‘There’s aqueue out thedoortoride himmostdays–he’s such alegendhere’

would be beatingthem.

It wasonlyasweweregoing alongthe backonthe final circuit that Iknew Ihad them Iwas just telling myself not to go toosoon.

Ihad ridden awinneronthe trackwith ElmGrovefor Willie McCreery,but this is my first season properly training, so it wasnice to tickoff afirst pointto-pointwinner as both arider and trainer.Itwas abig thrill.

Fr Humphrey maybea 15-year-old butyou would never knowit. Igot him in January2022 from Mary Hallahan. TheHallahan family hadretiredhim at home,but he hated retirement. It just didn’t suit him at alland he waslookingfor ajob When Igot him he wasjust delightedtobe back in work again.

The Hallahans didn’t like seeinghim unhappy at home,which of is understandable,so theywerethrilledtosee him havinga job.

He rideslikeafour-year-old eventhorse. He strides outto his chin and floats along. He hasdone abit of huntingand abit of everything really. He’s got agood few youngkids goingastheir firstspinona racehorse around the gallop

There’saqueue outthe door toridehim mostdays–he’s such alegendhere.

Itookout my handler’s permit to runhim in point-topoints.It’ssomethingIhad alwaysdreamedabout,but it’s one of thosethings that is a dream which younever see turningintoreality.

Butsince comingtoworkat GroveStudhereinFermoyI endedupgettingacouple of horses for the track.

My boss BrendanHolland told me to takeout arestricted trainer’s licence so we could keep them here. It hasrolled forward from therereally.

Brendan is very good to me He’s always theretohelporto giveadviceand Iprobably wouldn’t be doing allthis without his encouragement.

Thereare twogirls in the yard,Cliona and Claudia,who are also a big help, but all this is down to my father Richie He hadpoint-to-pointerswhen Iwas growingup. He hadgreat interest in it and gotmestarted with ponies,hunters and show jumping.

We have greatfacilities here in GroveStudand I’mblessed that the bosslets me keep my horseshere.

Fr Humphrey came outof Dromahane really well and we went to Stowlin the following SundayasI knew the ground would be good again.

Iwas told by his breeders that he liked racingfromthe frontand when we hadthe goodground Iknewgoingto the startthat he waswell up for it.IsaidIwould bounce outand make alland see what happenedfromthere. Thankfully, it worked out again.

He hasbeeninexcellent formsince Stowlin and I’m goingtokeeprunning himfor as longasheisfit,happy and healthy.