James Ryan© Photo Healy Racing
I'm from north Co Dublin, just between Dublin and Co Meath, and I always grew up around horses. My dad would have been involved plenty with hunting and he's always had show horses at Dublin Horse Show, and my mam did a lot of eventing. She evented at the top level, so we started off with ponies at a very young age. It has always been in the family. We would have done a lot of hunting during the winter and during the summer we would have brought the ponies to the shows nearly every weekend with the IPS (Irish Pony Society), and would have done a lot of working hunter. I won the Supreme Title at the IPS National Championship with working hunters. We had a lot of fun doing that with friends and still have friends doing it. I represented Ireland at the International Working Hunter Championship in Wales in 2019. I was lucky to go over and represent Ireland at that. It was great fun and we had a great time. My mam and dad would be involved a lot in the showing and we were very lucky we able to bring the ponies over to England a lot for the shows over there.
Just before lockdown I was sort of getting a bit interested in racing. We would have always had a point-to-pointer at home and I always watched racing. At that time, I started riding out a bit and doing pre-trainers and breakers with Conor Maxwell. As soon as lockdown hit, he started building his own yard as he was doing the breakers and trainers from our yard. I told Conor I wanted to get into racing to become a jockey and he was great. He gave me a load of advice and helped me a lot. It really stood to me doing all those breakers and pre-trainers. I did that for two years and I still work for him now when I can in the evenings. It really fired my interest to be a jockey as I got an insight from Conor and he got me a few contacts as well. I can't thank him enough.
Tracy McCourt is married to one of my dad's best friend's son. I started going into Tom McCourt's in the mornings to start riding out there. I'd say a year after riding out there, I took out my licence. I wouldn't have had much experience starting off compared to the other lads pony racing. Tom has been very good to me, he has given me a lot of experience and opportunities. He was a very accomplished rider and is always very good at talking me through a race. Racing is a different level of fitness, but the hunting and the breaking and pre-training stood to me when I started off. It took a while for me to get my first winner, I was hitting the post the previous summer and then it came with Philly's Hope for Tom at Dundalk in January 2022. It was a bit unexpected - we thought she would have a chance, but we didn't know on the day and it was great to get it. Your first winner always gives you a good thrill. My dad was there as well and I was delighted. Before you ride the first one, you are always looking to get it. Once you get it, you are keen to keep it going and get a bit of confidence. I think Tom and I had four winners quickly enough after that.
Tom has put my name out there and my agent, Ruaidhri Tierney, does a great job getting me outside rides. Things have kicking on and Eddie Lynam has given me plenty of opportunities. I rode a winner for him in Dundalk on Celtic Revival in January last year and since then there have been plenty of rides. A year and a-half ago I started going into Ger Lyons - Tom put me in contact with him. I go in one morning a week, on a Wednesday, and Ger is a great man for advice. It is terrific experience to be riding work with the likes of Gary Carroll, Colin Keane and Mark Enright when he was there. Over time riding plenty of work and getting experience with different jockeys, I'd listen to them and their feedback on horses. Then after riding horses and getting a feel for them, I try and give the best feedback I can to trainers which helps them and the owners. Ger has some bunch of horses this year and it is a pleasure to go in there to get the chance to sit on them and work on them. It is great experience.
I've had a good few nice days in the saddle, but winning the Apprentice Derby for the second year in a row (on Courageous Strike at Curragh in June) was a memorable day and is right up there. This year was probably more unexpected than the year before (on Tudor City). It was nice to get that two years in a row. Riding any winner in Bellewstown is a good thrill as well as it is local to Tom and local enough to me. It is always a good buzz as I'm still apprenticed to Tom.
James beating Ryan Moore in a close finish at Leopardstown last month© Photo Healy Racing
I'd say every apprentice wants to win the apprentice title. I've been lucky enough that I am going well this season and it is something that I would love to do, but I'll just do the best I can and hopefully try and keep it going and see how I fare at the end of the season. I recently lost my 5lb claim and am down to 3lb. I've been very lucky with the backing of Ger and Tom, and have good contacts behind me. I'll try and build a few more and hopefully build upon that as I lose my claim.
Touch wood my weight is very good at the moment - I can do 8st 4lb. Obviously, as I'm taller, I still probably have a bit to grow, but it is manageable at the moment. In an ideal world, if I can keep going on the Flat and keep going well, I have no problem with staying on the Flat, but I have experience with plenty of schooling and all that if I need to go over jumps. That would be no problem at all. If you love racing, it is a great job and it doesn't feel like a job. You can travel all around the country and all around the world then as well. You make friends throughout your time in racing which is brilliant as well. It is a great industry to be in and I'm very lucky.
James was in conversation with Michael Graham.
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