Category Archives: Interviews

An Interview with Jamie Moore

Posted in Horse Racing, Interviews by

Hey guys!

Today I am thrilled to bring to you an interview with Jamie Moore. From such a huge racing family, I thoroughly enjoyed chatting to Jamie about all things racing!

Me: What is your favourite race of your career, win or lose?

Jamie: The Grand National

Me: If you could ride any horse that you never have, past or present, who would you choose?

Jamie: Red Rum

Me: What are your opinions surrounding the discussions of banning the whip?

Jamie: I think it’s a load of rubbish. I think it’s a part of the art of riding. Whip technique is a skill and we keep it safe as the rules are very good in this country. And it doesn’t hurt the horses.

Me: Who do you look up to in the weighing room?

Jamie: Richard Johnson and Ryan Moore.

Me: What is one race you’d love to win?

Jamie: The Grand National.

Me: Of course, you’re from a huge racing family, do you ever feel any pressure due to the success of the Moore name within racing?

Jamie: There’s not pressure. We all do our best and we all know how hard we try. The success is sweeter, but when it goes wrong it hurts more.

Me: On from that, what is the best piece of advice you’ve been given from Ryan, Josh, Hayley or your dad Gary?

Jamie: There is no real stand out from any, but we always help each other with little things when we can. Josh is always the best for advice.

Me: How is Goshen? Personally, where would you like to see him go next?

Jamie: He’s fine. I’d like to see him go to Sandown next month.

Me: One of the best photos, in my opinion, from Cheltenham is the photo of AP McCoy leaving his ITV podium to come and console you after the incident with Goshen, what was his words of wisdom to you in that moment? How did you feel to have one of the greatest jockeys in our time to give up his time out to come and speak with you?

Jamie: He just told me to keep my chin up. I just kept telling him I’m a d*ckhead. He’s the greatest jockey ever but he is also a mate who I rode against a lot. He knew what I was going through so it was very kind of him, but that is the sort of fella he is.

Me: You seem very close with your Dad in terms of the sport, are you looking forward to a potential future within training like your dad or is that not something you have ever thought about?

Jamie: I love the training side of things and I love just plainly riding horses – whether it is racing or training and I will always be at our stables helping out.

Me: What would you say to anyone who thinks racing is animal cruelty?

Jamie: Jog on and keep your nose out. If you don’t like it then ignore it. Come and see how our horses are looked after. When you see ponies and horses chucked in muddy fields with no grass with their ears flat back in the rain – They don’t have much of a life.

Me: What would be your ‘horse to watch’ for the next season or two?

Jamie: High Definition.

Me: What is your favourite race course to ride at and why?

Jamie: Sandown is a lovely track. You can see over all of London to spectate and watch them jumping down the back straight. It’s a great race course.

Me: What is your best advice for young people who have a passion they want to follow, whether that be racing or something else?

Jamie: Be a student of whatever it may be, whether it’s sport, medicine, journalism, whatever it is. Read books and learn everything you possibly can to be the best you possible can be in your chosen field. Never stop learning. Watch the best and learn from the best.

Firstly, as always, I would like to thank Jamie for taking time out of his day to speak with me all things racing. I hope everyone enjoyed this post as much as I did speaking with Jamie and getting this post wrote up.

I will be back Wednesday (13/01/2021) at 6pm with an interview with Julie Camacho. So I shall see you all then!

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An Interview with Mick Fitzgerald

Posted in Horse Racing, Interviews by

Hey guys!

Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas and New Year and we’re all back to make 2021 a good one. I am super excited to bring you my first post of 2021 which is an interview with ex jockey, now TV pundit, Mick Fitzgerald. Mick took time out of his morning Tuesday to speak to me all things racing, so I hope you all enjoy!

Me: What was your favourite race of your career, win or lose?

Mick: Favourite race of my career I think to win was the Gold Cup, it was the one race I wanted to win more than any other. I was 15 when Dawn Run won in 1986 and you know, it was one of those moments that you never forget. I always wondered what it would feel like to win the Gold Cup and to walk into that winners enclosure and thankfully I was able to win that.

Me: If you could ride any horse that is currently in training, what horse would you choose and why?

Mick: I think I would choose Shishkin, because those good horses, especially ones like him, they’ve got very high cruising speed. He’s a bit of a natural athlete in that he’s got a lot of scope jumping and he’s just, he’s already proven on a big stage, winning the Supreme at the Festival. Erm, but he looks like he’s a shining star.

Me: What are your opinions surrounding the discussions of banning the whip?

Mick: I disagree with it, I think that we need something that… People have to understand that when you’re in control of an animal that size, you sometimes need something that will give you the upper hand. I think when you carry a whip it is mainly for correction purposes. If you’ve got a horse that is being unruly or it’s a danger to other people and other horses, you need to be able to give it a slap down the shoulder to basically correct it to stop it misbehaving really.

Me: You obviously work for some of the biggest broadcasters in racing, some jockey’s never go down that route, why do you think you went into that? What do you enjoy about it?

Mick: Erm, why did I, I think in the past maybe, some jockey’s didn’t feel like it was an avenue they wanted to go down. I have always found working on TV enjoyable and I think as a pundit, having been there and done it, you know, I have an opinion that is valid in a sense that I know how it feels like to get it wrong and I know how it feels like to get it right. And I know, I’d like think with my coaching background now, I can kind of pin point areas where some jockey’s need to be better and areas where jockey’s excel. I enjoy it as a job, well it’s not really a job. I get to go racing at a time now, especially at the moment, when it’s a horrible time for a lot of people. If you’re an owner of a race horse you’re not allowed to go and watch your horse run, whereas I feel very privileged that I am able to work in a sport that I love and be able to convey that to the people who are watching.

