When you get off the mark at the start of a new season it’s a real boost. There are weeks where you fly by and other’s where you don’t, but for us jockeys it’s a great feeling when you get on the board.
I rode a young horse on Saturday in a low-grade race called King of Strings. It felt nice to win on him, particularly because it’s amazing to see what a little bit of confidence can do for a horse. He’s starting to build up a sequence, and it’ll be interesting to see how he progresses as the season goes on.
Early last week I also rode a winner for Jo Foster at Sedgefield, called HoundsCourt. Jo’s always been loyal to me, and given me a few rides over the years, so it’s nice to bring back a winner.
To add to a positive start to the season, a horse I sold around a year ago to trainer Michael Mullineaux, called YoungDocGallagher, won at Uttoxeter recently. It’s a great personal victory, and although I couldn’t ride the horse myself as I was at Hexham, he did the owners proud.
Selling horses is an aspect of horse racing that provides jockeys with another potential career avenue.
We can’t ride forever, and we sometimes get asked for our opinions on horses, or to be middlemen in trading. Investing in horses and selling them on is a real option to consider once our days of riding are over.
I’ve been lucky enough to have sold a few on, but a former jockey who’s done really well is Tom Malone. He used to ride, but fell just short of becoming well established. He decided in his mid 20s that he wasn’t going to become as successful as he’d hoped so he came a Bloodstock agent.
On a personal note, the week ahead is one full of mileage. I’m travelling up and down the country, visiting Neil Mulholland’s yard in Bath, heading to see Jonjo O’Neill in Sedgefield, and then going to Aintree.
It’s a double whammy when you have days where you leave the house at 3am, ride out later that morning, but then have a huge gap in between the next race.
Some lads get some sleep in between but I can’t sleep during the day. Instead, I prefer going to the gym or for a swim. The routine eventually takes its toll on the mind and the body.
I mentioned it a few weeks back, that the new Jack Berry House in Malton, a rehabilitation centre for jockeys is a great facility.
I think it’s important to be able to speak to someone for advice when times get tough, and the sports psychology assistance will be hugely beneficial to all of us jockeys.
