WINNING my first race under rules on Avakate at Roscommon last week was unbelievable. Given how competitive racing is in this country, wins of any description are not easy come by.

Although the filly had been working well at home, I dared not get ahead of myself by expecting too much. For everything to go to plan on the night was incredible; it was a feeling I will never forget.

We live in Newmarket-on-Fergus, Co Clare. My father, Dermot was a sucessful amateur jockey, who won the point-to-point championship on two occasions.

My uncle Tom also won a brace of titles, while my other uncles John, Adrian and Tony all rode point-to-point winners.

My late grandfather, Tom Costello, was renowned for producing young stock who went on to win at the highest level on the track. He had six Cheltenham Gold Cup winners pass through his hands, while he also trained an Irish Grand National winner (Tartan Ace, 1973) in his own right.

As a child I would have gone point-to-pointing at the weekends, especially if my father had a runner. In those days, my uncle Tom held the licence but Dad owned a horse or two.

He taught me how to ride when I was no more than three or four; thus following in the footsteps of my elder sisters. I did a lot of show jumping right up until my mid-teens but the ambition to ride in point-to-points and on the racecourse was something I held from a young age.

Riding licence

I first sat on a racehorse at the age of 14, when I started riding out for my uncle Tom. At 17, I took out my point-to-point licence and had my first ride while still in school.

On New Year’s Day this year, I rode my first winner in a point-to-point; Keep Me Posted, at Ballindenisk. That same horse, owned by my mother Claire and trained by my uncle Tom, had also given my sister Laura her initial winner the previous March.

As I am currently studying for an Agricultural Science degree in UCD, I was only able to ride out at weekends and during the holidays last year.

Aside from my uncle, I also ride out for our neighbours, John and Paul O’Neill and Aengus King.

In May of this year, as soon as I finished first year, I started with trainer Andrew Slattery in Killenaule. I am there full-time for the next few months and hope to continue to go in and ride out when I go back to college in September.

Andy, Andrew, Willie and Brian have been so helpful and accommodating since I started with them. I have been given the opportunity to ride work on the flat horses and school National Hunt horses.

I have learned so much already in the few months I have been in the yard. Whether it is something I am doing right or something I do wrong, one of the lads will always impart advice.

Prior to Avakate in Roscommon, I had only three previous rides on the track. The first was for Aengus King in a bumper at Ballinrobe last July.

I had been really looking forward to that initial ride under rules and thoroughly enjoyed it. However, I had also ridden in 12 point-to-points, so felt confident enough that I had sufficient race-riding experience.

First winner

Andy Slattery trains Avakate and she had been doing things right in her work, so the lads were expecting a big run last week at Roscommon provided she settled during the race. I was certainly hopeful that she would give me a good spin but dared not think beyond that point.

Given the plan was always to drop out and get Avakate settled, I was delighted to see them go a good gallop up front. I came around the outside into the straight, knowing even then that I had plenty left underneath me. When I asked the filly to quicken over a furlong out, she responded and went away to win well.

It was incredible to get that first win on the racecourse and I was thrilled to in some small way repay the Slatterys for the faith they put in me. Without their mentoring and support over the last three months, I doubt I would have found myself in the winner’s enclosure at this early stage of my career.

With another three years left in college, that has to be the priority for the short term. I hope to continue to ride out as much as time allows and I will ride away in point-to-points this coming season. Hopefully, given my recent win on Avakate, a few trainers might also give me some opportunities on the track going forward.

Kate Costello was in conversation with John O’Riordan.