NATIONAL Hunt racing in Sweden is certainly the poor relation when compared to its flat equivalent, with opportunities limited for those of us who prefer the jumps. So, when I got the chance to come to Ireland to work for champion trainer Willie Mullins, I didn’t need to be asked twice. It has been a fantastic experience being involved with such a big yard and I have been made feel very welcome by all at Closutton.

Pony racing

My sister, Alina and I, started off pony racing when we were very young. Although our family weren’t directly involved with racing, my mother kept a couple of work horses.

Pony racing is slightly different in Sweden, in so far as the ponies belong to an individual club as opposed to a trainer. So, you could only ride the ponies owned by your affiliated club in competitions.

The ponies themselves were never allowed be 100% thoroughbred, although they could be various different crosses. I continued with pony racing through second level education but also started riding out at a local racing stable. As part of my school work experience placement, I was able to go into a flat yard. It was the first time I had sat on a thoroughbred, so when the work experience concluded, I stayed on at weekends and holidays.

Passion

I finished high school where I graduated with a degree in media and marketing. However, I had no initial plans to use the degree, as I had such a passion for racing and perhaps one day becoming a jockey.

I moved down south to work for the champion flat trainer Lennart Reuterskiöld JR and also obtained an amateur licence in 2014.

Amateur Derby

The undoubted career highlight was winning the 2019 Swedish Amateur Derby on the German-bred All Run and winning the first two and only jump races on the new National Hunt course at Bro Park racecourse in August 2020.

A short time after, my boss asked me what I wanted to do in racing. When I told him that I loved jumps racing, he asked me why I was still in Sweden! He made a few calls on my behalf and a week later, I was heading over to join Willie Mullins in Ireland. That was in September 2020 and I have been here since. Alina (my sister) came over the following year, so it has been nice to have her here.

Galway

I had plenty race riding experience, having ridden in over 350 races under rules with 38 winners under my belt, so I switched over to an Irish amateur licence soon after my arrival. I had my first ride for Willie Mullins in the GPT Handicap at Galway last year; a very proud moment. Just to have a ride for the champion jumps trainer meant so much to me and showed me that it was possible to achieve my dream.

Since then, I have ridden in a point-to-point, the Grade 2 bumper race at the Dublin Racing Festival on Flemencello (Willie Mullins) and earlier this month, I finished second on Good Bye Sam in a hunter chase at Naas. My ambition is to try get going as an amateur, ride in as many races as possible and hopefully build up my profile over the coming months.

Barn manager

My main role is as a work rider/barn manager for Willie Mullins. I ride out four or five lots every morning and am responsible for my own barn of 10 horses. As an experienced jockey, I have also been fortunate enough to go away for schooling days, where I have sat on some of the best horses in the sport.

I feel privileged to be in the position I find myself in and am so thankful to Willie Mullins for giving me such opportunities.

Last weekend, I led up Melon to win the Grade 2 Red Mils Chase at our local track, Gowran Park. It was a great day, especially to see the horse get back to winning ways after so many fantastic runs over the last couple of seasons. I’ve been lucky enough to have looked after Melon for over a year and went over to Cheltenham with him last year. Hopefully I will get to be part of the team that travels to the festival next month, although nothing has been decided just yet.

Aside from Melon, Ontheropes, one of the horses I look after, is also a potential runner at the meeting. Whether I am there in person, or watching on television, it will be exciting to follow the fortunes of the stable runners at what is undoubtedly one of the biggest meetings in National Hunt racing.

Looking further ahead, I see my long-term future being here in Ireland. If I can establish myself in the amateur ranks, I’d then like to turn conditional and hopefully eventually become a professional. Racing back home in Sweden is a lower level, both in terms of quality of horse and prize money.

I can see myself returning home to race-ride but training is not something that I have ever really considered. I’d love to own horses or be part of a syndicate when the time is right but actually training horses has never been part of the plan.

For now, my sights are firmly set on building a career as jockey, something that is much more attainable in a country like Ireland.

Elliot Öhgren was in conversation with John O’Riordan