Name: Josh Ahern
Age: 19
From: Bartlemy, Cork
It was a memorable afternoon at Ballindenisk for Josh Ahern as he partnered a first career success aboard his fathers Garrett’s Salseros.
How did you get involved with horses?
There has always been horses around at home but I actually didn’t start riding horses until I was 15, in 2020. I just got bored during Covid and decided one day to sit up on my sisters pony and I then quickly progressed onto racehorses.
Would you have ridden ponies when you were younger?
I sat up on a few ponies over the years but never progressed at it, at the time I just didn’t have the interest.
Is your sister still involved with horses?
Yes, she is still involved and does plenty of hunting and things like that.
Would you have done any hunting yourself before progressing to racehorses?
No nothing like that all, just went from ponies to riding out racehorses.
Where are you working at present?
I am working with my father in the mornings and then I go to college in UCC where I am studying PE teaching and history.
I am just in my first year, so I have another three years to go!
How are you finding juggling it all present?
It’s tough going, your riding out in the morning and then trying to rush into college and trying to get everything in.
I am not too far from college, if traffic is good I can be there in 25-30 minutes but can be much longer if the traffic is bad.
Do you ride out for anyone else?
No just for my father at present.
Salseros is obviously a horse you are very familiar with, did you fancy him to run a big race on Sunday?
We knew going into Sunday he had a chance, he had finished sixth in the hunters chase at Limerick over
Christmas, we knew there was a big race in him and knew he would stay galloping.
So we were hoping he would win alright but me and my father said nothing to one another but we were both thinking the same in our heads. He wasn’t putting any pressure on me!
Did you get some kick out of riding your first winner?
Ah stop, it was the most unbelievable feeling! Nothing has ever come close to it.
It must have been extra special to do it carrying your fathers colours?
Sure as soon as I started riding out, I’d see the colours in the kitchen and I’d been trying them since I was younger and running around the place in them, so it just made it extra special to be wearing them on Sunday.
Were any of your family there for the win on Sunday?
They were all there, my mother, my sister and my father obviously. I think they enjoyed it as much as I did. I’d say a lot of the times they can’t look!
We’ve nearly watched the video 50 times through, it never gets old.
What is the plan for Salseros now?
I’d say we will probably go for a winners race next, he is in at the weekend but we are not sure if we will run him. We will see how he goes and maybe go back for a hunters chase, he has plenty of options, there is definitely another race in him.
What are your ambitions for this season?
Get a few mores rides, hopefully get another win on him and just gain some more experience that I can build on and improve.
Is there any upcoming riders that we should be keeping an eye on?
Jack Collins is a man working with us, he is 16 and has his bumper licence. He is very good, very smart and clever and is well able to ride.
Any horses to follow for the season?
There is a four-year-old by Milan, he is not named yet but he is quite clever and doing things easy at the moment. He is progressing nicely and has a bit of class.
Who is your biggest influence in racing?
Oh it has to be my father, he has given me all of my chances and opportunities. He is letting me learn on the job and I can’t ask for anything else.
He is never far away to get advice from. For my first couple of rides he would drive me to the track the night before and walk it with me giving me advice on where to go and what to do.
His instructions are very good and he never puts any pressure on me.
Have you any interests outside of racing?
I play hurling with Bride Rovers down in Rathcormac. Our training will start back up now in the next couple of weeks, we train three nights a week and I’m just hoping our matches will be on a Saturday or there will have to be choices made!
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— p2p.ie (@irishp2p) January 10, 2024
It was a memorable afternoon at Ballindenisk for Josh Ahern as he partnered a first career success aboard Salseros, trained and owned by his father Garrett.
%uD83D%uDC49 To find out more about Josh https://t.co/nWxynsJPGl pic.twitter.com/sNQUuJXqQn
