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The moment Tom sat on his mother’s hunter Magnum at eight years old, he was hooked on the idea of becoming a jockey.  So it’s no surprise, that he has become one of jump racing’s fastest rising stars.

“As soon as I sat on a horse I knew I wanted to be a jockey.”
  
Tom’s school days

Born in Inistioge, a small village in southern Ireland in 1980, Tom’s school days were spent at the Good Council College. As well as honing a talent for Hurling, the hugely popular national Irish sport, Tom dedicated just about every spare moment to riding.  But it was his holiday and weekend work for famous trainer Aiden O’Brien that really fermented Tom’s taste for a racing career.

School Hurling Team win the Leinster Hurling Final

First winners

In 1995, at just 15 Tom got his first ride for Aiden O'Brien on the flat at Wexford.  But it was the thought of jump racing and not the flat that was to really inspire Tom and, once he’d clinched his school Leaving Certificate at 18, he went to work for Eamon Sheehy, a leading national hunt trainer in Ireland. 

It was whilst he was with Eamon Sheehy that Tom took his first winner in 1997.  It was on a horse called Blackburn at Fairyhouse, home of the Irish Grand National. And in Tom’s words “the feeling of winning was like nothing else in the world… something I’d dreamed of for years”.

Blackburn - Tom’s first victory at Fairyhouse

Doyle’s progress

So at 19 Tom made his move to the National Hunt ranks of Great Britain with Noel Chance giving Tom his first ride in England with Petasus at Plumpton. Now working with one of the UK’s top jockey agents, Dave Roberts, Tom’s first season saw him notch up 12 winners taking a further 21 victories in his second season. 

In early 2001, Tom’s winning performances gave him what he needed to turn professional.  In the following seasons Tom continued to build his winning rides notching up 51 in 2004, greatly supported by the increasing success of Paul Webber’s growing yard at Cropredy Lawn, near Banbury.

Notable successes since, have been with Patricksnineteenth – winning the Scilly Isle Novices Chase at Sandown in 2003 and his most satisfying victory to date with Tidour at the 2004 Aintree Festival.

Tom urges Patricksnineteenth towards the finish line

Total satisfaction for Tom as he takes Tidour to victory

Racing Ambitions

Tom’s future focus is on increasing his winning rides, but also on improving the quality of the wins. Tom explains: “Of course I am very keen to ride more winners, but now its as important to raise the quality of the wins – winning more races at events like the Cheltenham Festival and Aintree is a really important and achievable goal for me”.

True horsemanship

For any jockey winning races is the best part of the job; “It’s what all jockey’s want” says Tom.

There is a great satisfaction to be had from riding out a young horse in bumpers, helping to school and then hopefully winning. “I think it’s more satisfying when you’ve had an input into a horse’s early career, rather than just seeing them and riding them at the races”, Tom says.

Riding out – Tom’s horsemanship qualities shine in the yard and on the gallops

Ask Tom which horse he would love to have ridden and it’s Desert Orchid. “A bold jumper, such courage, a perfect ride who always wanted to win” says Tom.  And of today’s horses Tom would relish a win on Best Mate – “a brilliant jumper who travels so well, which helps to make any jockey’s job easier.”