Jim Dreaper takes the HRI 30-question challenge

Legendary trainer and Meath GAA fan Jim Dreaper, in the second of our series, took the Horse Racing Ireland 30-question challenge for the Meath Chronicle.

1. What was your childhood ambition?

To be a jockey.

2. Growing up, who was your sporting hero?

Pat Taaffe. He would have been in the yard at least once a week every week during the National Hunt season.

3. Do you have a mentor?

Nicola Ennis, if she’d answer her phone!

4. What or where is your happy place?

Out on the tractor, whatever the weather.

5. What sparked your love of racing?

I was born into it so it was part of my life from day one.

6. What horse put you on the map?

Ten Up which won the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1975 with the late Tommy Carberry on board.

7. Your favourite horse?

Has to be Brown Lad for the three Irish Grand Nationals wins, twice for the late Tommy Carberry and once with Gerry Dowd, both fine Meath men.

8. What was it like to ride in your first race?

Ambition realised when that was achieved. I think it was at the now closed Phoenix Park racecourse in 1967.

Then there was Black Secret in the 1971 Aintree Grand National, that was something else.

We were just beaten by a neck by Specify to take second but it was, start to finish, an absolute thrill.

9. How long does it take to learn race-riding tactics?

It never ends really. Something that works one day might not work the next so you never stop learning.

10. Describe the feeling of riding/training your first winner?

Relief to ride my first winner! As regards training, when the training licence was changed into my name for 1st January 1972 it brought a new type of pressure, but Straight Fort won the next day at Sandown. So a winner on day one was a great intro!

11. What is your most memorable racing moment?

Has to be the 1975 Cheltenham Gold Cup with Ten Up and Tommy Carberry. We had three winners that year at Cheltenham.

12. What is your favourite Irish racecourse?

Fairyhouse, local track and great memories.

13. If you could ride/train one horse, what would it be?

I’d go back in time to Carvill’s Hill, great ability but we never got the best out of him.

14. How do you cope with pressure?

Better as years go by. Punch drunk!

15. What mental preparation do you do for the big days?

Same as the day before.

16. How do you stay motivated?

It’s what it’s all about, trying to win.

17. How do you deal with dips in form?

Work at fixing it. There are so many variables and factors involved in each horse that they’re all different and all need to be understood.

18. Outside of racing, what is your favourite sporting moment?

The Meath GAA team and the All-Ireland victories.

19. Can you give us a Netflix/film recommendation?

Man About Dog.

20. What is your guilty pleasure?

The Big Bang Theory and Tottenham Hotspurs.

One makes me laugh, the other makes me cry!

21. Desert island discs – your favourite three songs?

Kentishtown Waltz, He’ll Have To Go, Mamma’s Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Jockeys.

22. What person do you admire the most and why?

I still quote my father to this day.

23. Favourite dinner?

I’m very lucky, my wife Patricia is a great cook so I’m spoiled for choice.

24. Where is your favourite place to go on holidays?

Inchydoney in Cork.

25. What ambitions do you still have?

To win a Grade One race.

26. When you think of your home what immediately springs to mind?

This is my childhood home so I automatically think of my parents.

27. How are you occupying your time during the Covid-19 restrictions?

Very little day-to-day difference, just no racing at the moment. And my hands have never been cleaner!

28. If you had one piece of advice for everyone during these worrying times of Covid-19, what would it be?

No one of us can sort this, we must all play our part.

29. If you were 20 again and took one piece of advice, what would it be?

Don’t forget to take the price tag off the bottom of your wedding day shoes.

30. Favourite saying/quote?

Every night starts a new day.