Category Archives: Interviews

An Interview with Cian MacRedmond

Posted in Horse Racing, Interviews by

Cian MacRedmond

Hiya!

Today’s post is an interview with Cian MacRedmond who is an apprentice jockey to Declan Carroll. He gave me a brilliant interview with some in-depth answers, so I really hope you all enjoy.

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

Cian: My favourite race that I have won was just a handicap at York on Music Seeker. To win it on such a big weekend on John Smith’s weekend it was brilliant. The place was packed and I would absolutely love to have that feeling to come into a packed parade ring again.

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

Cian: Sea the stars is a horse I would love to have ridden. He was absolutely amazing and to see what he achieved in his three-year-old career it’s just outstanding.

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

Cian: Like other fellow jockeys I do think that the that the discussion around banning the whip is outrageous. I do think that people are not completely educated surrounding the whip and its uses. No matter how hard you hit a horse with the whips it does not hurt them. They are completely padded and it’s only the noise of the whip that makes the horses go forward. It also helps with horses that hang and every jockey out there can tell you if they did not have a whip when a horse hung with them they would’ve been in serious trouble and could of got themselves, the horse or someone else hurt. I do believe that the whip rules should remain as they are.

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 anything and everything or is it a strict kind of diet all year round?

Cian: Like most jockeys I do struggle with my weight. Being 5 foot 10 and trying to constantly keep my weight around 8 stone 6 lb is very hard. I do eat a lot of fruit and drink a lot of tea, coffee and water and try and keep my weight stable. During the winter when there is not much racing it’s very hard, I could be anywhere between eight stone six and nine stone purely because I’m not as active as I would be throughout the season. During the season when I’m very busy and I could be riding out horses in the morning, for racing because I am so active I tend to eat whatever I want so I am very lucky in that regard. I try my best to stay out of the sauna because when I come out of that my weight seems to go up and down like a yo-yo.

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

Cian: To anyone that thinks racing is cruel I do think they should go into a yard in the morning and they can see how horses are treated. There are treated like royalty.

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

Cian: Racing is all year round but I don’t tend to ride during the winter purely to try and save my claim being an apprentice. I’m still busy breaking in yearlings but when I’m off work I usually play golf or go back home to Ireland to visit my family and friends. I also find myself binge watching a series on Netflix too.

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

Cian: I do look up to many of the lads in the weighing room but one person that stands out to me is Danny Tudhope. He’s very hard working and also struggles with his weight. He’s an outstanding rider and he’s a great role model for any young jockey out there.

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

Cian: One race Id love to win is the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. It’s definitely my favourite race to watch and people from all over the world watch it. The best horses all around the world run in it and would be a childhood dream if I was ever to have a ride in it.

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

Cian: I don’t really set myself goals because I know things don’t always go your way but hopefully in the next few years I’ll just keep improving and start to ride in better races on better horses.

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

Cian: My horse to follow for the next season is a horse I won on twice last year called Music Seeker. He seems to always be improving and at the moment he’s in the form of his life. He has given myself and the Bryan family some great days and I’m sure there’s a nice valuable handicap in him next season if he gets his ground.

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

Cian: My favourite racecourses is the Curragh. I grew up two minutes down the road from it and I rode my first winner there on a horse called Sweetest Taboo. It’s a very fair track and the best horse in the race usually wins 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?

Cian: The best advice I can give anyone is keep your eyes open, your ears open, and your mouth shut. If you live by that you’ll get to where you want to get to in life.

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Once again, as always, first things first I want to thank Cian for his time. Cian is a brilliant lad and has a bright future ahead of him. I can’t wait to follow his journey!

I hope you enjoyed!

An Interview with John McConnell

Posted in Horse Racing, Interviews by

John McConnell

Hey guys!

Today’s interview is with Irish flat and national hunt trainer John McConnell, I hope you enjoy!

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

John: Grand National Day.

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

John: The Grand National. I grew up watching both the Cheltenham and Aintree festivals every year but the Grand National continues to captivate me to this day. Just to have a runner would be so fulfilling and is a childhood dream of mine. 

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

Me: Pinatubo. He looks like a superstar in the making and I quite fancy winning a Classic or two. 

Me: How supportive are other trainers with any help and advice?

John: It does vary but generally everyone is fairly supportive within the industry. 

Me: Who do you look up to in the racing game?

John: Gordon Elliot because he hasn’t come from a privileged background. He had a great Cheltenham festival and I have the height of respect for him. 

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

John: Very rarely but I like comedy gigs such as David O’Doherty, Micky Flanagan, etc. 

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

John: Don’t get me started on those people or I’d be here for a day. It’s not cruelty, here end’th the lesson.

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

John: Happaugue he’s won twice this year in Dundalk and is constantly improving. 

Me: What’s your favourite racecourse to visit?

John: Punchestown. It’s my home track and hosts the best festival of the year. 

Me: What’s your favourite race to watch back over the years?

John: Dúl Ar An Ól winning for us in Fairyhouse on Easter Sunday 2010. We landed a nice gamble that day. 

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

John: It’s pandering to the anti’s and the whips these days are so cushioned that they are pain free for the animal. 

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

John: It’s better to live one day as a lion than one hundred years as a lamb. I gave up veterinary to follow my dream and I would have greatly regretted it if I hadn’t. 

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Firstly, as always, I want to say a massive thank you to John for giving me his time. I think John has a bright future ahead, he has goals for him and his team and such a smart business brain, I can see brilliant things coming from his yard.

I really hope you enjoyed this interview!

An Interview with Paddy Aspell

Posted in Horse Racing, Interviews by

Paddy Aspell

Heya guys!

Today I am bringing to you an interview with the brilliant Paddy Aspell. Another very interesting one that I thoroughly enjoyed conducting, I hope you enjoy reading!

