Image © Healy Racing
Name: Orla Queally
Age: 24
From: Coolagh, Dungarvan, County Wexford
What’s your background in horses.
I’ve been riding since I could walk. I started off with a pony and I did pony club, I stuck with the showjumping, hunting and hunter trials. I hunted with the local Dungarvan Harriers.
I do a lot of showjumping. I compete at quite a high level at the moment. It’s hard to keep mixing the showjumping and the racing.
I had a smashing four-year-old pony that got me to Dublin in the six-and-seven-year-old class and I sold that pony well when I was sixteen. I then bought a few horses. I have a lovely Grand Prix horse called Gentleman Time who jumps in the 1.50m and I have another 1.40m horse so I’m very lucky. I also have two younger horses that I’m aiming for the RDS qualifiers this year. I have a nice team of horses.
How did you get involved with racing?
I have grown up around racehorses. My dad John is an ex-amateur jockey that turned to training and I have been riding out for dad since a very young age.
I can remember going point-to-pointing when I was two or three years-old with dad, and I used to be put up on-top of the horses for the photographs!
Dad was Champion Amateur and Champion point-to-point rider, which was a huge achievement back in the day. My mam Miriam is the one behind the books. She used to ride a little bit when she was younger, but now she’s the one behind the scenes that keeps everything running smoothly.
My younger brother Sean is also an amateur and I have a younger sister Margaret, she’s 21, and although she hasn’t an interest in riding, she is a great help around the yard. She comes to a lot of showjumping with me and does the videoing, the grooming and the plaiting. I’d be lost without her!
Eoin Daly has been with dad since before I was born, he is dad’s head lad and is a very important part of the team. He has been a massive support to me.
Do you remember the first racehorse you ever sat on?
I do, it was a horse called Where Now. We used to run him in point-to-points. He won around 15 points and a couple on the track. He also ran in the Foxhunters. I remember he won the open on both the Saturday and Sunday meeting at Kinsale too. He was a brilliant servant for us.
Where do you work full-time?
I currently work for Plusvital, the equine supplement company. I work for Plusvital Monday to Friday, and ride out for dad in the mornings. I also go into John Kiely’s when they’re stuck.
I try to juggle riding out in the mornings, working and then riding my own jumpers in the evenings.
Have you gained experience anywhere else?
I rode-out in Joseph O’Brien’s for a few years during the summer and weekends. I also spent some time up with Padraig Roche on the Curragh last summer.
I completed the amateur schooling course up at RACE.
How did the ride on Pat Coyne come about?
We’ve had Pat Coyne for a few years now. John Nicholson owned him and he won on the track a few times. We got him off John to go point-to-pointing and he has excelled.
My brother Sean, who also rode his first winner on him last October, was riding him through the winter. I was over in America for three months, so Jody Townend rode him in a couple of Ladies Opens. She won on him in Turtulla.
Are there any arguments over who gets the spin on Pat Coyne?
Not really. I usually ride him in any of the ladies races and Sean gets to ride him in the Novice Rider opens. It has worked out for both of us.
I hope I’ll get to ride him a bit more now!
Were you expecting Pat Coyne to run well?
We had the Ballingarry race bookmarked for a long time.
I rode him in November and got a great spin off him. I then rode him in Tattersalls and tipped around on him as I hadn’t ridden in ages.
We were confident heading to Ballingarry and it couldn’t have went any better. It all worked out perfectly.
Can you describe the feeling of riding your first point-to-point winner?
I don’t have words to describe it. It was unbelievable. Very special to ride my first winner for my dad and in my mam’s colours.
That horse has been a brilliant servant and he’s part of the furniture at home. It was only my third point-to-point ride, but I’ve been riding nearly four years now so it was really nice to get my first winner.
I get a huge thrill out of showjumping, but the thrill I got riding a winner was unreal.
Were your family there on the day?
Just my dad and Eoin were there. The rest were at home waiting on the results!
Do you know what the plan is for Pat Coyne now?
I would imagine he might go back on the track over the summer. We won’t leave him off as he tends to get too fat! He might go for a hunter chase or a ladies hurdle in the summer, then back point-to-pointing. We will keep him as a fun horse.
Was it always the plan to take out your license?
I only took out my license when I was twenty, so I was relatively older than most.
I always enjoyed riding out, but did so much showjumping that it didn’t seem realistic that I could ride in races.
During covid, I ended up riding out a lot more and had more time on my hands so took out my license then. I was lucky that there were a few suitable horses for me to ride in the yard. I never really thought that I’d go point-to-pointing but I love it.
How many track rides have you had?
I’ve had about 8 track rides so far. My first ride was on Costanuci for dad in a bumper at Tramore in December 2021.
Who is your biggest influence in racing?
I’d have to say my dad. What he achieved when he was a jockey was brilliant and he is a great trainer. He’s extremely knowledgeable too. Dad is 72 and still rides out, I’d say if he could, he’d still be riding Pat Coyne at the point-to-points!
Is there anyone you turn to for advice?
Dad would be the best person for advice. He would be the first to give out to me when I do something wrong, but he is very good at giving me tips and advice to improve in the saddle.
Aine O’Connor at RACE has been great to me as have all the lady riders in the weighroom. Rachel Blackmore and Jody Townend, everyone is very good to be fair.
Have you any interests or hobbies outside of racing?
I don’t have much time left for anything else after horses. I love them.
What are your ambitions going forward?
The dream was always to ride a winner and now I have my points winner, the next thing would be to ride a winner on the track.
Qualifying for the RDS is my main focus for the summer now.
Do you want to add anything else?
A huge thanks to my parents and Eoin for all the support and help over the years. I couldn’t have done it without them.
Paddy O’Donnell has given me a huge helping hand with the showjumping and a big thanks to John Nicholson, he has been a great supporter of our yard and we were lucky to get Pat Coyne off him. Pat is part of the furniture now and won’t be going anywhere.
As a bonus for talented new point-to-point riders who feature in p2p.ie series of NextGen articles, Dungar Quality Oats will sponsor a special draw where one of the riders will win a cash prize of €500. All NextGen featured jockeys who have ridden their first point-to-point winner will be automatically entered into this draw. The draw will be conducted and prize winner announced at the end of the point-to-point season.
