Cork jockey John Shinnick racing's rising star rides Answer To Kayf at Cheltenham Festival 

Jockey John Shinnick is a rising star of jump racing and goes to Cheltenham with a plum ride aboard Answer To Kayf for Carrigtwohill trainer Terrence O’Brien. 

The Glanworth rider is enjoying a terrific season with 21 winners already and has caught the eye of many seasoned observers with his ability in the saddle. 

Shinnick has followed a familiar pathway to becoming a full-time jockey and following his dreams to the home of jump racing at the Cheltenham Festival. 

Naturally, excitement is building in east Cork although the confident young rider is taking it all in his stride.

 “At this stage it is just a case of keeping Answer To Kayf ticking over. Hopefully we can both get to the start line in one piece and we’ll see how it goes," Shinnick said.

It has been well documented that the horse runs better on heavier ground so a drop of rain will certainly help our lad. 

"We finished fourth over there last year in the Martin Pipe which was a great run. He won well at Naas recently and the season has gone well up to now. 

"He is locally owned here in Carrigtwohill by Denis O’Connor who is a gentleman to ride for. 

"I’ll probably head over on Wednesday morning and walk the track on Thursday morning. Hopefully with a bit of luck in running we can run a big race.” 

Practically all the great riders of modern times including the likes of Paul Townend, Davy Russell and Rachael Blackmore all mention the grounding they got in racing and the strength of the grass roots of the sport and Shinnick is no different.

“I grew up on a dairy farm in Glanworth so there was always a good working ethic at home. I had a few ponies, did a bit of show jumping and hunting so they all introduced me to horses. 

"But the drag hunting was very big down our way and I was fortunate enough to win about seven of them which really gave me the horse racing bug. 

"After some deliberating I left school in third year of school and went up to the Racing Academy & Centre of Education(RACE) in Kildare. which was a 12-month course. 

"This was a great grounding and I was attached to Michael Halford for about seven months. 

FANTASTIC

"My big break came when I got a job with Ger Lyons who is a top trainer on the Curragh and my three years there was fantastic. Ger is a fantastic trainer and has been a brilliant supporter of mine and we always keep in touch. 

"I tried my luck across the water briefly with Kevin Ryan but my weight was beginning to catch up with me on the flat. Looking back I suppose home was always where my heart was.” 

Returning jockeys from the UK can always find it tough to break into a new yard but the Glanworth rider had his own plans and takes up the story. 

“Everyone had always raved about spending time at Enda Bolger’s in Limerick and that was my next step on the ladder. 

"Again it was a great education. My neighbour Brendan Holland from Grove Stud has plenty of breeze-up horses so I started riding out there a few mornings a week. 

About two years ago I started coming to ride out for Terrence O’Brien and we haven’t looked back to be honest. It has been a perfect fit.” 

Answer To Kaft was fourth in a hugely competitive Martin Pipe last season and runs in the two-and-a-half mile handicap chase on the third day of the meeting. 

His rider knows the drill and will take it all in his stride. 

“Going over there last year was my first time having a ride at the Cheltenham Festival. 

"The atmosphere from the grandstands was unreal and it is such an amazing place. I had been over the previous year as a spectator so riding there was completely different. 

"Obviously there was a few nerves as you just want everything to go right and thankfully they did and we finished fourth which was a cracking run. 

"Fingers crossed we can go well again this year.”