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

Paddy: Well I was lucky enough, back in my jumping days, to ride a winner at the Cheltenham Festival in 2010. I rode a winner on the Tuesday, the William Hill Chase on Chief Dan George. We didn’t really fancy him, he was a 33/1 shot and I was actually driving down to Cheltenham that day when Sedgefield was always on the first day of the Festival and I could have had plenty of rides there, but I was going down to ride this 33/1 shot in the William Hill Chase but anyway, it turns out he won. It was an incredible day, very enjoyable. You know, he was a good horse to me, because I finished 5th in a Scottish National on him when I didn’t particularly give him a good ride the year before and then the year after the Cheltenham win, I had a spin round in the National on him and got round as well. Both me and my brother rode in the same National together, the year Ballabriggs won in 2011, so yeah, that was probably my favourite.

On the flat, maybe, I won the Brocklesby at Doncaster for Mick Easterby. I’d been working there all winter and actually sort of prepped him and done everything with him so when he came out and won that on debut it was quite a satisfying win so that was probably the best one for me on the level.

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

Paddy: For me I’d probably go jumping and probably go back a few years as well and say One Man of Nicky Richards. I just thought he was an incredible horse. It was heartbreaking at times to see the amount of times he folded up the hill at Cheltenham, it looked like it was a track he was never going to conquer but it was such a brave move and an incredible bit of training by Nicky, or Sir Gordon Richards at the time, I should say. To drop him back to two miles and erm, you know it was incredible. Bryan Harding came in for the ride late on as Toby Dobbin had been injured. It was just a great story all round, he’s the one that sticks out in my mind.

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

Paddy: Well I think it’s never going to be an open and shut case, there’s a lot of grey areas. I do think it’s needed and necessary but yeah, there can certainly be improvements to be made but that’s down to the jockey’s, it’s entirely in our hands basically. But no, I could never see it being banned, because at times, it’s there for safety so it can’t be banned really. 

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 around?

Paddy: I think I’ve gotten into… I’ve been the same for years now, certainly since I’ve switched to the flat, it wasn’t too bad when I was riding over jumps because I was a very light jump jockey, but as it turns out when I made the switch I was a heavy jump jockey so I have had to get into a routine. I generally eat once a day and it would generally be towards the end of the day, especially if you’ve been working. You get to know what you can and can’t eat and you get to know your body so so well. Some mornings I wake up and I don’t even need to get on the scales because I know down to .1 or .2 what weight I am, that’s how well you get to know your body. It’s all about routine. For me, I don’t like to get very heavy, I know it’s enjoyable at the time, you can eat loads and what you want but really you’re just making the hill steeper in the long run. There’s always times when you have to drop weight but every day when you need to drop two or three pound in the bath and you know exercise, I love exercising, that becomes the norm. But if you have to lose four to five pounds that’s really tough on your body and you do feel it so I like to try and keep it pretty consistent across the board and yeah you treat yourself here or there, but look you only make it harder for yourself in the long run if you go crazy on stuff like that.

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

Paddy: I would say it’s another one like the whip debate, there are grey areas and people who maybe aren’t educated as much as we are on the sport. Visually it can look quite tough at times but luckily it doesn’t happen that often, but accidents are accidents and they can happen in all walks of life and I can see people’s perceptions if that’s what they think. It’s an opinion and it’s not totally unfounded. As a sport and as far as horse racing goes, the horses are cared for and looked after.

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

Paddy: Well it’s mad I suppose, when you do actually get some down time it’s trying to do as little as possible really. Recharge the battery. You know, I have a daughter, she doesn’t live with me now, but when I’m not busy I try and get to see her as much as I can. You know, it’s exactly as the question said, it’s down time, relax and recharge the batteries. I’m currently injured and have been for a while so I’ve got other stuff on, but it’s all about recharging the batteries enough to do your job well but at the same time you have to have an escape and refresh really.

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

Paddy: I suppose when I was riding over the jumps there was quite a few guys really. I thought Bryan Harding was an incredible guy, very hard working, dedicated. Erm, on the flat, there was quite a few, I think some of the older guys you’re going to look up to, very grounded and have a real good work ethic. I think, I suppose even the way Graham Lee does it now on the flat, he’s very dedicating, he’s a teetotaller and has to work hard on his weight like all of us, he’s very driven. But yeah just a real good guy… he’s a winner.  

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

Paddy: I’m not really sure I have any one race. It all depends who you ride the winner for and the connections. For me, my roots are jumping and I’d have loved to win the good rides over jumps. I think… my brother Leighton has been lucky enough to win two Nationals and I think that’s a well known race. I think if the question was would I rather be Champion Jockey or win the National, I think I’d say that. It’s a race for the nation and I think that’s what I’d go with.

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

Paddy: I suppose giving my current state, to try and stay injury free. But I don’t really set goals to be honest, I just want to be as successful as possible and earn a living from the game. I just enjoy it and keep enjoying it, it’s a short career so make hay whilst the sun shines but try and enjoy it along the way and make the best of what you can.

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

Paddy: Well there’s a horse of Kevin Ryan’s that I was really really impressed with last year and he might not be that familiar to a lot of people but a horse called Juan Elcano. He runs in the yellow and black. I was really taken by this horse last year, I thought he was a long year off the finished article but still put in some real good performances last year and it’ll be interesting to see how he shapes up if he stays sound.

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

Paddy: Well over jumps, my favourite course always because it’s my local track and I got so many rides there was Sedgefield believe it or not, Kelso was a close second, I really did like Kelso. But Sedgefield because it’s my local and I had plenty of success there. On the level, when I lived in New Market, I really really enjoyed riding at Great Yarmouth, lovely track and I found the best horse always won and just a real nice track. Properly up north it would be Hamilton on the flat, a very very well run track and I just got loads of rides there and was lucky enough to ride a treble there so I have so many good memories 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?

Paddy: Well probably, the best advice I can give is you’ve got to have a real drive for what you do, you don’t want to just settle for something or choose something because you think oh well it’s the best option. You’ve got to have a real push and desire to do it. Listen to people and take your time because you know, if you listen to people and get as much help as you can, you’ve got to want to do it and for the right reasons, because if you do you’ve got more chance of succeeding and doing the best you can.

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I want to thank Paddy for taking time out to allow me to interview him. I thoroughly enjoyed this one, a genuine person who has some incredible stories in the sport. 

