Tom McCourt

I'm from Stamullen in Co Meath. My father was always interested in horses and when I was about 14 or 15, he bought a couple of thoroughbreds. He decided to get a permit himself and train a couple. As far as I can remember, there was only one horse that he ran that didn't win. He wouldn't have had that many but he won a few bumpers and over hurdles as well.

I left school in the summer of 1977 and went to Michael Cunningham. I spent almost four years with him during the period when Cairn Rouge won the Irish 1,000 Guineas (in 1980). He had some nice bumper horses there at the time, For Auction being one and Greasepaint. I rode them to win their bumpers. For Auction went on to win a Champion Hurdle (in 1982) and Greasepaint was second in two Aintree Nationals. I was full-time with Michael. It was kind of different in those days as you were tied to staying in one yard at that stage. It was a nice period as I was riding some nice horses for Michael. I just happened to fall in at the right time claiming 7lb.

I then moved on to Jim Bolger and was almost two years with him. I was in Clonsilla with him before he moved to Carlow. I was in Coolcullen for a summer, but was mainly in Clonsilla with him. I was still riding amateur at the time but Jim kept a few for jumping. He had a few bumper horses which I rode for him. I rode two bumper winners for him.

When I left Jim Bolger's, I rode out for Oliver Finnegan for a while and I turned professional with him. He was running plenty of horses. It made more sense to be getting a few pound out of it at that stage! I rode out for John Harty for a good while and rode a good few winners for John. I rode a double - the Ulster National on General Joy in Tony O'Reilly's colours and another winner for Dave Harvey on the same day - at Downpatrick in 1987. I had a couple of doubles before that, but that was a good day winning the Ulster National on a quirky horse prone to bursting blood vessels. The Ulster National was on ITV at the time. I wouldn't have minded going to John Harty before I actually did as I found him very beneficial. He was very good to learn from.

I enjoyed what I was at that and that kept me at it, but it could get a bit frustrating when you go through lean spells and find it hard to get a few rides. It wouldn't have been easy at the time, but I did enjoy it. It is bred in me - I had an uncle in England who trained and he was (jockey) Graham McCourt's dad. Graham would be a first cousin of mine and he won the Champion Hurdle and Gold Cup. Kevin Whyte would be another first cousin of mine and he rode Rathgorman to win the Champion Chase for Michael Dickinson in 1982.

I rode out for Jim Dreaper for a while and got a few rides for him, and then decided I would start giving it a go training in 1989. It was a jumps licence I got originally. I took in an old horse, Kerr Pink Shoe, a 13-year-old as a lead horse for a couple of young horses I had, and I decided to put him back on the track. He won for Jim Dreaper as a young horse. He ended up winning five races for us the first year I started. He was a horse that had been plagued with leg trouble and it was actually a very dry summer. He ran on firm ground all summer and won five through the summer. He worked out very well for us. That same time I bought a horse off Jim Bolger called Corporate Raider and he won three the same year as Kerr Pink Shoe was winning.

I tried to build up a few syndicates at that time. When I would go to the Sales, I was buying horses off the Flat that stayed trips that had an option to go jumping. I probably continued on down that road. I just find the National Hunt end of it is very expensive to try and get into. I've had owners with me for years, Sean Foran has been with me since 1990. He loves to have a horse that he doesn't have to wait too long for, he likes to have runners. As a result, I always went to the Sales to see if I could pick out a bit of value with something that had a small bit of form that we could maybe pick up a Flat handicap with, and go jumping with then.

It was always an ambition to train a winner at Galway. We were brought on holidays to Galway for as long as I can remember. My father never missed Galway. His first time he went there on a tandem bike with his best friend! He loved Galway and I trained a winner there when he was alive. We've had three of four National Hunt winners in Galway after that. On Irish Derby weekend of 2003, we had two winners. We had a winner of a sprint on the Friday and then we won a premier handicap with Rainbow Dash on the Sunday. It was great to get two winners like that at a meeting like that.

In 2000, we built a new yard with 30 boxes and we thought that would be plenty. Then the boom started to kick in and I ended up with another 25 boxes at the time. Unfortunately, a lot of the new clients I had at that time were into property and building and the recession kicked in. We have roughly 25 horses in now.

My Good Brother was a great old horse who won 11 races. His owner bought him cheaply for three thousand as a foal. He always showed us plenty of pace but he took a little bit of time. He was a little backward. I think he won his first race at Wolverhampton off a rating of 52 and ended up third in a Rockingham off 102. A typical sprinter, when they start to find their way, they improve.

Dollar Value won his 10th race on Monday at Downpatrick. He's a proper horse on his day. He loves to get in control of things. If he finds himself starting to boss a race, he is very good. Over jumps he is more capable of controlling the race. He's a horse that isn't bred to be doing what he is doing. Robert Cowell trained him before and I think he won over seven furlongs in Chelmsford City.

I've started to buy some yearlings now which have worked out okay, we have won three maidens over the last year. If we can win a maiden or be placed in a maiden, there is a market for them. We can try and turn them over and go again. I've always been hoping to get a few customers that might spend a bit more on yearlings. I think that is probably the best way of trying to get the right type of horse.

I have daughters who have the bug as well. Denise is with me all the time, she is the hardest worker I've had in the yard in all my time. She drives the lorry and did Roscommon on Monday while I went to Downpatrick. The other girls have enjoyed the racing from the hobby end of it and Fiona actually rode in a couple of races.

The racing industry is a great industry to be in. Nothing can beat a winner, it is all about getting the wins. The wins can wipe out a lot of bad days. Prize money is very reasonable at our end. For Dollar Value to be winning a 16,000 euro race at Downpatrick (in August last year) is great.