IT was great to see a video online last week of former jump jockey Tommy Ryan schooling a pony over poles at Ballynonty Equestrian Centre.

Now aged 74, Tommy spent 55 years working at the O’Grady yard in Killeens and his Cheltenham Festival winners included a Stayers’ Hurdle on Mountrivers, a Triumph Hurdle on Northern Game and two ‘Sun Alliance’ novice hurdles with Drumargan and Mr Donovan.

He also won the Irish Grand National on Bit Of A Skite and the Galway Plate with Rugged Lucy.

Tommy only retired a few years ago but hasn’t lost his bottle. Ballynonty Equestrian Centre posted the video of Tommy schooling with the caption: “What a sport we are involved in. A multiple Cheltenham Festival-winning jockey getting a pony ready for his grandson! What a man!”