I hope you all enjoyed!

An Interview with Theo Gillard

Posted in Horse Racing, Interviews by

Theo Gillard

Hey guys!

Today’s post is an interview with Theo Gillard, who is currently a conditional jockey based with Donald McCain. Let’s get straight into it!

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

Theo: Riding a winner at Aintree has to be the standout one, but having a ride over the National fences was some buzz too.

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

Theo: Master Minded in his prime looked electric. There are plenty of others, but he stands out the most to me.

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

Theo: Same opinion as any of the other lads in the weighing room. It’s there for safety and encouragement so if you stick to the rules, which are spot on as they are now, I think they should stay the same.

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 eat anything and everything or is it a strict kind of diet all year round?

Theo: I tend not to eat breakfast, usually because I don’t get up in time for it! As for lunch, I tend to have mugshots or noodles, which work well for me with a but of fruit or something. For tea I try to stick to lean meats, but you’ve got to get takeout now and then to keep yourself sane. In the current situation I’m sure plenty of the lads will make use of the few weeks off we have, as I will too, to enjoy food a bit more than we normally would.

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

Theo: To anyone that thinks racing is cruel, I’d love to show any one of them around any racing yard in the country to prove how well they are looked after and loved by all stable staff in the industry. I’m sure it would widen plenty of peoples eyes to racing if they did a bit of proper research on it.

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

Theo: We get a few weeks here and there in the summer, so it’s always nice to get away on a holiday or away with the Mrs to have some down time away from racing and feel like a ‘normal person’ for a few days.

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

Theo: There are a lot of good lads in the weighing room, but Dicky (Richard Johnson) is a proper role model. It doesn’t matter if you’ve ridden one winner or a thousand, he always has time for anyone and everyone and is an all round top man.

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

Theo: At this point in my career, winning any race is a great day for me. But the Gold Cup, as for many other lads is iconic, as well as the Grand National, but I wouldn’t be picky mind.

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

Navajo Pass ran a great race to be the 4th in the Triumph at this years Festival and could be a real nice stayer in the future. But the unfortunate Goshen looked extremely impressive too an could turn out to be anything.

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

Theo: Ironically, I love riding at Bangor. Donald’s horses tend to run well there and I think front runners are hard to peg back round there, so that’s what makes it my favourite course. As well as it’s only 10 minutes from home, so it makes it ideal for me.

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

Theo: Racing or not, starting off your career in anything, keep your head down and work hard but enjoy yourself. Take it seriously, but not too seriously, because your head can play some serious mind games with you if you get too worked up about everything. As long as you can look back at it and be proud of what you have you’re career, what you’ve achieved and be happy with it, then you’re grand.

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Firstly, as always, I want to thank Theo for taking time out to answer some questions. It is appreciated. Theo works for a top trainer with some brilliant horses and with the passion he has for the sport, you can see he will go on to do great things and I, for one, cannot wait to follow his career over the next few years!

I really hope you enjoyed this post! See you all in my next.

An Interview with Georgia Cox

Posted in Horse Racing, Interviews by

Georgia Cox

Hiya guys!

Today’s post is with the lovely Georgia Cox who is currently an apprentice jockey for William Haggas, she has gave a cracking interview with some brilliant, detailed answers and I thoroughly hope you enjoy!

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

Georgia: Theydon Grey’s hat trick on the Knavesmire definitely stands out in my mind. looking back now wish I had of enjoyed those days more, as I know now more often that not things don’t always go to plan or as perfectly as we did. Sheikh Ahmed’s yellow and black silks have always been my favourite, having been able to ride a lot of nice horses for him and his team. So, bringing any of their horses  back to the winner’s enclosure means a lot to me. I have always loved watching Mtoto’s replays who of course is also the sire of the great Shaamit and a huge part of Somerville Lodge history!

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

Georgia: This is probably a biased answer but for me it would be Sea of Class. If anyone had read the newsletter I wrote, they would know my thoughts about her greatness. She had a breathtaking presence, an extraordinary aura and gumption beyond belief. She was just completely unique.

Me: What are you opinions surrounding the discussion of banning the whip?

Georgia: This topic has been done to a death. For me it’s about as boring as Brexit and the question “what’s it like being a girl race riding” Nothing annoys me more than our sport getting a slating. I have felt a smack by other riders during a tight finish so I know that it does not hurt. Unfortunately, horses can’t speak English so you use actions to explain the game, it’s used to keep them going, to cajole them into line. It’s similar to a boxer getting a slap/receipt from their coach. It’s a means to get them to concentrate. These horses weight 500kgs, the stick is air cushioned and it lands on the thickest bit of flesh when their adrenaline is at a high. They are naturally flight animals, but often when I’m waiting to get the leg up in the mornings, my horse will play with my stick, I could rub it all over their face without them flinching. If they associated it with pain, there is no way I would be able to do that, ill-formed and uneducated perception of the stick is ancient.

Me: You ride for William Haggas, as an apprentice jockey, What is it like working for him?

Georgia: I walked in to Somerville Lodge fresh faced at 16 and very shy. Once I started to find my feet, my passion grew stronger and talking about the horses is how I found my voice. 98% of my vocabulary might be horses but that’s when I’m most confident doing what I love. Our horses have everything they could possibly need from: treadmills; salt boxes; vibe plates; 5 horse walkers; spa’s; physio’s; top class farriers and vets and heat lamps fitted everywhere that is possible. So much thought goes into these animals everyday rituals. Having been nearly 7 years now I know a lot of their pedigrees first hand which I find particularly interesting finding the traits they pass down their family. I know our yard like the back of my hand and everything gets done to the highest standard. Somerville Lodge is where the attention to detail and organisation gets taken to another level our horses certainly live the riches life.

Me: What is your favourite race course and why?

Georgia: I have had some great days at York in the past. The facilities there are top class, it’s a very fair track and the best horse always wins. It’s topped off by always having a good atmosphere too. You can’t ask for much more than that.

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

Georgia: The Derby is the race that every jockey dreams about winning. Even people who are not into racing know about how prestigious the Derby is.