And how do I feel? As you say, I have been very lucky. Ed Chamberlin – our lead presenter on ITV – is a great man to work with. He’s very… He’s not… It’ not all about him. He very much wants to get the best out of his co-presenters, whether it is Francesca (Cumani), whether it’s me, whether it’s AP McCoy, Ruby Walsh or Luke Harvey. He wants to get the best out of us, that’s what he feels his job is. Erm, and obviously when I worked for Channel 4 and BBC, I worked with Clare Balding, who was one of the best I have ever worked with. She is very professional and brilliant at her job and she has a great way of being able to talk to the person sat at home as if they were sat down beside her. She had… a super way. Nick Luck, obviously he is very professional and so natural. He is a very good communicator and he’s a really good operator. And then when I did work in radio, people like Mark Pougatch and John Inverdale, they are titans of their profession. Really really good presenters who are exceptional at what they do. Eleanor Oldroyd is another one I worked with on Five Live. She is a brilliant presenter, again, she has got a great… I think the key to good presenting is making the person sat at home, whether they’re listening to you or watching you, feel like they are the only person in the room and you are talking directly to them. That is what all of those people I have mentioned have done and still do brilliantly.

Me: You touched there on being a jockey coach as well, are there any upcoming jockey’s that you’re looking forward to that could potentially come close to AP McCoy’s record?

Mick: Oft, I don’t know about AP’s record, I think that… To put it into context Zoe, somebody has to ride 200 winners for 20 years consecutively to get near AP’s record… To get near it – not beat it. So that is a mountain and I certainly haven’t seen anybody that can be that dominant at the moment. But there is a good batch of young riders coming through, you’ve got Danny McMenamin who’s a very good rider based up the North, you’ve got Jack Tudor who is one of the lads I coach, he’s a very big talent. Liam Harrison is another young man I work with who is very good. Lilly Pinchin who I work with, I think she is very good. Erm, there is… The great thing is, it doesn’t matter whether you’re male or female, I’ve worked with the Bowen brothers, I’ve worked with Bryony Frost throughout her career and as far as I’m concerned, what sex a person is has nothing to do with their ability to ride a horse. You have to work hard, you have to push yourself out of your comfort zone if you want to improve and only then will you improve.

Me: Do you believe Tiger Roll can go on to win a third Grand National? If not, are there any horses you fancy to take the crown?

Mick: It’s a big ask for Tiger Roll this year, like, there’s a lot of young… I think he had a better chance off winning it last year than he does this year. Obviously he’s a year older and it’ll be hard for him now. Erm, I would love to see him do it but I think it will be tough. I quite like a horse called The Conditional trained by David Bridgwater. He I think has… He ticks all the boxes for me. He’s a big horse.

Me: What would you say to anyone who thinks horse racing is animal cruelty?

Mick: Well, all they have to do is see how they are looked after. These horses… People have to… We need to educate people to show them as well. These horses are bred to race and if you turned them out into a field… We have horses here and if you turn them out in the field they gallop. They love to gallop and they love to jump and as far as I’m concerned these horses are bred to do this and it’s what they like doing. If they’re not being forced to do it, they still do it, so you know, I don’t see the cruelty. Horses that are looked after like these are? That’s not cruelty in my eyes.

Me: What would be your horse to watch for the next couple of seasons?

Mick: I think Shishkin. Definitely. He’s the one who should be on the top of everybody’s lists really.

Me: What is one race that you never won that you would have loved to win?

Mick: Champion Hurdle. I never won the Champion, I was 3rd in it and I never won it. That’s definitely the one.

Me: What was your favourite course to ride at and what is your favourite course to be a pundit at?

Mick: Erm, Cheltenham is my favourite because there is nowhere quite like it. To be a pundit, I think it’s a toss up between Ascot and Cheltenham. I think Ascot is such a fantastic Grand Stand and arena that it’s hard not to be impressed when you stand there and look up at that structure. Even when you drive in to Ascot you can see it and it’s really impressive and to work at it’s kind of got everything in terms of ease of access and how you’re looked after, that’s pretty good. And Cheltenham… I would have to say Cheltenham Zoe really, on both counts. You know, like it doesn’t get any better than there. I know I’m a bit biased and it sounds wrong for me to say Cheltenham and Cheltenham but it feels like it’s Cheltenham.

Me: What is your favourite day of the racing calendar?

Mick: Favourite day of the racing calendar? Erm… It is the Tuesday of the Cheltenham Festival. Purely because it is the start of four days of absolute top draw racing.

Me: For the last question, what is your best piece of advice for young people who want to follow their passion, whether that be in racing or elsewhere?

Mick: Erm, don’t ever be put off by what other people tell you. If you want something and it’s something you care and are passionate about… Follow it. You might have to work harder than everybody else to get there, but it will be worth it in the end. If you care about something and you’re passionate about it, let that passion be what drives you forward. Never be afraid to chase your dream.

Me: Thank you for your time today Mick, I appreciate you’re busy so I am grateful you have taken time out to speak with me.

