Matilda scores again for Sweeney

I'm from Mooncoin in Co Kilkenny. Horses were not in my background whatsoever. My mum, God rest her, brought me to pony riding lessons when I was little. Teenage years came and the ponies kind of got forgotten about. Then I just took it up again out of the blue when I was about 19 - it was my first time sitting on a racehorse. I went to Henry de Bromhead's for a couple of weeks. From there, I worked for Kevin Prendergast on the Curragh. I was there for about six months, but I got very homesick. I was the only girl there at that time. I was riding out in both yards. It was different back then to now. After Kevin Prendergast, I went to Eoin Griffin in Slieverue. It was close to home and I was able to get lifts there and go home again in the evening. I stayed there for the best part of 12 years. Eoin had a lot of faith in me riding work and I rode work on all the good horses. I worked with Johnny Murtagh, Nina Carberry and Barry Geraghty up the Old Vic. Back in those days, they were my heroes. I went racing a lot as well, I took the horses to the races.

There's action at the Curragh today featuring the Beresford Stakes and the Goffs Million.

Cheltenham festival winner Seddon (7/2jf) registered an 11th career success at Listowel today, as the John McConnell-trained veteran landed the Listowel Failte Abhaile Q.R. Race, under jockey Finn Buckley.