He rode his first winner as a fifteen-year-old, on his father’s Final Assault, in a two-year-old maiden at Naas in March 1983, and, after a successful spell as an apprentice, he later turned his attention to the National Hunt scene.
[3] Away from Cheltenham, he has ridden numerous big-race winners, including Ebony Jane in the Irish Grand National and Ushers Island and Life Of A Lord in the Whitbread Gold Cup.
He will always be associated with Istabraq, who won at the festival four years in a row, but other memorable wins were Danoli's Royal & Sun Alliance Hurdle and Viking Flagship's Queen Mother Champion Chase.
Despite just one unconvincing run and plenty of rumours about Istabraq's fitness before Cheltenham, there was still a late flood of money for the great horse in 2002.
He operated as both jockey and trainer for a few years until having his final ride on Aintree Grand National Day in April 2003.