Mick: No not at all. The very best of luck, continue with what you’re doing.

I want to say a huge thank you to Mick for taking time out of his busy schedule to speak with me and supporting the work I am doing on my blog. It’s an honour to speak with someone who is such a huge name in a sport I love. Mick gave some in depth answers that really gave an insight into the sport and I thoroughly enjoyed our talk.

I hope you all enjoyed this interview as much as I did.

Thank you all so much for reading my first post of 2021. I will be back on Saturday (09/01/2021) at 11am where I am bringing to you an interview with Jamie Moore.

An Interview with Rossa Ryan

Posted in Horse Racing, Interviews by

ROSSA RYAN 12TH

Hiya guys!

Today I have an interview with the up and coming flat jockey Rossa Ryan. Please note that this interview was conducted before the continuation of racing. I hope you enjoy!

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Me: What is your favourite race of your career, win or lose?

Rossa: To date, the Celebration Mile in Goodwood would be my favourite race I have won.

Me: If you could ride any horse that you never have, past or present, what horse would you choose?

Rossa: If I had my choice in whatever horse in history I could have ridden, I would have to say Sea The Stars.

Me: What are your opinions surrounding the discussions of banning the whip?

Rossa: I honestly am against banning it. I have done a few tours with people who have came racing to meet a jockey and I have showed them the whip and they could see after I showed them that it doesn’t hurt and it really changed their opinion of the whip after that. I could hit myself as hard as possible and it wouldn’t hurt. It’s only there to encourage horses to go forward for jockey’s.

Me: As a jockey, weight is obviously a huge thing for you guys, so what would you eat on a regular day?? Are there any periods across the year where you can actually just eat everything and anything or is it a strict kind of diet all year round?

Rossa: Well, it all depends on the weight you have that day. If, for instance, I had a light weight, I would eat little to nothing and if I had a heavy weight that day or the next I would eat dinner, if I was hungry. All depends day to day I suppose.

Me: What would you say to anyone who thinks racing is animal cruelty?

Rossa: I think they’re very wrong. I would love for the general public to actually witness the love that the stable staff, owners, trainers and jockeys have for these horses. We love our sport and we love horses. And the care the horses get is completely pampered to be honest. They’re so well looked after and you see it day to day how happy horses in racing are.

Me: Racing is an all year round sport, so when you do get some down time, what do you like to do?

Rossa: Well I’m from Ireland so when we get our time off I usually go home to visit my family and have a little holiday at home.

Me: Who do you look up to in the weighing room?

Rossa: Well I have always followed James Doyle on his style and also Sean Levey, he’s helped me massively in little guidelines to becoming a better jockey and is always there to give me advice if I need it.

Me: What’s your overall goal in racing over the upcoming few years?

Rossa: My overall goal, to hopefully ride a Group 1 winner and maybe, just maybe, be Champion Jockey.

Me: What is your ‘horse to watch’ for the next season or two?

Rossa: My horse to watch for the upcoming year would be Duke of Hazzard. He gave me my biggest win last year and he is on the upward curve to hopefully being a Group 1 horse this year.

Me: What is your best advice for young people who have a passion they want to follow, whether that be racing or something else?

Rossa: I think if you want to achieve a goal in life or make a dream come true… well I think for the best sports people of the world, they only got there through hard work. Going that extra mile where possible and putting that bit more practice in.

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Firstly, as always, I want to thank Rossa for his time. I personally think he has a promising future ahead, he is a brilliant rider and a credit to our sport. The fact he is so young sets him in good stead to have a long and hopefully successful career. I am excited to watch his journey over the upcoming years to see where he ends up.

Thank you for reading.

10

Sidenote: My raffle to raise money for the Stroke Association is now LIVE. So you can pop over to my Twitter and view this tweet for all information: https://twitter.com/zoelouisesmithx/status/1277629857460113410?s=20 There are some fantastic prizes and it is for a fantastic cause in honour of the 10 year anniversary of my mom’s stroke. The Stroke Association help not only those directly affected by a stroke, but also their families. They helped my mom massively and I wanted to raise money for them so they can continue to help other people in need. I hope you can all join me in raising money for this incredible cause!

 

An Interview with Liam Keniry

Posted in Horse Racing, Interviews by

Liam Keniry

Hiya guys!

Today I bring to you an interview with Liam Keniry. I hope you enjoy!

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Me: What is your favourite race of your career, win or lose?

Liam: Favourite race, win or lose, would probably be the Cambridgeshire 2004 on a horse called Spanish Don who came along very early in my career, I was still an apprentice and won a couple stakes on him and obviously winning that Cambridgeshire at the time as an apprentice was very good. 

Me: If you could ride any horse that you never have, past or present, what horse would you choose?

Liam: Favourite horse I’ve never ridden would be Sea The Stars; what he did in his classic season was just brilliant. He had everything. Won the Guineas, the Derby and all them other races he did, it was probably just… yeah just amazing what he did that season.

Me: What are your opinions surrounding the discussions of banning the whip?

Liam: The whip… I think the BHA have the whip rules absolutely spot on and if the whip was every banned it would be a backwards step for racing, I believe. 

Me: As a jockey, weight is obviously a huge thing for you guys, so what would you eat on a regular day? Are there any periods across the year where you can actually just eat everything and anything or is it a strict kind of diet all year round?

