Triona Burbage

I’m from Portarlington in Co Laois and I first got involved in the racing industry at a very young age through my uncle Tommy who always had a horse or two in training with Seamus Fahey. I was a regular at the weekly point-to-point meets, pottering after Tommy and his late friend Sean Hunt. During the summers I got the opportunity to visit yards with another family friend Martin Brew who introduced me to Con Collins and James Burns to name but a few. It wasn’t long before I caught the racing bug

As the years went on, as much the little jockey in me wanted to race, I mainly just showjumped and evented. I then went on to college and finished my degree in Veterinary Nursing and Bioscience in 2012. It wasn’t long before I caught the racing bug again and became a member of Mark Fahey Racing. I spent many successful years as a groom with Mark and it was there that I purchased my first horse as an owner, Unlaoised.

As a keen Laois woman from Portarlington she was aptly named and she also ran in the Portarlington colours.

Never one to turn down an opportunity, I then got the chance to join the Jarlath Fahey team. Getting up every morning and riding out, riding bits of work on the Curragh, I always dreamed I could ride in a race one day. At the age of 28, I was convinced that I had crossed the bridge and that the opportunity had passed. But having spoken to a few friends and other members of the industry, I was encouraged to take part in the Corinthian Challenge Charity Series for the Irish Injured Jockeys.

So in 2019 I took part in the Corinthian Challenge. I am proud to say I rode in my first race on the track, at the Curragh, with the best bunch of people. I managed to finish third on Edification who gave me a super spin. On that day, dreams were made, charities were supported and the very best of my close family and friends got together to have the best day out. The series allowed me to ride in not one but three races, the others being at Cork and Leopardstown, and I made so many memories that I will cherish forever

We all know Covid wasn’t kind to anyone

As everything opened up again, I took on the role of becoming a full-time barwoman at our family-run pub at home in Portarlington, Burbage’s.

And I now have the horses as a full-time hobby.

I rejoined the Jarlath Fahey team and I picked up my next horse, Complete Fiction. Jarlath trains him for me and I work and help out as much as I can.

I come in nearly every morning and ride him out and maybe one or two more lots if time allows. I am often seen on the racecourse as a groom for Jarlath as well. I am still very much an active part of the team.

Having accomplished my first goal of riding on the track, my next one was to get a winner. I always believed what you put in is what you get out. All the hard work paid off when Complete Fiction won for me in June this year at Leopardstown.

It’s actually a funny story as a good friend of mine, Lindsay Graham, had him as a three-year-old in pre-training. I was asked to come and sit on him a few times, which I did. We always felt he had a race in him. He went on into training for his owner at the time and I always followed him wherever he ran. He ran some nice races without actually getting his head in front.

When I heard he was available for new ownership, I couldn’t turn down the chance to snap him up.

It hasn’t been plain sailing, but to say his win was special would be an understatement. He brought a smile to so many people’s faces that day. And it was even more important that it was for the Jarlath Fahey team.

Today, my days consist of getting up in the morning before the pub opens and going to Jarlath’s. To be there as often as I can for as long as I can. The girls in the yard work so hard and are so supportive. We get along great. That’s not to say we don’t drive each other up the walls most days, but we all share the same drive and passion for horses and racing

I’ve set up a syndicate through the pub called ‘The Seven Chasers’ syndicate, and I’m actively involved in the running of that.

I have also picked up another little horse with a few friends of mine called ‘Yokkell’ who is also trained by Jarlath and hopefully she will be lucky for us.

If you don’t see me at the yard or at the racetrack, you’ll find me behind the bar at Burbage’s in Portarlington.

From here it’s onto the next goal, the next win. It very nearly happened when Complete Fiction flew home to be second on his return to Leopardstown this week.

I’m lucky to have the support of my family and friends. They follow me around the country and my dad is my number one supporter and I do burn the ear off him on the good days and the bad.

I always say if you get up in the morning and you don’t want to go to work then that job is not for you. I’m looking forward to the future and if you come back to me in five years time, God knows how many I will have. But I hope it will be just as sweet as it is now.