Conor Houlihan is our latest novice rider to feature in our next generation section. From Co. Waterford, nineteen-year-old Conor rode his first point-to-point winner on Sunday at Mainstown aboard Racing Again for Con O’Keeffe.
Conor is currently in first year at WIT studying Business but rides out in the mornings and afternoons for David and John Kiely as well as Con O’Keeffe.
Name: Conor Houlihan
Age: 19
Town: Dungarvan
How did you become involved in racing?
We have always had horses at home and from a young age I was riding ponies with my brothers. I was a member of the Waterford Pony Club as a child and when I was 13 I began riding out for the Kiely’s who live right beside us. My two uncles also train, Maurice and Pat Phelan.
What's the best piece of advice you've ever been given?
Ride long live long.
What's your favourite course?
My favourite point-to-point course would have to be Mainstown having had my first winner there.
What's your favourite sport outside racing?
I play football for my local GAA club Brickey Rangers.
Give us a horse to watch out for?
We have a horse with David Kiely who will run in a few weeks called Definite Dilemma.
What was the best day of your racing life?
It is definitely riding my first winner on Sunday. I ride out for Con so I was very grateful to him for providing me with my first winner. I also know the horse I won on very well as I actually broke him a few years ago!
Who’s your biggest influence?
My older brother Sean is a conditional jockey for Philip Hobbs and he has always been a great help to me and has given me plenty of advice along the way.
What improvements would you like to see to in point-to-points?
I think it would be great if they could have a series for Novices riders running throughout the season.
Ambitions For this season?
I would like to try and get as many rides as possible throughout the season both in point-to-points and on the track.
To read about some of our other featured riders this season click on the link below.
19yo Conor Houlihan who was in the winners enclosure at Mainstown P2P last Sunday is the latest novice rider to feature as part of our #NextGen feature profiling the next generation of P2P Jockeys.
— p2p.ie (@irishp2p) December 6, 2017
Read it here:https://t.co/dy4X556e4V pic.twitter.com/g0tFGZbW92
