IT was nice to get a winner, courtesy of Parkers Hill, when racing resumed at Naas last month. As a new trainer, embarking on my first full season on the turf, it was important to get off to a good start.

Having used the enforced break to tighten my string and identify those that look capable of winning, I feel confident I have a nice bunch of horses for the months ahead.

I was born in Newry but my family moved to Warrenpoint when I was just eight years old. We had a bit of land at our new place, so in my early teens I convinced my parents to buy me a pony. From there I went on to do pony club, show jumping and later some breaking. During my secondary school years, I worked weekends and holidays at a local breaking/pre-training yard where I really learned how to handle thoroughbreds.

At that point I knew my future lay working with horses, so I went on to college to study equine management at CAFRE Enniskillen. As part of that two-year degree programme I spent a couple of months work experience with Keith Dalgleish in Scotland. I really enjoyed my time in that yard, so much so, that I returned for a further four months after completing my studies. It was the first time I had worked in a flat racing yard, so it was a new experience for me. I rode out, went racing and did general stable duties.

Learning experience

After coming back home, I spent nine months working for Willie McCreery on the Curragh. He had some real nice horses in the yard at the time such as Radiantly and Devonshire. It was great to be able to see their training at close quarters, something that certainly appealed to me.

I kept a journal in every yard I ever worked in – always filling it by the time I left. It was just simple things, like notes, saying what the trainer did when such and such occurred. Although I still have them all, I don’t think I have ever referred to them since I started training myself. I think it’s very different when you are doing the job yourself.

I returned to Britain after McCreery’s, going to work for David O’Meara for a time. My role there was as assistant to the head travelling girl, something which gave me the opportunity to go racing every day. I also rode out in the mornings before setting out for the day. Again, I watched everything that David did closely, as I had one eye firmly on a training career of my own. I stayed for a summer, then came home and rode out for local handler Keith Watson, while also breaking a few horses of my own.

The next chapter in my racing education saw me head to Sydney where I worked for James Cummings, grandson of the legendary Bart Cummings. I probably would have stayed in Australia longer than I did but James was signed up as a trainer for Godolphin, so rather than make that move, I decided it was time to come back to Ireland.

I did a bit of breaking, pre-training and sales prep from the yard at home, as by that stage I had plenty contacts within the industry. It was actually through a client I broke horses for that I had the chance to work for leading trainer Mark Johnson. I went over to take on the position of yard manager but my stay was relatively short-lived. Once I found myself in the training yard, I got itchy feet, feeling that the time was right to embark on my own. So, I went home to Warrenpoint, put in gallops at our yard and set about applying for a licence. I started off with two horses, then bought a couple at the sales and claimed some off the track.

Latchet, whom I bought from Jim Bolger, gave me my first winner at Dundalk last October. She was actually just touched off under a penalty less than a week later, so I could have had two winners back to back. Galaxy Horse Racing Syndicate came up to see me around that time but I had no horses for late.

Later, after I claimed Lottieloveheart at Dundalk, I rang them up and they got involved. Parkers Hill was a horse I had on my radar for some time but after feeling he was overpriced at the sales, I later bought him in a claimer.

To their credit, Galaxy once again placed their faith in me, taking ownership of my new acquisition. Having run very well for us first time up, I took him home and had him gelded as I felt it would bring about further improvement.

The lockdown probably helped Parkers Hill more than most horses as he was still a big baby who needed time to develop. We did plenty of work with him at home, taking off the headgear and teaching him how to get horses in his work. Aili Leah, his regular work rider, has done a fantastic job with the horse.

It is just the two of us here at the yard and we work very well together. I told Shane Foley to keep it simple in his race at Naas, almost treating it like a piece of work.

As you would expect from a leading jockey, he carried out my instructions to the letter and Parkers Hill won with something in hand. I am hopeful that now he has grown in confidence the horse can go on from there. We have eight horses in at the moment, although we have room for 14. In time, I’d love to expand to the point where I have 50 or 60 in training. I am just 25 right now, so that’s something I am aiming to achieve by the time I reach 30.

Leanne Breen was in conversation with John O’Riordan.