ROBBIE Dolan had a race named after him at the Curragh last weekend and that was followed by a big party in his honour held at Maryville in Kildare town, where the Melbourne Cup-winning jockey was born.

His family joined him at the Curragh where Robbie and his dad Bobby were interviewed on Racing TV by Kevin O’Ryan. Bobby had a great career in racing too, closely associated with the Dermot Weld yard.

Robbie told viewers how his life was turned upside-down by his shock success on outsider Knight’s Choice. “There’s 95,000 people there, helicopters everywhere, it’s like the World Cup Final,” he explained. “The Melbourne Cup, the Derby, the Arc, and the Kentucky Derby. They are the races the wider audience knows. So to win one of them is unbelievable.”

It’s been an incredible journey as it was not that long ago that Robbie was a schoolboy standing outside the Curragh parade ring asking Johnny Murtagh for his goggles. To go from there to becoming an apprentice jockey, leaving Ireland in search of a career boost, and then to return home having reached the top, it’s quite a tale. Did we forget to mention the singing career too?

One spin-off from his Melbourne Cup success was being asked to ride in the Shergar Cup at Ascot two weeks ago, and he managed to ride a winner there too.

Robbie certainly made the most of his trip home and paid special thanks to neighbour Paddy Curran, who encouraged Kildare Co Council to put on the homecoming party. We hear Robbie sang at that party and he was probably still singing when he returned to Australia on Monday.

What a story.