Liam: As you get older it becomes easier to manage your weight. I would always have a little bit of breakfast no matter what weight I have that day. Something small to eat in the evenings and just plenty of exercise. Yeah, your weight is easier to manage when you’re quite busy doing  two meetings a day and stuff, so it’s not really an issue.

Me: What would you say to anyone who thinks racing is animal cruelty?

Liam: I think people who think racing is animal cruelty are probably people who have never been to a racing stables and haven’t seen how well these horses are looked after and cared for and how prepared they are when they go to racing. The majority of the time the horses are so prepared that they probably find it quite easy and I imagine most of them quite enjoy it.

Me: Racing is an all year round sport, so when you do get some down time, what do you like to do?

Liam: Yeah, it’s good to be busy. I prefer it that way, the busier you are, the fitter you are and I think the easier it is to keep your eye on the ball. If the racing gives time off it can be quite nice to go on holiday with the wife for a couple of days just to get away for a couple days. But in general it’s better to be busy.

Me: Who do you look up to in the weighing room?

Liam: I always looked up to Kieren Fallon when he was riding. He was just a genius in the saddle and he was Champion Jockey a many times. Especially in the big races, Fallon was as good as there was in his time riding I think.

Me: What is one race you’d love to win?

Liam: Any Group 1 race would be great. Yeah, any Group 1 race would be brilliant.

Me: What is your overall goal in racing over the upcoming few years?

Liam: I am very close to riding 1000 winners now, I think about 30 away from that so hopefully if we get back racing soon, if I can do that by the end of this year it would be good and just to continue to ride winners every year after that, that would be good.

Me: What would be your ‘horse to watch’ for the next season or two?

Liam: A horse looking forward to this season would probably be a horse called Indeed who is trained by Dominic Ffrench Davis. He did quite well last year and hopefully he should have a good year this year. We’d like to think he definitely up to winning in a listed class and hopefully there are a couple of big races in him yet.

Me: What is your favourite race course to ride at and why?

Liam: It would probably be Newbury. I am primarily based in Lambourn so Newbury would probably be my local track to there and I think it’s a big galloping track and quite fair, so yeah, it’s a good track Newbury, it’s a fair track and a good track and it’s always nice to ride a winner there. 

Me: What is your best advice for young people who have a passion they want to follow, whether that be racing or something else?

Liam: I think… always follow your dreams. Work hard. Working hard will always help you in life no matter what job you do.

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Firstly I want to thank Liam for his time, he gave some brilliant answers. Hopefully he reaches 1000 winners this year, I will definitely be following his progress as he becomes closer to that goal!

Thank you for reading.

An Interview with Tom Garner

Posted in Horse Racing, Interviews by

Tom Garner

Hiya guys!

Today I am bringing you an interview with Tom Garner who is Oliver Sherwood’s stable jockey. I hope you enjoy!

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Me: What is your favourite race of your career, win or lose?

Tom: There’s been a few that meant a lot but probably winning the two Grade 1’s I won last year in Saratoga on Winston C – A horse that I brought from England. It was the first Grade 1’s as a jockey and as a bloodstock agent.

Me: If you could ride any horse that you never have, past or present, what horse would you choose?

Tom: Many Clouds. I rode him a lot at home and would have loved to have ridden him on the track, he’s the best horse I have ever sat on.

Me: What are your opinions surrounding the discussions of banning the whip?

Tom: I think the public need to be educated more about the stick and how we use it. I agree with the current rules, but if a horse isn’t going to go for one smack, it’s not going to go for multiple. So young lads starting out should be better educated on how to make a horse go without having to resort to the stick.

Me: As a jockey, weight is obviously a huge thing for you guys, so what would you eat on a regular day? Are there any periods across the year where you can actually just eat everything and anything or is it a strict kind of diet all year round?

Tom: I’m lucky that my weight is okay at the moment, but I have been up to over 11 stone when I should be about 10 stone. I find alcohol is the worst for my weight and unfortunately for me, I love beer, but when it comes to eating I don’t watch it too much, just when I need to. I’ve lost over 7 pounds before in 24 hours, which isn’t advisable. But I just do plenty of exercise most days and I ride out and that keeps it level.

Me: What would you say to anyone who thinks racing is animal cruelty?

Tom: Again, the same as the stick. The public need to be better educated before they have opinions. If they saw the way the horses are cared for and the love of the horses from the stable staff who look after them day in, day out then a lot of people would change their minds.

Me: Racing is an all year round sport, so when you do get some down time, what do you like to do?

Tom: It’s hard for me to get away as I ride in England during the winter and America during the summer, but when we have had a few days before, I’ve been skiing with a few other lads or try and get to Dubai to visit friends who are riding out there, otherwise the days I have off I usually go out hunting or shooting.

Me: Who do you look up to in the weighing room?

Tom: Two people I have looked up to have recently retired. They are Noel Fehily and Leighton Aspell, both have helped me massively during my career.

Me: What is one race you’d love to win?

Tom: Obviously the Grand National or the Gold Cup. But I have finished 2nd and 3rd in the Pardubice so coming that close has made me want to win it even more.

Me: What’s your overall goal in racing over the upcoming few years?

Tom: I want to be Champion Jockey in America and come back and keep a good relationship with the trainers in England and win as many horses as I can, whilst I can.

Me: What would be your ‘horse to watch’ for the next season or two?

Tom: England would be a horse of Ben Pauling’s called Your Darling and America would be Winston C. He has a lot more good days ahead of him.

