'I'd rather do four or five right than maybe eight or ten wrong' - Goffs-bound filly leads Gallagher's select squad

During the brief but frenetic spell of breeze-up sales, Pierce Gallagher could be in the saddle aboard nearly 100 horses.

The former jockey is one of those scarce commodities in any service sector, being the kind of reliable professional whose reputation spreads by word of mouth alone. Such competence has made him the go-to man for many of the biggest consignors, breezing perhaps one in every 15 horses that fly past in a catalogue.

Gallagher's experience earned over the last dozen years or so can occasionally come in handy for his own small business, Gourneen Stables, which has an interesting representative in this week’s Goffs UK Doncaster Breeze-Up Sale.

He offers a More Than Ready filly (lot 234) from the family of top sprinter Titus Livius and Breeders’ Cup winner Zagora who was sourced for $25,000 on her first visit to Keeneland last autumn.

"I’d been threatening to go there for years, it often clashes with Fairyhouse but I bit the bullet and came back with her," says Gallagher.

"I actually breezed the half-brother to the dam, Midnight Sands. That was an attraction, he was probably one of my favourites that I rode, he did a right good breeze at Arqana a few years back.

Gourneen Stables is offering a More Than Read filly related to Meydan Group 3 winner Midnight Sands

"Her half-sister [Ethic Strike] is black type, the other sister was a winner, so it was two winners from two runners. We liked her in the yard, and then we liked her more when she came up to the ring."

Midnight Sands, who had been prepped by Johnny Collins of Brown Island Stables, went on to enjoy a decent career in Dubai as a Group 3 winner, then became a stallion.

Gallagher continues: "She’s a fine, big filly and she’s actually the only American filly in the sale. She’s been prepping well I think, she’s jumped through all the hoops now to get her there."

During the first part of the winter, Gallagher rides out point-to-pointers for Marie Harding and after Christmas the breeze-ups kick in.

He endeavours to help all those consignors that employ him, as well as dashing back home to the family farm in Castletownroche in County Cork, where his father and three willing sisters hold the fort when he’s away.

"Pat Verling was the first person I rode for, they had a sale in Fairyhouse years ago and it went on from there," he says.

"Then I started riding for Knockgraffon, and Johnny Collins, he’d be the main one, Tadgh Ryan of Ballinahulla, Egmont, Eddie Linehan, Darragh Lordan.

"It’s only kind of a small window, there’s obviously a couple of months of build-up and then they get going.

"I’ve been tipping away with a couple of my own every year. I wouldn’t have many, four or five at most. But I’d rather do four or five right than maybe eight or ten wrong. And I’d never get around to all of the other lads riding out, I could ride 20 or more there some days."

Pierce Gallagher and Tanya Browne at Tattersalls IrelandCredit: Tattersalls Ireland

Over the years, a few others have stuck out aside from Midnight Sands. Gallagher breezed Acomb winner Syphax and German Group 1 scorer Khan, as well as present-day sprinter Marshman.

"There was another one who was with Brendan Holland," he recalls. "He was Swashbuckling over here then they changed it to Big Duke, he was fourth in a Melbourne Cup. I think there was also an American Champion Hurdle winner somewhere along the line!"

The most famous native of Castletownroche is legendary Gold Cup-winning jockey and trainer Jonjo O’Neill.

With no interest in doing anything else, riding almost as soon as he could walk, Gallagher began his own riding career on the Flat in Britain with Richard Hannon and went on to Toby Balding and Jonathan Geake’s stable before returning home.

"It’s more jumps-based down where we are but I was maybe between weights, getting too heavy for one and too light for the other," he says. "I was just riding out, riding in a few races, all that.

"I suppose the difference between at home and England would be that you’d be getting paid for doing schooling races and the like. It’s a bit easier to make a living and not as much driving."

There were never any great stars, with the fairly useful hurdler Aughnacurraveel being about the best but, along with a bit of breaking-in and pre-training, he could keep on the road despite riding only three or four winners a year.

"It was mainly small trainers like Paddy Cronin, who was from nearby," he says. "The horses all wanted good ground, so when the breeze-ups were on, they wouldn’t be running anyway.

"It was kind of the opposite, so I’d be busier in the summer than the winter, nearly more of a summer jockey. It used to work out fine as I’d stop riding maybe six weeks before the breeze-ups; then you’d just have two furlongs and no jumps!"

It was only in 2020 that his enthusiasm for competitive racing fizzled away.

"Covid came, you couldn’t sit in the weigh room, the craic went out of it then for me," explains Gallagher. "You were going up to the likes of Sligo for one and I had the horses in; I finally got a bit of common sense."

Pierce Gallagher (near side), riding against Ruby Walsh at Thurles in 2016 Credit: CAROLINE NORRIS

These weeks are relentless for Gallagher, who sold a couple of his own breezers at the Osarus event at La Teste. After Goffs this week, there is a Profitable colt (240) catalogued for the Tattersalls Guineas Sale in a fortnight.

"He's got a good mind to him, he’s a simple, straightforward horse," he says. "He goes well enough and you just hope it all works out on the day."

Such an assessment is entirely in keeping from a horseman whose equitable, discreet nature seems to be one of his most important assets. Even when asked about the fundamentals of breeze-up riding, Gallagher refrains from blowing his own trumpet.

"It’s just keeping them balanced, mentally and physically," he says. "To be honest, if they’re balanced mentally, the physicality kind of usually follows through. Then they’ll put their head down and gallop for you."

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