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

Georgia: It’s hard to pick just one right now, so many unexposed raw types with so much potential especially at this time of year when they are all coming back in from their winter holidays. Strengthened up, fresh and raring to go. The dream is very much intact for all. They are getting back into their individual routines suited best for them so we are all hoping that ducklings have turned into swans and their top class pedigrees shine through.

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

Georgia: As mentioned above, I’ve been at Somerville Lodge since I was 16 so I can only say based on our yard and if every yard is like ours, no one would dare question the welfare of our horses. We look after our horses better than we do ourselves,  the minute details never go amiss for each individual horse. I know every single one of our horses from sight, pedigree, conformation, character and racing form. These horses are the best looked after animals in the country. If you ever look through the photos in our phones you’ll be swamped with so many photos of horses. They truly are the apple of our eyes.

The racing photographers and twitter pages (like Racing tales/Micheal Harris) should also be commended as pictures can say a thousand words, the moments captured between grooms and horse you can see the love in there eyes. Good twitter pages should be shown support by the likes of itv racing to get more people hooked deeper into the history of the sport.  I think all the yards should be more transparent and you will find more video gems like the Harry Bentley in the stalls to go viral, as things like that happen constantly everyday.

There are so many stories in racing that should get made into movies like Frankel is great but I’d love to see one on the great Sir Henry Cecil himself and how inspiring his journey was. To hit the heights that he did, to then go between 2000 – 2006 not having a single group 1 winner in 2005 only trained a dozen winners to go from 200 horses shrank to 50 how he came back from that is an inspirational story that everyone could do with!

Racing tickets should be cheaper and there should be more competitions for people to win tickets/ merchandise. We are always happy to see more young people to cherish the roots of racing instead of just going for the music concert after. All the good that our sport does could do with being exposed more. There are so many issues with social media and young people these days. Horses are an escape from that. They don’t judge you, they don’t care what you look like or how many followers you have. You see when you have such a strong passion about something, it gives you something to focus on, when other in life is going wrong it’s something to turn too, perhaps even a sense of purpose and direction in life, these days so much of our lives are consumed into staring endlessly at our phones that seem to takes over so much of our lives. when social media gets to much you can always count on the horses to be there waiting for you, they are always happy to see you and can only be good for mental health.

These equine athletes earn us a living and none of them owe us anything. Every horse that comes through our yard, I follow their journey after they leave wherever that might be that they go to. I have many pictures of them in retirement. They give us a reason to get up in the morning. I, like so many others would be lost without these animals. It’s not a job, it’s a lifestyle. A contagious, infectious, addictive lifestyle. It’s a passion like no other. It’s a game like no other where adrenaline is on tap. It’s living in the fast lane. We are the sport of kings and we shall drown out the nonsense.

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

Georgia: Royal Ascot has to be the pinnacle of the sport. Five days packed full of top class racing. So much history and so many superstars, human and equine, have passed under that tunnel. It is where dreams are either made or shattered. It is something that every jockey owner, breeder and trainer want on their CV, a Royal Ascot winner.

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

Georgia: If you have a passion for something, follow it. Mine has taken me all over the world and led me to a pretty exciting life. I believe having a good work ethic can get you anywhere. Life is a marathon not a sprint but have your blinkers on to remain focused and un-distracted from your goals. The quickest way to get somewhere is a straight line after all. Having good people around you is important, as a support system but also to inspire you and help you achieve your best. It’s not what happens in life, it’s about how you deal with it all. Be humble and laugh it off!

Me: You have previously ridden in the Queen’s colours, how special was that for you?

Georgia: It’s something I’ve always dreamed of and hugely proud of, to be able to put her majesty famous silks on, has been an absolute honour and I wish there to be many more times ahead yet!

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Interviewing Georgia was fantastic, she is so open and passionate about the sport it is incredible to see. So firstly, as always, I want to say a massive thank you to Georgia for taking the time out to have a chat with me and answer some questions.

I really hope you have enjoyed this post as much as I did writing it.

An Interview with Charlie Poste

Posted in Horse Racing, Interviews by

charlie poste

Hiya guys!

Today’s post is a very interesting one. I got to sit down with Charlie Poste and interview him and I can honestly say he is one of the most knowledgeable people within the sport that I have had the honour of speaking with. He genuinely knows so much about the sport, I thoroughly enjoyed this interview, I hope you guys enjoy it too. Without further-ado, let’s jump straight into it!

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

Charlie: Win or lose, erm I suppose winning the Welsh National on Le Beau Bai, it was like my first big winner. I had been riding for a good while and you start wondering whether you’re ever gonna have those big winners and those nice pictures on the wall when you retire and so that was a massive moment for me. I rode a lot for Richard Lee in my career as well and the horse himself, he was a lovely horse, tough, good jumping, just a proper proper race horse, so that was the best day.

Me: On from winning the Welsh National, Chepstow is a hard track to ride around, a lot of jockey’s have said that, what’s the secret? How do you get a horse to win at Chepstow?

Charlie: I don’t know. I suppose a lot of my big winners in my career were related in staying chasers on bad ground, which meant I rode a lot of slow horses more than anything. But I think around there, it is a nutritional test because of the ground but the fences come in lovely places, it’s a proper rhythm track and certainly the likes of Le Beau Bai, he was a real accurate great jumper, he’d always land in rhythm whether he was in deep or standing off a fence and that stood him in some stead that day. Giles Cross made the running and I just followed him the whole way really and he didn’t miss a beat the whole way around so on bad ground like that you’re always saving energy because you’re jumping well and not missing fences and having to chase him back into the bridal and I think that’s key around tracks with bad ground, rhythm is the most important thing.

Me: You currently break in horses including a Cheltenham winner and Supreme Novice second in Thomas Darby for Olly Murphy, how much joy do you get seeing a horse you’ve broke in go on to succeed and do so well?