Me: What is your favourite race course to ride at and why?

Tom: I love Sandown. I’ve had a lot of good days with Rayvin Black and I love riding over fences there.

Me: What is your best advice for young people who have a passion they want to follow, whether that be racing or something else?

Tom: Someone said to me when I was starting out ‘work will overcome talent if talent doesn’t work hard’. Just to work as hard as you can and take advice from older lads in the weighing room. The most talented rider isn’t always the best jockey if he or she doesn’t work hard.

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As always, first things first, I want to thank Tom for taking the time to speak with me, I know he is super busy whilst riding in America currently so I appreciate making the time to answer a few questions. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this interview so I hope you guys did too. I will see you all next Saturday at 11am for An Interview with Liam Keniry.

An Interview with Phillip Dennis

Posted in Horse Racing, Interviews by

Phillip Dennis

Hiya guys!

Today I am bringing you an interview with Phillip Dennis, I hope you enjoy!

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Me: What is your favourite race of your career, win or lose?

Phillip: My favourite race that I have won so far would have to be the Epsom Dash on Ornate. To win a big handicap just 40 minutes before the Derby was great and a real buzz, he also gave me my first Group One ride in the Nunthorpe this year, which would be up there for a favourite ride that didn’t win. Hopefully he can be seriously competitive in listed or group company this season.

Me: If you could ride any horse that you never have, past or present, what horse would you choose?

Phillip: If I could have ridden any horse past or present, I’d have to say Frankel as an obvious one. He was just a freak of a race horse and his Guineas win and York win stand out for me. A less obvious one would be Sole Power, he looked a real character to ride.

Me: What are your opinions surrounding the discussions of banning the whip?

Phillip: I think the whip issue could go on and on but it really is an important piece of equipment that the wider public don’t really understand. I’m not sure what the best way to go is, whether it’s tighten up penalties or reduce hits, but in my opinion, banning it would be crazy.

Me: As a jockey, weight is obviously a huge thing for you guys, so what would you eat on a regular day? Are there any periods across the year where you can actually just eat everything and anything or is it a strict kind of diet all year round?

Phillip: I’m fairly lucky with my weight that it stays quite level and I can eat relatively well, depending on what weights I have in the coming days. 48 hour declarations are definitely a help to get the weight sorted for a lighter ride. In the summer I’d watch it a bit more than in the winter. When it’s quieter you can use it as a bit of a break for the body.

Me: What would you say to anyone who thinks racing is animal cruelty?

Phillip: If I was to talk to someone who thought racing was cruel, I’d have to explain to them how well the horses are looked after, morning and night. People think they are forced to run, but the majority are only happy when they are out with a saddle on them. Stable staff do an unbelievable job and treat them like they are their own.

Me: Racing is an all year round sport, so when you do get some down time, what do you like to do?

Phillip: During the odd days I get off I try to play golf… very averagely. But I’d be a fair weather player. So other than that I like to spend time with friends and family. During the lockdown I tried my hand at the odd bit of DIY and gardening.

Me: Who do you look up to in the dressing room?

Phillip: In the North, it’s a great bunch of jockeys, as people and riders, so it would be hard to single one person out that I look up to, but any advice I can get off the more senior riders is a massive help and I like to get as much as possible.

Me:What is one race you’d love to win?

Phillip: The obvious races I’d love to win would be the classics, like any jockey. But on a more personal level, I’d love to win the Nunthorpe, being my local track and I love sprinters. Another one would be the Ayr Gold Cup. My dad used to take me and my mate up every year to watch it with him, so that one would be up there. When I was young it was always the Grand National, but not sure I’d be brave enough now, unless it was an old school master.

Me: What’s your overall goal in racing over the upcoming few years?

Phillip: In the coming season or two I’d like to keep building on numbers and also the quality of horses. Last year I got to 47 with a few nicer ones in there, so to keep riding in them sort of races would be great and to get above 50 would be nice.

Me: What would be your ‘horse to watch’ for the next season or two?

Phillip: A horse to watch would be Que Amoro, a filly I won on for Michael Dods in the apprentice race at the Ebor Festival. She’s a seriously fast filly that stays the 5 furlongs strongly and on fast ground I think she’d be able to go up a level into a listed / group 3 company for them.

Me: What is your favourite race course to ride at and why?

Phillip: York would have to be my favourite track, it’s my local, has the best racing in the North and arguably, the country. Always has a great crowd and the atmosphere is unbelievable.

Me: What is your best advice for young people who have a passion they want to follow, whether that be racing or something else?

Phillip: My advice to any young person would be hard work can always beat talent, so as long as you want something, don’t let anyone tell you you can’t or aren’t good enough. Just make sure you work as hard as you can and harder than anyone else and you’ll get to where you want to be.

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Firstly a massive thank you to Phillip for taking the time out to speak with me. From speaking to him I think he is someone who wants to learn and continuously improve in the sport and that is a great attitude to have and he will definitely be successful with that thought process. 

I hope you enjoyed and I will see you all next Saturday for An Interview with Tom Garner.

An Interview with Danny Mcmenamin

Posted in Horse Racing, Interviews by

Danny Mcmenamin

Hiya guys!

Today I am bringing to you an interview with conditional jockey Danny Mcmenamin, he is a jockey that is coming through the ranks and is definitely one to watch out for in the future. I hope you enjoy!

