Next Generation
Name: Conor Smithers
Age: 05/02/2001
From: Monasterevin, Co. Kildare
It was red letter day for 19-year-old Conor Smithers who partnered his first winner between the flags when landing the six-year-old geldings maiden for novice riders aboard the Edward Creighton trained Dubai Dandy at Moig South on Saturday.
The Kildare native has been based with Wexford handler Denis Murphy for two and a half years.
How did you come to work in Denis Murphys?
A man that I used to work with knew I had an amateurs licence and he knew Denis Murphy and he gave him a call and got me a job down here. So I moved down and have been with Denis for the last two and a half years.
How did you get started with horses?
We always had hunters growing up and I would have done a small bit of pony racing and have done plenty of hunting.
I started off with racehorses the summer I finished primary schooling when spending a summer with Seamus Fahey.
The following year I started at Michael Halfords and I was there for about two to three years part-time and then I did a full season with him after I finished school. I took out my amateurs licence when I was working for Michael Halford.
I then joined Denis Murphys team and I have been working there ever since.
Do you ride out for anyone else?
I do plenty of schooling for John Berry, Martin Corrigan and a few other lads here and there.
How did you come to have the ride on Dubai Dandy?
I rang Edward Creighton when he entered for the Novice Riders race at Mainstown a couple of weeks ago. He ran really well for me and things went to plan and Edward said I could ride him the next time.
Dubai Dandy had run well at Mainstown earlier this month when finishing second, so were you confident of a better run ahead of Saturday?
I was fairly confident he would get the job done alright after his previous run and Edward Creighton was kind enough to put me back up so I am very grateful.
It must have been great to ride your first winner?
I was over the moon to get my first winner on Saturday it was a great feeling!
What are your ambitions now for the rest of the season?
Hopefully to just ride as many winners as I can and try get as many rides as I can and
it would be great to pick up another winner or two.
Is there any rider in particular that you think people should watch out for?
Ross Sugrue for definite, he is a very good rider and one to keep an eye on.
Who would have been your biggest influence in racing?
Oh Jamie Codd, definitely, he is in Denis Murphys every Thursday and sure if your doing something wrong he wouldn’t be long about telling you but equally he would tell you if your doing something right and give you praise when its due.
He is great for advice and sure he’s one of the best around.
Do you anything outside of point-to-pointing in your spare time?
I do a bit of shooting with my brothers but we haven’t got to do that lately on account of Covid.
