Brianstorm

Brian Hayes is from West Cork. He is 34 now, of medium height. The hair is speckled grey. He’s been a jockey for 17 years. Doesn’t smoke, doesn’t drink, not even tea or coffee. He drinks pints of milk, which he’ll order even in fancy restaurants. And he’ll usually get it. He likes his chocolate from the fridge, a Yorkie preferably. He drives a 142 dark grey Audi. And since March this year, he is a Cheltenham Festival-winning jockey.

Patrick: You’re from Rosscarberry. It’s GAA country. Neither your father nor mother are into horses. How did you get going?

Brian: I liked showjumping from watching the RDS. It wasn’t racing that interested me. I got some lessons and there’s a fair every year down home and I asked Dad could I get a pony. Firstly he said no, but eventually he said yes. I was about nine or ten. We bought it for £140, with a bridle. We’d a half-acre behind the house so we left it out there. We didn’t have a clue. We couldn’t even put the head collar on her!

Patrick: How did you get into racing?

Brian: I was in transition year. My friend Mennis told me he had a cousin, Thomas O’Leary, and he told him I’d be down for work experience. And I didn’t want to go! But I went down anyways, and he was training Scarthy Lad and Newmill at the time. I did a week’s work experience and kept going back.

Patrick: How did you end up moving up the country?

Brian: Thomas said anyone who’s ever done anything in racing has gone to Jim Bolger’s, so I did a summer there. Martin Harley was there at the time and he told me I should try get into Shark (Hanlon)’s as he might have rides. So, the following summer I rang Shark, but he told me, “Don’t come up, I’ve staff coming out my ears.” So, I left it two weeks and I rang him again and he said, “I’ve no room for you, and nowhere to put you either!” So, then I rang him again a few weeks later and said I’d work for free and he said “Sure, come on up so.” But he paid me the first week. I rang Willie (Mullins) too, but he’d told me to ring the secretary and I never did. But it probably worked out for the best.

Thomas also told me to go to Michael Bowe too, it was the time of Limestone Lad and Solerina. So, I looked up his address and tipped over there one afternoon into the yard. And he was walking down on a horse and I asked him could I ride out for him some days. And he said, “No bother. Can you ride?” (Laughs) And when I said I could, he asked did I want to ride one now? And I’ve been riding out for him ten years now. I rode my first winner for him on Sweet Kiln. He’d told me to have my feet out of the irons at the start but the starter let us go before I had my feet back in. So, I was mid div instead of making the running! Luckily, we won a neck so it was all okay. Michael actually gave her to me a few years back, and I’ve three foals out of her now.

Patrick: When did you turn professional?

Brian: I was in college Monday to Thursday that winter, construction management, and I’d work in Shark’s Friday, Saturday and Sunday. And Shark had plenty of runners going into that summer and he asked me to turn and I did. From very early on, I was very much of the opinion that it doesn’t matter how good you are, contacts are so important. You need to be riding for the right people.

Patrick: Who did you try to learn from?

Brian: When I was an amateur I was obsessed with Derek O’Connor. I used to love the way he used sit on a horse. I used think he was the best rider on heavy ground, the way he’d hold them together, sit against them, support them. You’d be down in Dromahane, season after season, and he’d be out the back, pop around and then the commentator would say, “And Derek O’Connor puts on his indicator,” and he’d go past everyone. I used to get all the videos and watch Derek. And then (when I turned pro) it changed to being obsessed with Ruby Walsh and the way he used sit. I thought there was similarities there. How he’d hold a horse. Was very into Ruby. Then it was Ruby and Davy Russell. Thought Russell was unbelievable on a horse, but he was different. He’d have a looser rein, horses relaxed for him. Davy would ride more on top of the horse, less contact. Loved reading (Richard) Dunwoody’s book too. Couldn’t get over his drive. His work ethic.

Hayes won three times on Sweet Sting, having recorded his first of many triumphs in the famous Bowe colours on her dam, Sweet Kiln. The Gathabawn family gave Sweet Kiln to Hayes and he has bred three foals from her, while riding four of her offspring to victory

People talk about pressure a lot at Cheltenham. The pressure the likes of Paul Townend and Jack Kennedy must be under. But they need two hands to count their good rides. Plenty to think about. And they’ve won there before. Plenty of good memories to pull on. What if you haven’t won there before? And you’ve only one good ride? And if you make a mistake, that ride won’t be yours next time? That’s pressure without a valve.

Patrick: The season started off well down in Wexford, Impervious won well and then you went to Cork for a graded novice, winging the last.

Brian: Yeah, that was a big day for her. She was very good that day, over two miles. I was always kind of flat out but just maybe getting there, maybe getting there. I didn’t think I was going to win anywhere though until the back of the last. And she was sold off the back of that.