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Me: What is your favourite race of your career, win or lose?

Danny: Winning the Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham is surely a day I will never forget. The amount of times I have dreamt of that in my head and for it to happen was the best day in my life. Cheltenham is a special place, festival or not it is the home of racing.

Me: If you could ride any horse that you never have, past of present, what horse would you choose?

Danny: Kauto Star, he’s a horse which I fell in love with when I was growing up. His ability was freak like, the whole racing community loved him. He was a proper horse.

Me: What are your opinions surrounding the discussions of banning the whip?

Danny: My opinion on the whip is that it needs to stay for jockeys and other horses safety. There has been a massive improvement over the years with new rules and newly designed whips and I am sure things will improve further.

Me: As a jockey, weight is obviously a huge thing for you guys, so what would you eat on a regular day? Are there any periods across the year where you can actually just eat everything and anything or is it a strict kind of diet all year round?

Danny: To be honest I’m very lucky with my weight as I’m small, so I get to eat pretty much what I wish to eat. Obviously I just don’t eat junk food, all my meals are homemade and healthy, thanks to my girlfriend.

Me: What would you say to anyone who thinks racing is animal cruelty?

Danny: Everyone has their right to an opinion, but horses aren’t forced to race, they do it because they enjoy it. It’s in their nature to compete. The horses in racing get extremely looked after.

Me: Racing is an all year round sport, so when you do get some down time, what do you like to do?

Danny: When I get some time to myself, which isn’t often, I like to play football and taking the dogs on a walk, which both are a good way to maintain fitness. I’m pretty much into anything outdoors.

Me: Who do you look up to in the weighing room?

Danny: The person I look up to would be Brian Hughes. The way he rides is admirable, everything just looks smooth. He’s always in the right place at the right time in races. He has helped me a lot since I started out and I have a huge amount of respect for him.

Me: What is one race you’d love to win?

Danny: The one race I would love to win would be the Grand National. It has always been a dream of mine. Toby Dobbin, who’s from the same town in Northern Ireland as me and is a family friend, won it, so it would be great to win it.

Me: What’s your overall goal in racing over the upcoming years?

Danny: My overall goal would be just to try and ride as many winners as I can and to keep improving and learning over the years.

Me: What would be your ‘horse to watch’ for the next season or two?

Danny: My horse to watch over the next year or two would be Marown trained by my boss Nicky Richards. He is currently unbeaten in 3 starts, one in a bumper and two over hurdles. He’s a big, strong type, proper chasing type. In time he can only improve from what he has done now. Will be exciting to see what the future holds for him.

Me: What is your favourite race course to ride at and why?

Danny: My favourite course, I have to be honest, but one would be Carlisle because, one, it’s only 20 minutes away which helps, but also it takes getting used to, you have to be in the right place at the right time around there. You need a horse which can travel and if you go too soon, you’ll never get home, but if you leave it too late, it’s hard to make ground up that hill. Timing and jumping is everything around there.

Me: What is your best advice for young people who have a passion they want to follow, whether that be racing or something else?

Danny: My advice to anyone who has a passion for something, whether it’s sport or other things, is to never stop chasing that passion, no matter if people put you down, people will always doubt you, but when you prove them wrong it will all be worth it. If you believe in it, you will achieve it, it’s just some hard work, dedication and self belief, that’s all that’s needed.

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Firstly I want to say a massive thank you to Danny for taking the time to talk to me. I think he is definitely someone to keep an eye on, he is very knowledgeable in the sport and always open to learn more, which is always a good thing. I, for one, can’t wait to watch his progress!

Thank you for reading. I will see you all next Saturday at 11am for An Interview with Phillip Dennis.

An Interview with Amy Murphy

Posted in Horse Racing, Interviews by

Amy Murphy

Hiya guys!

Today I am bringing to you an interview with the brilliant, quickly up and coming trainer Amy Murphy. I hope you enjoy!

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Me: What’s your favourite day of the racing calendar?

Amy: On the flat, my favourite day would be the Tuesday of Royal Ascot and National Hunt, it would be the Tuesday of the Cheltenham Festival.

Me: What’s the goal for you and the team? Grand National, Gold Cup, Champion Hurdle, what’s the dream?

Amy: My goal as a trainer would be to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup. For the team, more realistically, my goal would be to constantly hit and better the targets we set at the beginning of each season. In doing so, I would hope that we can then improve the quality of horses in training.

Me: If you could train one horse that is currently in training elsewhere, what horse would you choose and why?

Amy: Enable, for obvious reasons. She is everything that you would look for in a racehorse.

Me: Do you ever get any down time? What’s your favourite thing to do when you do get some spare time?

Amy: The best down time for me is having a relaxing day with my family and friends with a glass or two of champagne. 

Me: What would you say to anyone who thinks racing is animal cruelty?

Amy: I would ask them to take the time to visit my yard and see first hand the five star care and attention the horses get and then tell me whether they still think the horses are suffering from cruelty.

Me: Kalashnikov is one of the most loved horses over the past few years, how is he? Where do you hope he goes next season?

Amy: This National Hunt season did not go to plan for Kalashnikov. However, he has had a period of rehab and will now have a long summer break out in the field with the other National Hunt horses. I would expect him to be back in the early part of the Autumn 2020/2021 season.

Me: What’s your favourite race course to visit?

