Name: Pandora Briselden
Age: 22
From: Marlborough, UK
You No Me Too Well from the Aidan Fitzgerald stable, provided college student Pandora Briselden with her first winner between the flags at Tinahely.
How did you get involved with horses?
My parents, my mum is very horsey and would have been into eventing. So I started off in the pony club and then did eventing. I did that right up until I was 18.
When I finished school my event horse broke down and I was horseless and I was still keen to ride out, so I went into a couple of yards and starting riding out racehorses, predominantly in Roger Charlton’s and Neil Kings.
I believe you are in Trinity College at the moment, studying Spanish and Arabic. How are you finding that?
I’m in my final year now. My subject is a little random, I wasn’t really convinced on the college route but it’s important to have a back-up
I had done Spanish when I was in school and I thought Arabic would be a bit of long shot but it could be useful for bloodstock and it’s an area I’m quite interested in.
Where are you working at present?
I am in a few different places at the moment, I am with Scobie a couple of mornings and then I also ride out for Ian McCarthy in the afternoons. I also have my own horse in Kildare so I also tip away with that in the evenings, so it’s keeping me busy!
My own horse has just come back into work, so maybe I’ll get him to a racecourse at some point but he’s a little fragile so we’ll see.
How did you end up in Aidan ‘Scobie’ Fitzgeralds?
I started with him at the end of last season, just doing a couple of mornings, two or three a week. It was kind of a word of mouth thing and I came down on a trial morning and I really liked it.
I have been coming in ever since, he has been so good to me since I started with him. I didn’t feel like I was getting anywhere but he has been brilliant giving me opportunities.
I have done loads of schooling for him and he has really helped me a lot with that. He is extremely fair to everyone in the yard, giving everyone rides and chances.
Was it always the plan for you to take out your riders licence?
As soon as I started out riding out racehorses, I really wanted to ride on the track. Especially having done eventing I had that real competitive nature already. I just thought what’s the point in just riding out if I can’t try and ride on the track.
I saw everyone around me doing it, and I thought I want a go at that. It has been tricky enough to get going. I had a couple of spins on my own horse in UK point-to-points but no success. It was great fun though and great to get the experience.
I had a bit of dry spell when I first came here but since joining Scobie, he has been the best person to get me going.
You must have been delighted to get your first winner on board?
I wasn’t expecting it so it was a nice surprise as well. I didn’t have any expectations, so it was especially nice to get the winner.
You No Me Too Well is obviously a horse you know well having ridden her last season.
She is a great ride, great for experience and is a savage jumper. She’s kind of like the perfect school mistress.
Were any of your family over for the day?
I didn’t have my family there but I had load of my close friends who where there on the day and it was lovely to have them there and feel supported.
What is the plan now for You No Me Too Well now?
I’m not sure what the plan is for her now. She is in good form anyway after the race, so we will have to wait and see what Scobie wants to do with her next.
What are your ambitions for next season?
Just keep tipping away and try get a few more rides from a few different people and to improve. There is a lot I need to improve on and hopefully I will get the experience to do so and keep the momentum going.
Who is your biggest influence in racing?
I know it’s probably cliché but any female jockey you look up to, common one I know most female riders say is Rachael Blackmore. She is a great person to watch and definitely a person to aspire too anyway.
Have you any interests outside of racing?
I do plenty of running, I am actually running my first marathon in two weeks’ time in the Dublin Marathon in aid of Acquired Brain Injury Ireland.
I did my last long run at the Curragh on Saturday evening before Tinahely, I went to put my irons up on Sunday and the legs were feeling stiff so I had to ride a little longer than normal. The 26 km the night before certainly took its toll I was in bits.
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— p2p.ie (@irishp2p) October 18, 2023
Trinity College student @Pandabriselden partnered her first winner between the flags when guiding You No Me Too Well to victory at Tinahely on Sunday.
To find out more about Pandora %uD83D%uDC49 https://t.co/LNGOcGFdls pic.twitter.com/lMC7er9wqu
