Last year, we had a chat with professional National Hunt jockey Micheál Nolan about his past successes and hopes for the future. A year later, we will bring you this interview and see what Micheál has achieved since.
Micheál Is a hardworking and dedicated Irish jockey, who ran his first race in England in 2010 after coming over on the 1st of November of that year.
Micheál is currently first stable jockey for Philip Hobbs & Johnson White, based at Sandhill Stables on Exmoor. He has been based there since 2010, when he came over from Ireland. Ben Jones, Sean Houlihan and conditional jockeys Callum Pritchard and Thomasina Eyston are also frequent riders on the yard.
The Start of the Story
Micheál has had horses his entire life as well as his uncle, Jimmy Neville, being a horse trainer. Micheál remembers two of his neighbours, who were jockeys and his mind was set from a young age on his future profession.
One day when visiting a local track, Micheáls mother approached trainer Tom Foley and asked about the possibility of Micheál riding out for the trainer.
Tom Foley had a family yard and was known as a ‘gentleman of Irish racing’, who unfortunately passed in 2021 after a battle with cancer. Micheál remembers his time at the Foley yard fondly and often talks about how the family greatly helped him when he started out.
The Start of a Career
After his time with Tom Foley, Micheál began his education with the Racing Academy, where he had a year long placement with John Oxx. Micheál Was surrounded by some notable Irish jockeys such as Michael Kinane, Fran Berry and Cathy Gannon, who he learnt a lot from.
After passing his leaving certification, Micheál went to ride for Eamonn Sheehy, who gave him the opportunity to ride in many bumpers. Sheehy suggested to Micheál to ride in England, as the Irish recession had limited racing in the country.
As well as riding for Eamonn Sheehy, Micheál became National Novice Point-to-Point Champion in his first year in England.
When asked about a jockey he looked up to in racing, Micheál mentioned Barry Geraghty. Geraghty is a highly decorated jockey, with 43 winning rides at Cheltenham Festival and 1,920 winners in total across Britain and Ireland. Geraghty was Champion Irish jockey for the second time in the 2003-2004 season and became the 4th most successful British and Irish jockey at the time of his retirement in July 2020. I
Micheál admired Geraghtys strength and confidence and works to achieve the same status throughout his career.
A Serious Fall
In 2021 Micheál suffered a serious fall at the second fence when riding Ardbruce for Seamus Mullins at Southwell. Medics attended to him quickly and when inspected at hospital it was found he had sustained multiple serious injuries. Including breaking his T5 and T6 vertebrae, multiple ribs and collapsed lungs.
Thank you everyone for all the kind messages, so many it’s taking me awhile to reply to them all. I have fractured my T5 and T6 and broke a few Ribs. Having surgery Tomor so hopefully be on the road to recovery then 👍
Micheál Nolan (@MichelNolan1) June 28, 2021
Micheál came back to riding after a quick recovery and ran his next professional race in the December after his injury, only 6 months after his accident.
Recent Success
Since we last interviewed Micheál at the start of 2024 he has had a series of great wins. He has racked up 39 wins and 109 placing in the 2023/2024 season, as well as 26 wins and 82 placing so far in this current season.
Quickfire Questions
We asked Micheál some questions about his inspirations and his future.
GTR: Is there any advice you would give to a young jockey?
Nolan: Work hard and surrounded yourself by the best people.
GTR: Who is your favourite horse you have ridden?
Nolan: Beau Du Brizais, he was only a pony size but extremely brave and always gave it 100%.
GTR: Do you have any funny racing related stories?
Nolan: I was making the running at Wincanton in a chase one Boxing Day, my horse refused at the ditch and I wiped out the whole field with me.
GTR: What would be your dream race to win?
Nolan: The Grand National.
GTR: Do you see yourself in the race world as anything other than a jockey?
Nolan: No unfortunately not as I have other ambitions to look forward to outside of racing once riding is over.
GTR: What is your most memorable moment throughout your career?
Nolan: Riding my first treble at Ffos Las in 2013, as my dad was there and it was the first time he had ever been racing while I had a winner.
GTR: What is your biggest career success?
Nolan: Unfortunately I haven’t had and big success’s yet but hopefully won’t be to long.
GTR: What is your favourite racecourse and why?
Nolan: Exeter, it’s the best chase track in my opinion and it’s also local to me and I’ve been very lucky there.
Grab the Reins and Micheál
Micheál has ridden Daany, a horse owned by the founders of Grab the Reins. Daany has had 9 runs with Micheál, including a win and a second at Wincanton in January of 2024.
We love to support Micheál at Grab the Reins and wish him all the luck for the future.
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