Amy: My favourite flat track would be Chester and my favourite National Hunt track would be Fakenham for the friendly country feel you get.

Me: What is your ‘horse to watch’ that you train?

Amy: A horse to watch for the future would be Rudaina over middle distances on a flat galloping track.

Me: What’s your favourite race to look back on as an owner, rider or trainer?

Amy: My favourite race to look back on would be the Betfair Hurdle, again for obvious reasons.

Me: What are your opinions surrounding discussions of banning the whip?

Amy: With regards to the whip debate, I can see both sides of the argument. Personally, I feel the whip should not disappear as, if nothing else, it is an aid for correct measures in a race.

Me: What is your best piece of advice for a young person following their passion, whether that be in racing or something else?

Amy: My advice would be to follow your dreams and make sure you get plenty of hands on experience in order to make sure your dreams become a reality. Also, never be afraid to ask for other people’s opinions and advice.

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Firstly, as always, I want to say a massive thank you to Amy for taking the time out to speak to me. Personally I think Amy is a trainer to watch, she is a brilliant trainer, a lovely person and overall just a great female ambassador for our sport.

I really hope you all enjoyed this interview and I shall see you all next Saturday at 11am for An Interview with Danny Mcmenamin.

An Interview with Max Kendrick

Posted in Horse Racing, Interviews by

Max Kendrick

Hey guys!

Today’s post is an interview with conditional jockey Max Kendrick, he gave some really interesting answers so I really hope you enjoy!

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Me: What is your favourite race of your career, win or lose?

Max: My favourite race would have to be on Graceful Legend at Ascot, it was my first Saturday winner as a conditional. It was very memorable to enter the winners enclosure where so many great horses and jockeys had been before. Another race that springs to mind is The Aintree Foxhunters in 2014, I had my first ride round the national fences on Court Red Handed. The adrenaline rush was unbelievable and it certainly wet my appetite to ride in the main event.

Me: If you could ride any horse that you never have, past or present, what horse would you choose?

Max: I would have to choose the mighty Kauto Star. I grew up watching the Kauto – Denman battle, it fuelled my passion for racing. I always wanted Kauto to win as he was extremely versatile with speed and stamina on his side and was champion over 2, 2.5 & 3+ miles. I also wonder what it would be like to ride something like Frankel, I rode a few winners on the flat as an amateur on horses rated around 70 and I thought I was going fast so I can’t even begin to imagine the speed that something rated 130 must go!

Me: What are your opinions surrounding the discussions of banning the whip?

Max: I understand it is a very sensitive subject, I think for the good of the sport we have to be seen to continually evolve, improve and educate people about horse welfare and the sport as a whole. Changes have been made with regards to the whip, the national and everyday practices both on the racecourse and at yards. Personally, I think the whip rules are in a good, manageable place at the moment. It allows jockeys to ride a race and correct horses without any risk to the horse. It is heavily monitored by stewards and cameras every day across all meetings, big or small. I worry that if we bow to the people who want to ban the use of the whip completely they will not be satisfied until racing is no longer an industry or sport. I believe the key is education and the recent BHA videos featuring Tom Scudamore are a good start to empowering passionate racegoers, jockeys or trainers with information they can readily share with people who may not fully understand the whip. Perhaps changing the name from ‘whip’ to another name would also help remove some of the negative or aggressive connotations with the word. We are all part of this industry because we have a love and passion for horses and ultimately we all want what is best for the horse.

Me: As a jockey, weight is obviously a huge thing for you guys, so what would you eat on a regular day? Are there any periods across the year where you can actually just eat everything and anything or is it a strict kind of diet all year round?

Max: I am very lucky that weight isn’t an issue for me personally. I am passionate about health and fitness so I do remain on a balanced diet all year:

Breakfast: All Bran Cereal with skimmed milk, protein pancakes or Boiled Eggs.

Snack: Fruit e.g. Apple or Banana

Lunch: Whole wheat pasta with meat and vegetables

Snack: Fruit

Dinner: Meat and vegetables

I tend to let myself have one day a week of eating as I want, this helps me maintain this balance all year round. I don’t really drink unless it is during the jump racing break in August, aside from that I keep eating well all year round.

Me: What would you say to anyone who thinks racing is animal cruelty?

Max: I would ask them to look at both sides, to visit a yard and witness first-hand how well horses are treated on a daily basis and also to go to a racecourse and see the specialist vets, care and legislation in place to protect all parties involved, including the horses. The racing industry gives the thoroughbred horse a purpose, like dairy cows for example they are bred with a purpose in mind. Do you think farmers would keep dairy cows if there was no longer a need for milk production?

Me: Racing is an all year round sport, so when you do get some down time, what do you like to do?

Max: I love all sport and am a lifelong Arsenal supporter for my sins. I love watching them whenever I can and am lucky enough to visit the Emirates a couple of times a year, whenever racing permits! I also have a Labrador called Ned who is great to have as I get the same greeting from him whether I have won, lost or fallen – he never fails to cheer me up after a bad day. I have an amazing circle of friends outside of racing, it’s good to spend time with them and my girlfriend to have a break from it all!

Me: Who do you look up to in the weighing room?

Max: People that have been very influential to me in the weighing room are; Kielan Woods and Paddy Brennan. They have ridden plenty of winners between them and are fantastic mentors, they have never hesitated to point something out if it needs improving. When I was younger, before I was in the weighing room watching Ruby Walsh and Sir AP McCoy battle it out was always a highlight for me.