Charlie: It’s massive, you know. Along side the breaking we also produce horses to run in point to points and sell and we’ve got Third Time Lucki who runs in the Champion Bumper (*We now know he came fourth for Dan and Harry Skelton). We are very well supported by Olly, we break in most of his youngsters and the likes of Thomas Darby are special talents. And I look at it now, my life has changed and you’re sort of running an academy, like a youth academy and to get on these horses initially, the likes of Thomas Darby, who has loads of athletic ability to start cantering him and jumping him, it’s a bit of alright, you know? I can’t wait to see him go and to see them actually go and back it up on the track, they’re not like your kids, but as I said, it’s like being a youth team coach at a Premier League football club and seeing someone and thinking ‘he’s a bit special’ then seeing them go through the ranks and go on to do them on the big occasion, it’s very special.

Me: And do you have any horses with you currently you think can go on and be something special?

Charlie: From the point to pointing group we’ve got this time, we actually sell a horse at Cheltenham on Thursday night called Kenyan Cowboy who won on debut, he looks very good. And we’ve had, actually because of the weather we’ve been held up, but we have a lot of young horses ready to come out. We’ve got a lovely horse by Court Cave called Adjournment that looks like he could be very special, he might make his debut this weekend at Larkhill (*We now know he came second. He is currently for sale so if interested contact Charlie via his Twitter page). Another called Fox in the Box by Presenting, again they’re both not far off being ready to run and you’re hoping with a bit of luck they’re able to win their point to point and go to the sales and make plenty of money because that means the wheels can keep on turning and then what you want, a bit like Thomas Darby and all these horses we break in, to become high achievers, because that’s the most special thing.

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

Charlie Poste: Erm, I’m gonna give two to you. For a proven one, I’d love to ride Altior, I just think he’s the most special horse. To win a Supreme Novice, Arkle, 2 Champion Chases and he just looks like the most lovely horse to ride. You can put him anywhere in a race and you know he’s going to hit a bit of a flat spot, but you know when it really happens and the turbo kicks in, he’s always hitting the line very strong. I love to see that in a race horse where they’re galloping through the line in a finish. I think he’s, not an underrated champion but I think he is a very very special horse. And for emerging horses, I think Envoi Allen looks like he has the world at his feet. I was at the sales when he won his point to point and was sold for big money and then I was lucky enough to be in the paddock at the Champion Bumper last year and he just looks like the most beautiful, big, scopey model just walking around, taking it all in, acting like he owned the place and then backed it up with a tremendous performance. His hurdling career has been perfect so far, you want to see him win in the Ballymore (*We now know he did in fact win the Ballymore at 4/7F for Gordon Elliott and Davy Russell). and then sort of move on and whether he goes chasing or stays hurdling next year in the Champion Hurdle. But we need these elite level horses that are absolutely the best of the best because that’s what really markets the sport.

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

Charlie: Erm, I think it’s difficult. Now, from the outside looking in, I remember when the whip rule got reduced from sort of 16 to 8 and we were all up in arms about it, saying ‘this could never happen, it’ll ruin racing’ but actually what it did was make riding better because all of a sudden riders are thinking about when to use the whip, not going for it too early. And for me the most obvious solution is, we need strong leadership from the BHA. Of course we don’t want to pander to the outside world, but we have to accept in a modern world that perception is key to maximise the marketing potential of the sport and to invite other people in. And I think the most sensible thing in the short term is the BHA come out and say if you go over the limit, you get disqualified and what would happen is, even if it happened once or twice, trial it in a period where there aren’t big festivals so the riders can get used to it and if it happened once or twice, it would never happen again. And I think what would happen then is you would have riders that, if it was 8 over jumps, you’d probably only go to 4 or 5 because you’re gonna think I’m not even gonna risk losing count or maybe being 8 or 9 and not sure. And I think riding would improve again for it. I don’t feel unfortunately there is a tide and a wave behind it where the whip will eventually go but short term, to prolong it, because I do think it’s a useful aid for a jockey then the disqualifying anyone who goes over whether that’s a placed horse, unplaced horse or a winner, that’s the most sensible solution.

Me: Looking beyond the Cheltenham Festival, the Grand National is soon approaching. Who do you think has a good chance? Do you think any horses were helped or hindered with the weights? Do you think Tiger Roll can win again? (*We now know the Grand National is cancelled, however I have kept this question in because I found Charlie’s answer interesting).

Charlie: I mean Tiger Roll, we all know the O’Leary’s play this game every year moaning about the handicapper and whatever else and you know, Tiger Roll is off 170 and I know he’s got a couple of pounds extra because of his Aintree factor, but it’s fair enough isn’t it when you win 2 Grand Nationals. And in any other era, Tiger Roll could easily go in for a Gold Cup, he’s a horse with an enormous amount of ability, I’d love to see him go on and do it and again, it would be great for racing and the wider world looking in. Another one I think would be pretty special, I’d love to see Ramses De Teillee win the Albert Bartlett then win the Grand National, I think that would be a pretty unique double to win. A novice hurdle at the Festival then the Grand National.

Me: Are there any horses currently who are just starting out that you can see going on to win the big ones like a Gold Cup or Grand National?

Charlie: I suppose because we’re in the infancy of what we do, a lot of these horses are only just emerging on the scene, for Olly called Here Comes McCoy who was in the market for the Champion Bumper, I don’t think he runs, I think maybe he goes to Aintree, but he looks like a horse with an enormous amount of talent. Other ones coming through like I K Brunel I think he could be a very special horse when he goes novice chasing. I mean and looking at the Festival itself, you’re looking at horses like The Big Breakaway, The Big Getaway of Willie’s, you know these novice hurdlers are laden with talent and what you’re hoping for is something from there steps up to the next grade and becomes a real superstar.

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

Charlie: My favourite day, the Cheltenham Festival it’s the Tuesday, everyone is tingling with excitement and I think the racing across the board with the Arkle, Champion Hurdle, Supreme Novice, I think it’s unrivalled, the quality of racing. From a spectators point of view I love Glorious Goodwood, we go every year for a couple of days and as far as flat racing goes, it’s as good as it gets. There’s a slightly more sort of interested crowd that go rather than Ascot where people go for the social. I think Glorious Goodwood is as good as anything.

Me: What would you say is your favourite track you ever road at?

