Name: Jordan Kidd
Age: 24
From: Kentstown, Meath.
Jordan Kidd gained his first career success at Tinahely last weekend, when he guided the Gavin Cromwell-trained Arverne to victory in the open.
How did you get involved with horses?
Growing up, mam would have always had an old hunter or things like that and then in primary school, I became friends with Jack Martin, who is the son of the trainer Pat Martin. His yard is only five minutes from home.
We were both horse-mad as kids, from about the age of ten we were mad to get on to the racehorses, but Pat would have told us we weren’t allowed to, so we would have followed them up the gallops on the two ponies.
I don’t come from a racing family. Mam would have had a happy hacker, and her friends would have hunted, too. I did a good bit of hunting in the past myself, up to the last two years, I would have hunted twice a week with the Meath’s. I did a lot of eventing and showjumping too with the pony club.
We would have warmed up the racehorses for the boys at about 12, and then when we were 14 or 15, Jack and I would have started riding out nearly every morning before school.
With your interest in racing had you always intended on becoming a jockey?
I always wanted to give race riding a go; whether I would have been good enough or not, I didn’t know, but I always wanted to give it a shot.
I left Pat’s about two years ago to go to Gavin Cromwell. Pat really just has runners on the flat, so I went to Gavin to try and give riding a go. I have only had two rides for Gavin, a third in a bumper and then Arverne at Tinahely and he won.
Were hopes high that Arverne would run well at Tinahely?
I would say Arverne has been a frustrating horse to train; all his work at home has been very good, but it is just a matter of putting his ability to use with him.
Point-to-Pointing probably helped him with the smaller fences, running in an open field and the tactics.
We raced from the front, I just let him roll away and he seemed to enjoy it. He has plenty of ability, but he is very laid back.
Were any of your family there for your first winner?
No, none of them, actually. They were fed up coming and watching me finish last!
Mam bought a big frame with a couple of pictures from the Healy’s, so she is happy and everyone is delighted for me.
I probably have had my licence for two and a half years, and I remember telling everyone that as soon as I rode a winner, I would retire, so everyone is asking me if I’m retired.
What are your plans now that you have your first winner ticked off?
I will keep tipping away, riding out for as many people as I can and see what happens. Hopefully I will be able to ride some more winners
Who has been your biggest influence?
Probably Pat Martin, he has been very good to me from the start. Even going to the races and standing in with Pat when he was talking to the jockey, he would have let us listen in.
Ian Donoghue has been good to me too, I was working with him for a while. He was an easy man to work for, and he gave constructive criticism. Gavin is an easy man to talk to if you have any problems.
Do you have any other interests?
About a year and a half ago, I bought three national hunt foals, and this year, I bought a yearling. I like the bloodstock and pin-hooking to make a few quid.
The three that I bought as foals will go back to the store sales next year, and the yearling is sold already, so she will go into training in the next month or so, I’d say.
We have a mare in foal, too, so I love all that; looking at pedigrees, I eat, sleep and drink them.
I own half of a four-year-old filly in Pat’s with Jack and she is running away on the flat. I am still good friends with them and help out there as much as I can.
