A RECENT treble at Al Ain and winners at Meydan have helped re-establish my profile over the winter months. Following a bright start to my career in Britain, an ongoing shoulder injury had temporarily slowed that momentum. Hopefully, when I return to Britain for the coming flat season, I can draw on the experiences of the past few months and stake a claim as one of the leading apprentices. Although born in London, we moved back to Ireland when I was only a few months old due to my parents’ work. I grew up in Mount Merrion, which is less than 10 minutes from Leopardstown Racecourse. My first encounter with horses was on a family holiday in Donegal when my parents decided to stick me up on a pony. I was hooked from the outset and ever since that day, all I ever wanted to do was be a jockey. By the time I had done by Junior Certificate, I was still completely obsessed with horses.

Riding out