Charlie: I mean the smaller ones, like Towcester, I had a lot of success there, like I say riding slow horses but I always enjoyed riding around there. For the bigger tracks, Cheltenham is a stand alone, everyone says Cheltenham. My favourite track to ride at was the chase track at Sandown, the 7 fences down the back, it’s just a massive test of jumping and to go round there on a speedy 2 mile chaser, you can’t beat it.

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

Charlie: I think they need to come in and actually… I think it’s like anything, it’s easy to have an opinion from the outside looking in. But if you want to come in and see the care these horses are given and all that goes into and you still feel like that, then fair enough, but I think it’s a lot of throw away comments that people make. I think you have to remember, when all is said and done, we love these animals but they are selectively bred to do this job, if there was no racing, there would be no thoroughbred. If you go into the yards and see the care given day in, day out and the love showered upon these horse by the stable lads and girls and the jockeys, I assure you now, when I have ridden a horse and it’s ended up losing it’s life, it bloody hurts and you have to move on from it, but you go home and you feel like hell about it, it’s the last thing you want to happen. And when all is said and done, when I see the care and love that’s given to them all, it’s a compromise that I am willing and completely comfortable with because I actually drive around the roads and see horses stood in the fields that are malnourished with no care and attention. These guys and girls, the horses they’re given, they’re given 24/7 the best of the best and it is terrible when we lose the odd one, but as I said, it’s a compromise I think I am completely comfortable with.

Me: And the final question, what is your best piece of advice for a young person with a dream that they want to follow whether in racing or outside of racing?

Charlie: Get in and work hard. There’s not substitution for working hard. As a young rider, if you want to get on in the sport, regardless of your riding ability, come in, work hard, know form inside out, get fit, be polite as well. Good manners and a great work ethic will take you a long way.

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Again I would like to say a massive thank you to Charlie for his time, he was an absolute gent and as I said before, he knows so much about the sport it’s incredible. 

I hope you guys enjoyed reading this as much as I have conducting the interview and writing it out.

An Interview with Luke Harvey

Posted in Horse Racing, Interviews by

Luke Harvey

Hiya guys!

Today’s post is an interview with the brilliant Luke Harvey, retired jockey and now pundit for the likes of ITV Racing. I had a brilliant time interviewing Luke, he is so funny, so down to earth and so honest. I hope you all enjoy!

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

Luke: My favourite race was winning the Welsh Grand National on a horse called Cool Ground. And he was a big favourite leading up to the race and I just wasn’t nervous, I thought he was a certainty and it never works out like that in horse racing, but luckily it did.

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

Luke: If I could ride any horse now… I love Altior. Whether he runs at the Cheltenham Festival or not, I don’t know. (*we now know he didn’t.) I just love… he’s a winner. You know if you see a boxing match and you see a boxer walk around, he’s like that, he’s just got the swagger. I don’t know, he just enjoys going to the races, he enjoys his work, he loves to do it and I love people like that, I hate lazy people.

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

Luke: They have changed dramatically, I think now that if you break the rules, you should lose the race. I wouldn’t have said that if you had asked me that question 6 months ago, I definitely wouldn’t have said that. But we have boxed ourselves into a corner where I don’t think it’s acceptable and I don’t think the public think it’s acceptable that a cheat, theoretically if you’ve broken the rules, gets the race. And I think… welfare and the use of the whip is massive in racing and I think the people that bury their head in the sand and think it’s going to go away are fools. Because that is the biggest talking point and the biggest thing that will affect racing going into the future, so I think it’ll get kicked out if they win.

Me: What is your favourite racecourse as a rider and as a pundit?

Luke: I love Cheltenham, whatever. As  jockey I wasn’t particularly successful, to be honest I wasn’t particularly successful anywhere. The track I was most successful was Towcester and they’ve finished, typical. No, I love the Cheltenham Festival, it’s my favourite, I really enjoy Aintree, I love dressing up and going to Royal Ascot and Glorious Goodwood. In all honesty, I like them all. They’ve all got their days. And I like the smaller tracks like here at Stratford and because I come from the West Country I love Newton Abbott. But yeah I like them all.

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

Luke: Loads I never won. I would have liked to get around in the Grand National. But no, I would have loved to have won the Grand National, I only rode in the race twice and one year I rode a horse called Country Member and he was about third or fourth favourite and you know what I couldn’t sleep the night before because I was so nervy about it because I genuinely thought he was going to win and anyway, he fell at the first.

Me: What would be your ‘horse to watch’ over the next couple of seasons?

Luke: Erm, I really like a horse that is running at Cheltenham called Brewin’upastorm (*we now know he fell on Tuesday). He’s won his only two starts over fences and he’s ridden by Richard Johnson, Champion Jockey and I think he could have a really big future in front of him. And Shishkin who runs in the first race at Cheltenham, Nicky Henderson’s horse (*we now know won), he could be… he’s just under that bracket where he could be another Altior, he looks that good.

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?

Luke: Erm, I was lucky to get involved in that. I was lucky I got a job for Radio 5 Live and I dunno, I was interviewed a couple of times for the original racing channel and as you can tell I can’t shut up and that’s quite good if you’re going to be a pundit and I just sort of fell into it. You won’t be surprised to learn I’ve never had any training and look, I think if you know your subject and you’re passionate about it… I’m 53 and I go racing and I get excited, I still get excited now and if you do that… I think if you’re false the viewers will always see through you. People that put things on and try and be someone they’re not, they always get caught out and I think, there will be plenty of people who don’t like me but I am who I am and I’m honest with it.

Me: Beyond the Cheltenham Festival, we have the Grand National soon approaching, who do you think has a good chance? Have the weights helped or hindered anyone? And can Tiger Roll win for a third time?

