Jordan Gainford and Shane Fenelon embark on their new careers in the Conditional Jockey ranks at Limerick on Friday have elected to make the switch from the Qualified Rider ranks.
Gainford begins his new association as a Conditional Jockey with Gordon Elliott and has been booked to ride six horses for the Cullentra trainer.
The recently turned 20-year-old has made a notable impression in the point-to-point fields since making his debut at Boulta in December 2018 thanks in a large part to the support of leading handler Colin Bowe.
Ahead of his decision to turn professional, a move the was hastened by the ongoing suspension of the point-to-point season, the Wexford native currently sat at the top of the Under-21 riders leaderboard alongside Michael O’Sullivan and Sean Staples with four wins, having also benefitted from the support of other leading handlers such as Warren Ewing and David Christie.
It was Bowe who set up his move the Gordon Elliott yard and Gainford has already ridden for Elliott in a some high profile races whilst a qualified rider, including in the Thyestes Chase at Gowran last month and he will remain a part of the Milestone Stables team for this season, riding out their three days a week until the end of the point-to-point season before making the switch full time to Elliott.
It will be the Shark Hanlon-trained Gaulois that will provide Shane Fenelon with his first ride as a professional in the 3.35 the Limerick on Twitter Maiden Hurdle.
The Wicklow native has spent a time working with Coolmore and has worked for Peter Croke, John McConnell, Sean Doyle and Shark Hanlon, with the latter being his current boss.
The 23-year-old has had two winners between the flags from 60 rides the first of which came aboard the Shark Hanlon trained Urban Legend at Stradbally in 2019 and only had to wait 30 minutes to ride his second winner as Rudy Catrail took the winners of two contest providing the young rider with a quick double.
The latter horse has provided him with some notable victories on the racecourse since, with his front-running exploits seeing the pair win four races together, most recently over hurdles at Kilbeggan in October.
