John Shinnick on the Thyestes Chase: 'I’m very positive going into Thursday'

John Shinnick spoke to Niall Tierney about his chances in the Thyestes Chase on Thursday aboard the 'unreal' Answer To Kayf, who has propelled the young rider to the top level. The duo were last seen landing the Troytown at Navan in November.

Every Jockey dreams of having a horse that brings them everywhere, has Answer to Kayf been this horse for you?

Absolutely, he has been unreal. He brought me over to the Cheltenham Festival. He was my first spin in the Martin Pipe, where he was fourth. A lot of people have latched onto me from riding him, and he brings you to the bigger races. Winning the Troytown that day just crowned it off.

I’m very positive going into Thursday. The ground looks fairly heavy for the race, which will suit me big time. He can travel on that heavy ground. I was in there this morning and I gave him his last blow and he was happy away. He’s in great nick and hopefully we can get him there Thursday and we’ll hope for a bit of luck and see how it goes.

He's been in great form since Navan. We were trying to think of a race and there was one race in Ascot, but we didn’t go over as the ground was going to be too quick. I was over there for Colonel Mustard in the Grade 1 and it wasn’t much more than yielding ground. I was happy enough and I rang Terence there saying it was a good job we didn’t go for that race in the end.

This is my first ride in the Thyestes, so I may get it right, because when you have a good chance like him, you might not find another that has his chance like he has got.

Earliest memory of the Thyestes Chase

My earliest memory of the race since I went jumping, as I started on the Flat obviously, was when Darragh O’Keeffe won it on Longhouse Poet. I really clapped eyes on it and realised the hype surrounding the race, and he’s only over the road from me.

That was the first time I really locked onto it, so it’s great to be there with a chance myself now.

You had a couple of rides for Willie Mullins over Christmas. How exciting was it to be told you were riding in the Grade 1 for a trainer like him?

I was over the moon. It brings up your confidence as a jockey massively. I never thought I would get the spins.

I wouldn’t panic either way - if it happens, it happens - but to get the rides shows there’s some bit of belief in you that you can ride and that you’re good enough to be on those horses.

You just have to go out and try to ride as well as you can. To be honest, riding those sorts of horses is fairly simple. I know you have to get it right and there are lots of eyes on you, but they are good horses - they are well able to jump and travel.

It’s simple enough for a jockey’s life when you’re on that calibre of horse.

Riding against Final Demand did you think you had a chance before turning for home?

I knew travelling around I thought I was going pretty sweetly. I jumped the third-last across the top and I wanted to go and just get on terms with him a little bit. I wanted to go down to the second-last upsides him, and maybe I could throw Patrick off a small bit and his horse might lie down, but I just couldn’t stick with him the minute we turned.

I gave my fella the nudge to go on, but Final Demand was just hacking away in front of me. He went on then and put it to bed so easily, he is a unbelievable horse

Riding Champ Kiely in Tramore

I got more of a shock riding him in Tramore than I did in Limerick for the Grade 1 chase.

I actually didn’t realise I was riding him until I walked into the weighing room and the valet said to me, “You have a spare.” I said, “In what?” and he replied, “In the Grade 3.” I said, “Jesus, which one?” and he told me Champ Kiely and I said, “Hardly.” I couldn’t believe it, filling in for Paul Townend.

I was scratching my head, so I said I’d ring him and find out a thing or two about how to ride the horse.

In fairness, Paul and Danny are very good at telling you how to ride the horses that are there. I’m still learning away and I’m in Willie’s once a week. It didn’t go to plan that day and he ran a bit flat, but hopefully we could have the chance to be on more horses like him in the future.

Week to week

Usually I'm there in Willie's on a Tuesday, but I was in Terence’s today to ride Answer To Kayf. I love it there, but I’ll be there Thursday before Gowran - it’s usually Tuesdays.

I’m in Terence’s two days a week. I’ll be riding work plenty in Boulta, Glencairn, Dromahane, Ballyarthur outside Fermoy, and then I’m in Grove Stud the other few mornings with two-year-olds. It’s good to be there in the morning.

It’s great to be busy every day, but it isn’t work when you love it.