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Most embarrassing moment? When I rushed out an hour ahead of my race
Conditional jockey Cillin Leonard, 23, takes this week's grilling
How did you get into racing and when did you want to be a jockey?
When I was five or six I used to spend my summer holidays at my uncle David Brickley, who owned a few horses, and I hacked around happily on one or two. I went to the Irish racing academy at Kildare and started with Ken Condon but got too heavy for the Flat and went to Willie Mullins with all the top riders he had there, and that made me want to get my licence.
What made you take the plunge and come to ride in Britain?
I was with Pat Fahy for two years but the rides were slow to none and Warren O'Connor, who was my coach, introduced me to Olly Murphy at the Punchestown Festival and it went from there.
How did you get the job with Richard Newland?
Dave Roberts, who is my agent, rang me one day and said Richard was looking for a 7lb claimer and I wasn't going to let that opportunity go.
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- It's been a quarter of a century since we started - here's how we've seen the sport we love change
- 'You can see why people end up struggling - when you're trying to pay the electric bill, losing one ride can be massive'
- 'I've never paid six figures for a horse and never will - I learned pretty quickly you're only one phone call away from f*** all'
- 'I’ve trained some fabulous horses, worked with some excellent riders - maybe I have brought a little bit of talent to the table as well'
- ‘When you’re in the moment and you’re starved, you’re ready to explode - everything built up and I just lost my s**t’