Brian Lawless is the latest rider to star in our Next Generation feature following his winner at Oldcastle last Sunday aboard the William Durkan-trained Tinnehinch in the six-year-old-and-upwards maiden.
This was the 19-year-old’s second winner of the season following his success aboard Corus Girl at Largy for William McLernon in April.
The Wicklow native is now in his second season riding in point-to-points and has so far had a successful time in the saddle having recorded four winners and a further 11 placed efforts from 35 rides to date.
Name: Brian Lawless
Age: 19
Area: Delgany
How did you become involved in racing?
My family have always had horses so I have grown up around racing from a young age.
My father Ger rode in point-to-points and on the track and is now training a few horses at home so it was from him that I got the racing bug.
We also run a livery yard at home as well as having a few hunters and young horses in during the season. We currently have one broodmare so that’s something we would like to try and get more into as well.
From a young age all I wanted to do was ride. I started on ponies as soon as I could and gathered good experience growing up as I hunted each season with the Bray’s as well as competing in hunter trials around the country.
As soon as I was old enough I started to ride out for my dad and since I finished school last year I have tried to ride out and school for as many people as I can.
This season I have been primarily based with Donnchadh Doyle, John Nallen, William Durkan and John Fitzpatrick as well as my dad.
What is your earliest racing memory?
I remember dad had a good point-to-pointer called Delgany Native who won for us at Maralin. During his later part of career I would have ridden him out as a child and have some great memories of him.
How have you found establishing yourself as a rider?
Things are going well so far. I am just trying to make as many contacts as I can and hopefully the opportunities will come.
I think they are trying to help the novice riders more each season as there is a good few novice races each month but it can sometimes be hard to get spare rides in those races as some are family-owned horses who have sons or daughters riding them or if lads are connected to a yard they sometimes might get to ride them to give them a spin.
Who has been your biggest influence?
I have always looked up to Jamie Codd as a rider and remember watching him ride winners at my local track in Tinahely.
My dad has always helped me as much as he could as well as Corky Carroll who has given me loads of advice and help since I started with John Nallen which has definitely been great for my riding.
What has been your best day’s riding?
It has to be my first winner at Maralin last March.
It was aboard Delgany Lass who my dad actually trained and was also his first winner too so it was a memorable family success.
Do you have any of your own horses?
I don’t have any thoroughbreds of my own but I have a couple of hunters that I bought to resell.
Myself and my sister and brother normally would try and buy a few ponies each year and bring them on before selling them on.
Give us a horse to watch out for?
The Big Getaway was an impressive winner at Horse and Jockey this March for Donnchadh Doyle and I always loved riding him when I could. He was sold for £230,000 to Willie Mullins at the Cheltenham Festival sale and is one to note for next year.
Another winner from this year who I was lucky to ride before he won well was the John Nallen-trained Minella Bobo who scored at Inch in March. John has a nice bunch of three-year-olds for next year also.
Do you play any sports outside of racing?
I play both football and hurling for my local club, Greystones and I’ll have a busy summer ahead with the championship competitions.
Have you any plans for the summer?
I hope to spend some time in one of the bigger track yards so as to gather more experience and then for next season I would love to be able to try and gather more outside rides and get my name out there as much as I can.
To read about some of the other featured riders in this series click on the link below.
Fresh from victory on Sunday at Oldcastle, Wicklow Native Brian Lawless is the latest young rider to feature in our Next Generation series.#NextGen
— p2p.ie (@irishp2p) May 22, 2018
READ HERE %u27A1%uFE0F https://t.co/Q1FB69zyGc pic.twitter.com/ICC8gWmwmz
