A day in the life of a Storrington jockey (From The Argus)

A day in the life of a Storrington jockey

4:25pm Wednesday 1st April 2009

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I wake up every morning at 6am to be at Mr Richard Rowes’ yard for 6.45am to get everything ready for riding out, e.g. hot water and tack, and to organise my horse. I’m tacked up early and help tacking up with the other horses. I’m ready to ride out by 7.30am. I usually ride a horse called Giggles O’Shea. He is a keen horse but under the instruction and guidance of Richard, I have managed to settle him. We do three working canters on the gallops at Richard’s, the mornings can be cold sometimes so they can really warm you up ,or on the other hand it can be hammering it down with rain which isn’t so nice. I have a good laugh with Luke, Richard’s son. We always tell each other that there’s different ways we can improve in our riding - a friendly bit of rivalry. It makes the lots more interesting and most of all, its good to learn from people who have a great knowledge in horses.

We get back in from the first lot at 8.30am to wash the horses off. It’s a busy time, horses coming off the walker and horses being washed off. It’s a good controlled atmosphere, and the horses are all happy. After washing the horses off we head up to the top paddocks to give the horses grass for 15-20 minutes when the weather is good. It’s our way of letting them know there work is done for the day and its a nice treat for them too to have a nice roll in the grass and mud. A happy horse is a winning horse. On Saturdays or when possible I ride three lots for Richard, a huge boost for my fitness.

We all have a good banter whilst the horses are picking grass. The humour is obviously high in the yard as Aintree is fast approaching. All the staff in the yard are joking: “We hope you don’t fall off at the start,” and my short reply is I don’t either! Richard comes up to see the horses and asks us all how we felt the horses are progressing, which is a good insight into the horses training is important for the trainer so as jockeys we all have to be alert and be as accurate as possible with our feedback to Richard.

We head back down towards the yard. The horses need a good groom before we let them have there hay and rest for the day so ,the brushes are out and the hard work begins again. They’re all rugged up, making sure all the horses are warm enough and comfortable after their exercise.

It’s now that I take my tack back to the tack room clean my bridle and make sure all my pads and witney rug is left presentable and it’s off to my other job five minutes down the road.

I arrive at my stablehand job around 9.15am after first lot from Richard’s. Demelza Barnes who employs me, leaves me to muck the 2 horses out and I set about my jobs before riding out again, and doing near enough the same as I do at Richard’s. Demelza has been brilliant at letting me ride out and coming in later, and for also letting me go to various training and assessment days at Newmarket at the British Racing School.

It’s been a long way to get to the John Smiths Peoples Race. I run every night for an hour after work around the local point to point course (Parham) and I also go to the sauna regularly, and swim to get my weight down. It’s a hard process, I have lost the best part of two stone since January from training and eating considerably less portions than a normal human being to ensure I make the weight come race day. My day ends about 9.30am after exercising and doing different training to ensure that I’m fit for the day. However hard you try the only way to be fit enough is to ride in races, but I’m going to give it my best shot!

I’ve had a lot of support and advice from friends in racing and at Richard’s yard. It’s been a great experience so far - lets hope that Grand National Day is smiling for me too!

I was due to ride a horse for Richard called Uncle Eli, but unfortunately due to a slight set back, I have had to change horses and I’m now riding for a northern trainer called Mr David Easterby and the Aintree chairman owns the horse I’m riding too, The horse is called Napalm, I don’t know much about him but I’ve had plenty of advice from the right people so come the big day I’ll be as relaxed as I am now, but approaching it with a professional attitude, and a view to win.