Me: What is one race you’d love to win?

Max: It has to be The Gold Cup for me on the biggest stage for jump racing at The Festival, that’s the dream. If you win the Gold Cup you can without doubt say that you have won on the best staying chaser that year. I, of course, grew up watching Kauto Star, Denman and Imperial Commander fight out some of the best Gold Cups in history.

Me: What’s your overall goal in racing over the upcoming few years?

Max: I am down to my 3lb now so firstly, it is to ride out my claim. Looking past that, I would like to keep consolidating the relationships I have built over the years. I want to continually improve the quality of races I am winning.

Me: What would be your ‘horse to watch’ for the next season or two?

Max: My horse to watch is a very nice store by Kayf Tara that my Mother owns called Ted Da Titan, he was supposed to run this spring but the Coronavirus has put pay to that, he has been going very well at home. He will now spend the summer out and will hopefully run well in a bumper in the Autumn.

Me: What is your favourite racecourse to ride at and why?

Max: I love riding at Exeter, I have had some luck round there and it is a very fair, big, galloping track. You don’t often find too many hard luck stories there.

Me: What is your best advice for young people who have a passion they want to follow, whether that be racing or something else?

Max: Follow your passion, don’t be afraid to ask advice from people already in the industry but above all work hard and don’t give up on your dream. 

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Firstly, a massive thank you to Max for taking time out to answer some questions. He is an incredible jockey and he will definitely go onto big things, I can’t wait to follow his career and see where it takes him. He gave some in-depth answers which are always interesting to hear from people in the industry, so I really hope you enjoyed!

I will see you all next Saturday at 11am with An Interview with Amy Murphy!

An Interview with Ben Curtis

Posted in Horse Racing, Interviews by

Ben Curtis

Hey guys!

Today I am bringing you an interview with flat jockey Ben Curtis. I really hope you enjoy!

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Me: What is your favourite race of your career, win or lose?

Ben: I think my favourite win so far was an early one. The Irish Lincoln on Drombeg Dawn at the Curragh. It was a race that helped kick start my career on a bigger scale.

Me: If you could ride any horse that you never have, past or present, what horse would you choose?

Ben: A horse I was close to working for John Oxx at the time, Sea The Stars was a horse I would have loved to have ridden in a race. He oozed class in all aspects.

Me: What are your opinions surrounding the discussions of banning the whip?

Ben: I believe as a sport we have bent over backwards to co-operate with all of the bad publicity this subject receives. There is no whips in racing as it is! We are using pillows on sticks. They do not cause any pain only persuade horses through sound. Either way they are always going to be needed for safety purposes and I believe that as long as we, as jockeys, stay within the rules and guidelines that are currently set, the current situation should not be looked at again to appease anyone and we now need to stand our ground on this matter.

Me: As a jockey, weight is obviously a huge thing for you guys, so what would you eat on a regular day? Are there any periods across the year where you can actually just eat everything and anything or is it a strict kind of diet all year round?

Ben: As a jockey I believe it’s hard for anyone to stick to a routine diet with the amount of travelling involved, logistically it is near impossible to plan. Personally I don’t eat breakfast and would often miss lunch. But I love an evening meal and I live by the philosophy once you burn more than you put in then you won’t put on weight. It’s very simple.

Me: What would you say to anyone who thinks racing is animal cruelty?

Ben: Anyone who considers horse racing as cruel are misinformed and uneducated on the matter. These horses receive five star treatment. They are bred to do a job and love what they do. And a visit to any racing stables will highlight the regard and love these horses receive.

Me: Racing is an all year round sport, so when you do get some down time, what do you like to do?

Ben: It all depends on what you plan for the year. Whether it is to take some downtime in the winter, attack the all weather or focus on jobs abroad. Downtime for me is rare as I like to keep busy and competitive throughout the year. But when I do, I like to spend time with my family and love a day out with a few beers and music with friends and depending on the amount of beers a possible dance.

Me: Who do you look up to in the weighing room?

Ben: Mick Kinane was always my idol, but presently looking up to Ryan Moore and Frankie (Dettori) two completely different characters but both masters of their trade.

Me: What is one race you’d love to win?

Ben: I’m not pinpointing one but there are a few, the Nunthope as I love York, the Derby or any race at Royal Ascot. 

Me: What’s your overall goal in racing over the upcoming few years?

Ben: My main goal first and foremost is riding winners but a group one is my ultimate and what I put all the work in with a view of achieving.

Me: What would be your ‘horse to watch’ for the next season or two?

Ben: I think Lord Of The Lodge is a classy animal and when the ground is soft a horse called Ainsdale could turn into a high class sprinter.

Me: What is your favourite racecourse to ride at and why?

Ben: York and Ascot are both exceptional tracks to ride and both get large crowds and have an atmosphere to boot. 

Me: What is your best advice for young people who have a passion they want to follow, whether that be racing or something else?

Ben: If you are lucky enough to pursue a job or career that you love, put in the hours, do the work and don’t give up. There are a lot of downs in any career choice but once the highs outweigh them you are on the right track. Always look at where your going, not where you’ve been!

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Firstly, I want to say a massive thank you to Ben for taking some time out to speak with me. He gave some brilliant answers and I really enjoyed this one, I hope you guys enjoyed it too!

I will see you all next Saturday at 11am for An Interview with Max Kendrick!