Name: Jack Sutton
Age: 20
From: Ashbourne, Co. Meath
First Winner: Lanziano - Ballingarry
It was a memorable day for Meath native Jack Sutton, who registered his first winner as a rider and a handler when guiding his own Lanziano to victory at Ballingarry carrying the colours of his father Raymond Sutton.
How did you get involved with horses?
My father always bred and bought foals and then sold them on as three-year-olds. He was always mad into hunting and then I developed a love of hunting.
I have been hunting with the Ward Unions since I was teenager, I then progressed on to riding out for a few local trainers, I started off with Dermot McLoughlin, I’m still there actually!
Do ride out anywhere else?
I went down to Denis Murphy’s a day a week last winter, and I also rode out for Gavin Cromwell but mainly based with Dermot.
Did you enjoy your time with Denis Murphy?
I loved it, I learnt a good bit from the short time I was there, especially with how you would approach the work for a particular horse running at the weekend. I actually copied that approach with my own horse.
Was it always the plan for you to take out your handlers license?
No it was wasn’t actually, my own horse Lanziano was in training with Dermot McLoughlin but he broke down so we gave him a year off and then I said I would train him myself for a point-to-point.
I just got my handlers license a couple of months ago. It was never really the plan to go down this route, it’s just the way it happened.
How many horses would you have in training?
He is the only one I have in training at the moment.
We have a couple of horses at home not in training actually another filly who had a similar problem but she might head back to the track or she might go pointing, not sure what the plan is with her yet.
Where do you train your horses?
We have our stables here at home, I just train them out of a couple fields, I try do something different each day.
I would bring him away also to the beach and we also bring him to Skyrne Gallops a day or two a week.
I really enjoy it, I make plenty of time to train him and put in a lot of effort and to get the winner it was certainly very rewarding!
You must have been thrilled to get your first winner on the board?
It was brilliant, my Mam and Dad were on the day so was great to have them. We own a pub at home so my sister drew the short straw and had to work on the day.
We celebrated well when we came home.
It was nice to have my first winner carrying the colours of my father.
Would you like to have a couple more in training next season or concentrate more on riding?
I would like to grow both really. I only really started point-to-pointing this season. I would love to get more experience.
I would certainly take on more horses, if I could get them, I wouldn’t say no.
Will you keep Lanziano going for next season?
The plan for Lanziano is to go for the hunters chase at Listowel and see how that goes, he might even go back to the track.
Who is your biggest influence in racing?
I would have to say my father, he is a very good horse man. He bought me that horse so I wouldn’t be where I am now without him.
He gives me a hand training the horses, he’s a good horse man and knows plenty and is always on hand to help me and you can ask him anything.
Have you any ambitions for next season?
Hopefully try and keep the ball rolling, get a few more rides and a couple of winners.
I will try go somewhere else a day or two a week during the winter again, just haven’t decided where to go yet.
Have you any interests outside of racing?
I love hunting and still go every Friday with the Ward Union Hunt over the winter. I think hunting is a great grounding for riders, it really improves your balance and I think it really stands to you as a jockey.
