Paul Mulrennan’s career on an upward spiral

Paul Mulrennan's careers adviser told him to forget gaelic football and try his hand at horse racing at the age of 16 as he was a bit on the 'short side'. He listened and hasn't looked back as he prepares to ride fancied Dandino in Saturday's St Leger.

The 28-year-old jockey was brought up in Ealing and, with Irish parents, John and Mary, it was the gaelic sport rather than horses that occupied Mulrennan's early teenage years.

"My uncle had horses in Galway but while I was always sports mad at school, gaelic football was my game," said Mulrennan. "We won everything when I was at St Brendan's but I didn't know what I was going to do when I left school.

"I was on the small side and my careers advisor suggested I should try to become a jockey. I sat on a few ponies that summer and, by October, I'd signed up with the British Racing School at Newmarket. I never sat on a horse until 16 - but that never stopped Johnny Murtagh or Kieren Fallon.

"They didn't start riding until they were 15 or 16. Perhaps that's why they are having success late in their careers. I hope I can do the same because I feel as though I've been improving each year. You can't beat experience."

Mulrennan has long since escaped city life to ply his trade on the northern circuit. He is number one jockey to Mick Easterby's Sherriff Hutton yard and a Classic winner, albeit in the Calcutta Derby. Though his English Classic experience is limited to partnering Alan Devonshire to a distant 13th in New Approach's 2008 Epsom Derby, the James Given-trained Dandino may well provide the biggest highlight in Mulrennan's burgeoning career.