Luke:  Well first, lets start off with Tiger Roll who has been the most remarkable horse, I’ve followed him throughout his career and to go and equal what Red Rum did… Red Rum is one of my favourite horses of all time so it’ll be mixed feelings if he went on to equal it. But I’d love it and it would be great for racing if he could do it. If he runs the same race he run last year, he will win in my opinion. There’s a horse called Le Breuil who runs in the race that I really like. He stays really well, he’s trained by Ben Pauling. I don’t think the weights… look if you have the best horse you’re going to have the highest weight and anyone who winges about that… you get more weight on a horses back for winning so if you’re a winner you’re gonna get more weight. A couple of pounds either side when they were going on about Tiger Roll, it’s one jump, one little mistake, it’s irrelevant to him. If he’s in the same form, he will win.

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

Luke: Learn. Come to a stable. In my sort of job I’ve had people come onto me on Twitter. Come to a stable, you can find out, someone like myself can take you to a yard and you can go there… I ride out every single day of my life and will continue to do so, you can go somewhere at 6 o’clock in the morning and watch how those horses are treated. You go there and see how well they’re fed, how well they’re kept, how happy they are. Anyone who thinks you can make half a tonne of animal race when it doesn’t want to, I don’t see… it just doesn’t happen. Any athlete, a footballer, if you’ve got 11 players in a team and 10 are eating healthy and doing exercise all of the time and 1 eats McDonalds and doesn’t do anything in the week, I can guarantee he’s the one not doing any good. And it’s the same with horses, if they’re not given the best, treated the best, they cannot be the best. And so, it’s impossible. That’s another thing that racing has got to do. We’ve go to educate people, show them. People don’t know. It’s very easy someone like myself, I can just explain to them, but they just think we whip the horses and make them do what they don’t want to do, you can’t do that, it’s an impossibility. But as I said, it’s our job to educate people.

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

Luke: My favourite day is Grand National morning. Not necessarily the Grand National itself, but last year I did a course walk interviewing Bryony Frost at quite a few of the fences and just to go up to those fences again, it gets me buzzing. And the other thing I like, Cheltenham is brilliant, it’s got a great atmosphere, we’ve all got tweed brown coats on, but you go to Aintree and it’s a different feel. You’ve got people who go racing once a year, they dress up, they don’t care what the weather is, they’ll dress up exactly the same and it’s a different atmosphere and I like that. I like when they have concerts, I like to introduce as many different people as we can. Racing should be fun, it’s a recreation and yeah, I just like as many people to come along and enjoy it.

Me: What is your best piece of advice for a young people trying to follow their goals and their dreams?

Luke: If you come into horse racing it is the most brilliant… it educates you and is the most brilliant sport you will get involved in. I actually left school at 16 and I haven’t got one single qualification… 25 metre breaststroke badge… But apart from that, I learnt so much, I was going out like a young person would but I knew I had to be up early to muck out because I knew if I didn’t someone else would have to, so someone always made sure I was out of bed. It gives you good work ethic. My brother is actually chief feature writer for The Sun, he was a very poor rider, but he was so well educated he couldn’t get another job so he came into horse racing and he worked as a stable lad for 2 years and he was a very poor rider, but even now he says ‘it put manners on me’. You learn… you’re looking after an animal and you’re responsible for that animal and it’s just… it gives you a work ethic and that’s what I base everything in life on.

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I firstly want to say a massive thank you to Luke. I personally love Luke, he is such a passionate person and I love that, he clearly loves this sport and I think people like him are key to the future of this sport, truly passionate, educating people and sharing his knowledge. 

I really hope you enjoyed reading!

An Interview with Cieren Fallon Jr

Posted in Horse Racing, Interviews by

cieren

Hiya guys!

Today’s post is another interview with an up and coming jockey who has the potential to achieve great things. Following in his dad’s footsteps young Cieren Fallon Jr is gradually making his way in the racing world and I was lucky enough to speak with him and ask him some questions.

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

Cieren: It has got to be Haydock on Time To Study.

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

Cieren: Frankel.

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

Cieren: The whip is a tool, it’s not just for hitting a horse, it’s for encouraging them, that’s why we wave it at them. It’s also used to help correct them and helps if you have a loose horse sniffing around your horse. Some horses are lazy and need a tap to get the best out of them, that’s just my thoughts on the whip.

Me: What is your favourite racecourse and why?

Cieren: Epsom as it’s a very unique racecourse and the best fillies and colts win on that track.

Me: No pressure, but when I asked Richard Johnson his bet of the season, he said Lostintranslation to win the Betfair Chase, which of course he did, so what is your bet of the season?

Cieren: I’ve never really been interested in betting.

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

Cieren: People need to remember we work with horses because we love them, we look after them as much as we can when they are racing and they are really well looked after at home. We get really attached to them.

Me: What is the best advice you’ve been given by your dad?

Cieren: Best advice from my dad is to keep fit. The best advice from my mum is to believe I can win on everything I ride and always believe in myself.

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

Cieren: The Derby.

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

Cieren: Born With Pride.

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

Cieren: Follow your dreams, anything is possible.

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As always, I firstly want to say a massive thank you to Cieren for taking time out to let me ask him some questions and answering them so honestly. I know a jockey can be incredibly busy, so I appreciate the time they take out to answer some questions. Cieren is still very young and has already achieved plenty with some brilliant winners, so he has a long and successful career ahead of him. 

I really hope you have enjoyed reading Cieran’s answers and I will see you all in my next post very soon!

An Interview with Adrian Heskin

Posted in Horse Racing, Interviews by

Adrian (1)

Heya guys!

I have been lucky enough to interview the brilliantly talented Adrian Heskin, I really hope you enjoy reading what he had to say to me!

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

Adrian: The 2010 Glenfarclas Cross Country race at the Cheltenham Festival. On A New Story. It was a kick-start to my career and a memory I will have forever.

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

Adrian: Sprinter Sacre. Best 2 mile chase I’ve seen in my opinion and he must have been some thrill to ride.

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

Adrian: I think the racing press is our own worst enemy about the whip as it gets brought up far too often to the public. I don’t see anything wrong with the rules as they stand.

Me: What is your favourite racecourse and why?

Adrian: Aintree is a favourite of mine. Always beautiful ground, fair track and a good test of a chaser.

Me: You’re the retained jockey for the McNeill family, how is that for you? They’re obviously very well known in the sport so do you feel any pressure when you put their silks on?

