Thriving Caoilin Quinn hopes to dedicate TV winner to newly-retired Jamie Moore
Caoilin Quinn hopes to dedicate an ITV winner to a newly-retired colleague who helped relaunch his career.
The rising star in the conditional jockeys' ranks was head-hunted by Jamie Moore to ride at his father Gary's West Sussex stable. Father and son had been impressed by Quinn's first opportunity for them on a horse called Hit The Rocks.
Jamie, who retired through injury this week on 968 winners, asked if he would join the team in August 2022. Quinn seized the opportunity, racing to his best ever tally in 2022-23 as well as scooping the Welsh National on the stable's Nassalam last December.
His first Grade Two hero Botox Has lines up in today's Virgin Bet Rendlesham Hurdle, while hot favourite Salver tackles the Virgin Bet Victor Ludorum Juvenile Hurdle.
"I'd love to ride a Saturday winner so I can dedicate it to Jamie for all the help he has given me," said Quinn, who had six winners in a season before Moore gave him a job.
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"Salver was his ride, I only got on him because he was injured. I think he's potentially the best horse I have sat on. And Botox Has was the horse who got me noticed, he loves Haydock so I hope he'll go well."
Quinn joined Warren Greatrex's Lambourn yard after leaving school and the former pony racer was an instant hit, getting a gold medal on Nasim in November 2019.
It was a Flat contest for amateur riders, however the 22-year-old was keen to try his luck over jumps.
The 22-year-old said weighing room colleague Jamie Moore helped relaunch his career (PA)As a youngster his rivals on the junior circuit included the likes of Gold Cup-winner Jack Kennedy and Group One conqueror Rossa Ryan.
Quinn harbours aspirations to match the pair at the highest level – and Salver is shaping up to be a Cheltenham Festival contender.
Jamie, on-board for the juvenile's successful introduction over obstacles, suffered a fractured vertebra, two broken ribs and a broken nose in a fall at Lingfield weeks later – which stopped him returning to the weighing room.
"He has been great to me on and off the track," added Quinn, whose mentor won the 2016 Welsh National on Kerry Lee's Mountainous.
Jamie Moore, pictured aboard former stable favourite Sire De Grugy, announced his retirement “with huge regret” (Getty Images)"We were at Chepstow together and his advice made all the difference to how I rode.
"I have improved loads working for the Moores. They're a great family, all chip in with the work and if you have a bad day, it's quickly forgotten. It takes the pressure off when they trust you so much."
A Fakenham double on the stable's horses yesterday helped Quinn progress in the conditional jockeys' championship – and he sits just five winners behind joint-leaders Patrick Wadge and Bradley Harris.
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It is a competition Jamie Moore won in 2003-04 before becoming a household name in National Hunt racing.
"I'm going to give it a real go," said ambitious Quinn, assisted by jockey coach Mick Fitzgerald in his current role. "The momentum is building now, it's going better than I ever imagined."
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