Adam Caffrey

I'm from Clonalvy in Co Meath, a small rural area. I got into horses through my uncle James Harford. He always had horses down in the yard two minutes away from the house. They could be hunters, pre-trainers and breakers.

When I was younger, I went down there and helped him out by riding a few quiet hunters around the roads. Then I got my own pony and that's how I got started. From there on, I did want to be a jockey. When I was younger I played a lot of soccer and gaelic, but from kind of eight or nine years of age when I got into horses, I wanted to be a jockey.

'Ado taught me the ropes'

I never did any pony racing at all. One summer when I was around 14 or 15, I went into David Dunne when he was training. He was a local trainer only five minutes away and very easy to get to. I did a summer with him, two or three months when I was off school. That was where I learned to ride racehorses.

When I was going back to school, my dad got into contact with Stephen Mooney who was riding for Ado McGuinness at the time. I went back to school in September and started in Ado's basically the same week. They were looking for someone young who could go in on weekends and school holidays. I just got talking to Stephen Mooney at the right time.

In fairness to Ado, he taught me the ropes the whole way through. The first year was more of a learning block more than anything. It took me a year to ride a winner, but Ado gave me the opportunities to ride horses to try and get me going.

Without Ado, I wouldn't be in this position today. From my first winner onwards, I haven't looked back. My first winner was on Magnetic North in Navan (April 2022) and it was very sweet to get, especially as I waited so long.

It was a at a Co Meath track, and my mam and dad were there as well which kind of made it that extra bit special. It was a nice weight off my shoulders. He has been a deadly little horse. I think I have won five on him in total. He's definitely one that has a place in my heart.

First Winner and Racing Milestones

Riding out each claim were all good days. Star Harbour in the Ragusa at the Curragh on Derby day (June 2024) was one of the biggest winners. There was a big group of owners and it was a good day and a good buzz. That was probably my favourite day in the saddle so far.

Laugh A Minute winning the Joe McGrath (Curragh, September 2023) was pretty special and a big day as well. The day I rode my claim out at Dundalk I actually had a double (in February). Keith Clarke's winner Albion Power was probably unexpected and then I rode out my claim on Exquisite Acclaim for Ado which was nice. It was for owners in the yard who have always backed me.

I think I have won five on him. He's a proper stalwart as well in the yard too. As I went past the line, I got those goosebumps that I did it (rode out claim). When you set off, your biggest target down the line after riding nice winners, is to ride out your claim. Then you want to try and go on and be successful.

If you ask any apprentice, down the line they eventually want to ride out their claim. To do it, is kind of a big thing especially in Ireland where it is so hard. There are so many good jockeys here and there's not as many race meeting as there are in the likes of England. It is so competitive here. There are good lads out there in Ireland who aren't getting the chances that others are.

I was always apprenticed to Ado and am in there six mornings a week at the moment. You are always trying to get out there and ride work for different people all the time. You are trying to put your name on the map and get around as many trainers as you can especially in your locality. In fairness to Ado, he lets me go away early whenever I've to ride work for other people.

I ride a bit for Keith Clarke and Harry Rogers is a big supporter of mine at the moment too. I ride a lot of work for Harry and he has looked after me. Then there are other people that you get in and out to work for, and they can put you on their horses.

Last season's champion apprentice title race was very exciting. People were very interested and you got a bit of publicity. It got all our names (Wayne Hassett and James Ryan) out there a bit last season which helped.

It was great fun and there was a bit of slagging in the weigh room between us and other lads kind of joined in. I enjoyed every bit of it and to ride 31 winners in the season was very good in my eyes. I was only beaten by two and, obviously, it is bittersweet but James Ryan is a good friend of mine and I was delighted to see him winning it when I didn't.

Building Networks and Chasing 100 Winners

Dundalk has definitely been a happy-hunting ground for me. You actually learn a lot up there especially over the winters. When you get used to it, it is a nice, smooth track to ride.

You learn so much particularly when you are starting off - the hustle and bustle of it all. You learn your fractions during the race. Ado sends a lot of his horses up there which helped me to learn a good bit. I got plenty of rides up there over the last couple of winters which helped me last season to go and try and target the apprentice title.

Ado and his owners all helped me together with outside trainers as well. When the older lads head off for a couple of weeks during the winter, it leaves the door open a little bit to try and get your foot in somewhere else with another trainer. It is on twice a week during the winter and if those jockeys have gone away, it can help the likes of us and lads wanting to get started off.

Galway is always a festival that Ado and his owners like to target. Unfortunately, I haven't got a Galway Festival winner yet so I am hungry to add one of them to my list. Hopefully, this year we will have a few horses that you would imagine would handle Galway in terms of the track and the ground. With a bit of luck on our side, hopefully I will add a Galway Festival winner this year.

It is always about trying to get more and more winners. I'm on 99 winners at the moment and am trying to get my 100th winner. The main thing is that every day there is racing on, you want to have your name on the racecard so people will know you are there and they will see you.

It is good to be bumping into a trainer or two when you are there. You are always looking down the line at what a couple of nice horses in the yard might do. That will always drive you on as well.

I think the Irish racing industry is great. You have to have that bit of a love for horses to really enjoy it. It doesn't feel like a job to me. I just love working with horses. When you walk into that weigh room, everyone is one. I know when you go out onto the track, it is every person for themselves but we all do look after each other at the same time as best you can.

There will always be a bit of atmosphere at a track and everyone you meet would say hello. It makes you want to be there more often.

Adam was in conversation with Michael Graham

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About Michael Graham

Michael has worked in horse racing journalism for more than 15 years, having also written a weekly betting column on Gaelic football and hurling for a newspaper. He is involved in writing the My Racing Story features on this website. He spent a year in South Africa completing a Diploma in Business Administration and also studied Newspaper Journalism in Belfast. He enjoys playing 5-a-side football on a regular basis.

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