Adrian: I’m in a very privileged position to ride for such a good owner. It gives me an opportunity to have relationships with a lot of top trainers in the country which is great. I don’t feel pressure to be honest, I just try to perform to get the best out of each horse. It’s a big team effort.

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

Adrian: The Gold Cup. And in my current positioning, I think it’s a realistic dream for one day.

Me: No pressure, but when I asked Richard Johnson his bet of the season he said Lostintranslation to win the Betfair Chase, which of course he did, so what is your bet of the season?

Adrian: Tiger Roll in the Cross Country in March.

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

Adrian: A horse of the McNeill family’s and Prodec Networks called I K Brunel. He will make into a smashing chaser next season.

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

Adrian: For people who think this sport is cruel, they need to have a closer look. It’s a fantastic sport and the horses have the best care taken of them.

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

Adrian: The 26th of December. The busiest day in the racing year and it’s fantastic if you have a good Christmas period.

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

Adrian: If you have a passion, before you pursue it you have to be 100% dedicated to succeed.

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I know how busy Adrian is, so firstly I want to say a massive thank you to him for taking time out of his day to let me ask him some questions. Adrian is a brilliant talent and with the powerful horses he is able to ride, he will definitely succeed and do great things within the sport.

Thank you for reading, I hope you have enjoyed this post as much as I have writing it.

See you all very soon for my next post!

An Interview with David Mullins

Posted in Horse Racing, Interviews by

David Mullins (1)

Hiya guys!

Cheltenham week is almost upon us and I am very excited for the best week of the year to start! But first things first, today I am super excited to bring to you an interview the brilliantly talented David Mullins! So without further ado, let’s get straight into it!

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Me: Some jockeys go years, or even their whole career without winning the Grand National, how special was it to you to win it at just 19 years old on Rule The World? That must have been such a special day for you and your family.

David: It was a great day and weekend but it was something I didn’t want to rest on and let it be the only thing I’ve done as a jockey, as it has happened to others.

Me: You’ve obviously rode Kemboy very early in his career and won the Savills Chase on him in 2018. The past two runs for him, we would assume, haven’t went as Willie would have liked, how is he working back home? Do you think he will come back stronger for the Gold Cup?

David: I think he will. He’s came forward from his run at Christmas and I think he’ll improve again for this, leaving him in top shape for Cheltenham. Whether he’s good enough or not for the Gold Cup over 3 mile, 2 furlong is something we’ll have to wait and see for… the beauty of racing!

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

David: Thyeste days in Gowran Park, my local track. And it literally stops country Kilkenny, you’ll meet every racing fan there.

Me: Growing up around your Uncle Willie’s yard, how important has it been to your career to have someone as good as Ruby Walsh to idolise and look up to, as you have grown into a jockey yourself?

David: Ruby is a great asset to everyone that rode or rides horses. If you’ve sat in the same weighing room as him and haven’t taken a leaf from his book, you’re probably not the smartest jockey.

Me: Do you feel there is any pressure on you, growing up in such a racing family with your cousins and Uncle being such big names within the sport?

David: I feel there probably should be, but no there’s not. Gordon Elliot got me going in bumpers and as a conditional, Gigginstown used me plenty, along with others.

Me: You have already won some incredible races in your career, what is the next goal for you?

David: Cheltenham winner! Wouldn’t class myself as a successful jockey if I didn’t have one Cheltenham winner. I imagine it’s the same for flat jockey’s at Royal Ascot.

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

David: I’d have loved to have been associated with Dawn Run. A lot of people talk about her special times. Hurricane Fly as well because you just couldn’t put him on the floor.

Me: In Willie’s yard there is you, Patrick, Danny and Paul, all for of you are top jockeys, what is the competition like to be on the top horses in the top races? Is there a lot of banter between you to keep each other going? Do you all share the advice and knowledge you all have with each other?

David: Yes, Paul is obviously first and the rest kind of get split up, but there is not much point in trying to figure out what’s happening, Willie is going to do what he feels best anyway. We all share any information, it is a team effort.

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

David: I don’t agree with it at all. I believe it to be a persuader, but I think the authorities have let the situation get out of control and I’m afraid it doesn’t look good for it in the future. It’s a backwards step in jockeys safety. I’d feel naked on a horse without one.

Me: You have rode some incredible horses so far in your career, including Min and of course, the legend that is Faugheen. You can tell Rich Ricci loves his horses, how is it riding for him as an owner?

David: Rich is very passionate and gathers a following for all of his horses. It’s great to be a part of it. Very simple to ride for, he leaves it to Willie and his jockey’s.

Me: Following on from that, Faugheen is obviously one of the most loved horses in the sport, just how special is he? What’s it like riding a horse that just has a heart of gold and won’t quit?

David: He’s a legend. I haven’t rode better than Faugheen. Just oozes class! He’s a proper national hunt winter horse

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

David: I don’t know anybody in the sport that thinks it’s cruel. People that look as it as cruel, don’t know the sport.

Me: I have to ask you, your Uncle is obviously the legendary trainer Willie Mullins, what is it like working with him? He’s obviously got incredible horses and an incredible record, how special s it to have someone with that sort of experience as not only your trainer, but your Uncle too?

David: Willie is my boss, I don’t think I know anyone who has more attention to detail. Every horse is seen individually by him everyday. 

Me: No pressure, but when I asked Richard Johnson his tip of the season, he chose Lostintranslation to win the Betfair Chase, which of course he did, so what is your best of the Cheltenham Festival this year?

David: Paul Townend to be leading rider.

Me: You’re only 23 and already achieved some incredible things, what is your best advice for young people who have a passion they want to follow, whether that be racing or something else?

David: Don’t be afraid to try something else. You can’t force yourself to like something. This game certainly is not for everyone.

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I want to firstly say a massive thank you to David for taking time out of his day to allow me to ask him some questions. Very informative answers and a pleasure to speak to.

I have thoroughly enjoyed being able to speak with some incredibly talented people from our sport and I really hope you all have enjoyed reading them.

I will see you very soon for my next post!