UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT: QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WITH COLIN BOWE

WHAT WAS your childhood ambition?

I always wanted to be a jockey.

Growing up, who was your sporting hero? Adrian Maguire – a brilliant horseman.

Do you have a mentor?

I’ve lots of good friends around me who I can turn to for their opinions and advice.

What or where is your happy place?

At home with the kids, and in the winners’ enclosure.

What sparked your love of racing?

Going point-to-pointing with my dad from an early age.

What horse put you on the map?

My first winner, Snowy Morning. He went on to do great things on the track for Willie Mullins.

Who is your favourite horse?

Askanna. She won graded races for me over hurdles and fences.

She had a fantastic attitude.

Describe the feeling of training your first winner?

A brilliant day – so exciting! It is hard to describe.

What is your most memorable racing moment? Dawn Run winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1986.

What is your favourite racecourse in Ireland? Wexford and Downpatrick – both have been very lucky tracks for me.

If you weren’t a trainer what would you be?

I would still be involved in horses – probably a pinhooker.

If you could train one horse, what would it be? Envoi Allen. I trained him in his point-to-point career. He is now in training with my good friend Gordon Elliott. I should have kept him!

How do you cope with pressure?

I am lucky, pressure doesn’t seem to be a problem for me.

What mental preparation do you do for the big days?

Sticking to the routine is key. Once I get horses to the tracks safe and well, then it is in the hands of the jockey and the gods.

How do you stay motivated?

I am always trying to beat my tally from the year before and trying to find the next superstar for the season ahead.

How do you deal with dips in form?

I stick with the routine and keep moving forward to the next day.

Outside of racing, what is your favourite sporting moment?

Wexford winning the Al-Ireland in 1996.

Can you give us a Netflix/film recommendation? I really enjoyed Narcos.

What is your guilty pleasure?

A few drinks after a busy week.

Desert island discs – name your favourite three songs?

Anything by U2 will do me.

What person do you admire the most and why? Aidan O’Brien. A great Wexford man who started on the floor and everything he achieved, he built himself.

Favourite dinner?

Steak and chips.

Where is your favourite place to go on holidays? Anywhere sunny with the kids.

What ambitions do you still have?

To maintain our standards and find more Grade 1 horses.

What is the hidden gem of Wexford? Curracloe beach.

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

A bit of craic in Bowe’s bar on a Friday night. How are you occupying your time during the Covid-19 restrictions?

We are busy in the yard spring cleaning and painting anything that stands still.

If you had one piece of advice during Covid-19, what would it be?

Stick to the rules and keep yourself busy.

What advice would you give to your 20-yearold self?

Listen to your father when you are young. Favourite saying/quote?

Keep it simple and keep looking forward.

Our thanks to Barbara White, PR and Marketing Manager, Horse Racing Ireland, for her help with this feature.