this season, he looks bound to relish the extra distance at Epsom.

Foley says: “If we don’t win with Sprewell, I’d like to see White Birch win. It’d be great for the lads; George and John Murphy have done a great job in bringing him along slowly. I thought he was a little unlucky in the Dante, the way it worked out. He just got a little upset in the gates but I just hope he keeps calm this weekend and runs a big race. I wish them the very best of luck.”

Ascot aces

Foley is just one winner away from reaching the landmark of 50 European group-race wins, and, if he does not get to the half century at Epsom, it’s possible he could do so at Royal Ascot.

With Harrington forming a select team for the Royal Meeting - likely spearheaded by Coventry Stakes hope Givemethebeatboys - the nine-time Group 1-winning jockey may well have some interesting chances to look forward to.

“Givemethebeatboys is a dude - I love him,” says Foley. “From the very first day I sat on him, I thought he was a very good horse. He’s so relaxed. It’s like riding a handicapper in two-year-old company - you can put him anywhere and do anything you want. He’s straightforward, a good mover and clear-winded.

“Supersonic Man won at Tipperary earlier this week and is a different type of horse, but he still did it nicely. He’s a bit more precocious and stepped up so much from his debut at Naas to Tipperary. If he can progress as much from there to Ascot, he could run well there [likely in the Windsor Castle or Norfolk Stakes].

“We have a nice bit of a team building for the meeting, and hopefully some for the handicaps like Villanova Queen. There’s a chance Quar Shamar could go for the Jersey. He ran well in the Irish 2000 Guineas [when sixth]. It was a big step up for him and he didn’t disgrace himself - I was happy with him.

“Panic Alarm could go for Britannia and Snowcapped, who was probably unlucky in a messy race at the Curragh last week, could run in the Sandringham.”

Foley has long given the impression of being an especially hungry personality when it comes to chasing success at all levels, but that trait has arguably appeared to be even more evident in his riding this season. The desire is most certainly burning.

“I did come into this season still feeling like I have a bit of a point to prove, or something along those lines,” says the rider with a keen eye for shooting in his down time.

“I suppose just missing out on the jockeys’ championship a couple of years ago [when runner-up after a duel with Colin Keane] was a sore one, and then coming back from the hip replacement - there are a combination of things that might be making me feel that way. Day in, day out, you’re always trying your best to make things happen.”

The warning shots have been coming all spring that a big summer lies in store for one of the weighing room’s top operators. Foley has been hitting the target with regularity, and the quality bullets keep coming this weekend at Epsom.