'Those days are few and far between'...

The life of a jockey is not an easy life, far from it. Serious injuries, a lot of travel and weight issues contribute to it being an unrelenting pursuit far from some of the glamorous well-paid lifestyles of other sporting athletes.

Dunshaughlin native Gina Mangan knows the highs and lows of a jockey career more than most.

After struggling for a few years to gain any momentum in Ireland, the 34-year-old had to move away from her homeland and head to the UK to forge a career that included a life-changing injury and an unfortunate series of events surrounding the 2017 Derby.

Last Tuesday, Mangan hit the road well before the sun rose and travelled six hours to Newcastle for one ride in the first race at the northern English track. On route, she reflected on her life in the saddle to date.

“I think initially my love for horses came from watching westerns at my Granny and Grandad’s farm," recalled Mangan.

"There were a couple of girls in my class at school that had an interest in horses as well. Growing up, I used to watch a lot of Channel 4 racing. I absolutely idolised AP McCoy, I thought he was superhuman. I was probably more interested in jumps racing but when I was old enough to take out my jockey’s license, I was light enough to ride on the flat and that was that.”

Mangan got her first taste of success at Roscommon racecourse aboard a horse called Salazar for the late trainer Frank Ennis. However, it was quite a while before Mangan would be led into the winners' enclosure again.

“The ride I gave Salazar that day wasn't great, thankfully he got up to win, but it would have been the worst ride in the world had he not won. We won by a short head and I didn’t even know we were in front when we crossed the line. I didn’t know what way was up back then. I had ridden a good few placed horses for Frank (Ennis) and I kept hitting the crossbar so I was delighted to ride a winner for him. Frank passed away a few years ago. He was a fantastic man and mentor. He really taught me the right way of doing things.” said Mangan.

“It wasn't long after I rode that winner for Frank that I broke my wrist in a fall on the Curragh. I got a bit heavy when I was off injured and I lost my momentum. It didn’t really flow for me. It was never going to pick up again. I hung around the Curragh for a few years after that. I was familiar with the place and I liked what I was doing but eventually I had to go.”

Mangan’s winner in Roscommon was her only taste of success for a few years but after a few trips abroad, including a year in Australia, her passion and drive for race riding was reignited. Like so many young Irish jockeys in the past, Mangan realised that more opportunities could arise for her if she made the move across the pond to the UK.

“In 2015, I moved to Australia. I was just working horses down there and didn't do any race riding. At that stage, I hadn’t held a jockey's license for years but I think that year Down Under definitely rekindled the fire for me. They are great people over there and I met some fantastic people in the industry down there.” said Mangan.

“After that Australia trip I spent some time in America and then rode out for Eddie Lynam for a while but it was never going to happen for me in Ireland. I picked up the phone to John Jenkins and soon after moved over to the UK. I have been here ever since.”

In the 2017 Derby, Gina Mangan was due to ride outsider Diora Lia however, the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) decided on the week of the race to prohibit Mangan from riding in the premier Classic due to her lack of experience.

“I was pretty much fresh off the boat from Ireland when that Derby saga happened. I certainly wouldn't change my part. When someone offers you a ride in the Derby and you are just starting out with a point to prove of course you are going to take it. It was a soap opera of a week in terms of headlines.” said Mangan.

“Maybe if someone with the benefit of hindsight had pulled me aside and told me that this wasn't going to end well I might have looked at it differently, but all I was getting was the thumbs up from my circle. When the BHA are determined to win, they are going to win, but as someone told me at the time, if people didn’t know who I was before that, they certainly knew who I was after.”

Two years later, Mangan's career as a jockey was put in serious jeopardy when she suffered a nasty fall that almost saw her lose her foot.

“It was a bit like a car crash and I put my feet out to break my fall. It’s not always the best policy to land on your feet. The surgeons did an amazing job on it and there has been loads of different operations on it. They did a proper job on it," recalls the Dunshaughlin woman.

"I was in a wheelchair for three months and those were some of my toughest days. I didn't know if I was going to be able to walk properly. The Injured Jockeys Fund certainly helped a lot in terms of getting me back to where I am today. As good as the NHS is, it would have taken a lot longer if I relied on them, the IJF were prompt.

“It was a life-changing injury. Running was a passion of mine and I can't run anymore. I have an optimistic outlook though. I'm doing what I love and I can compromise the running by getting on the bike and find different ways to manage my fitness.

"The easiest way to manage the weight on certain days is to get to the tracks early and do a few laps. That’s obviously not an option for me anymore. It leaves the real lightweights just a little bit more problematic. I can do them but just not at the drop of a hat, I need that extra bit of notice. However, it is one benefit of being a female jockey, most of us are naturally light."

Mangan did not lick her passion for running off the ground. Her dad, Paddy Mangan, is a well-known runner for Dunshaughlin AC. Before her injury put an end to her running exploits, Mangan was showing that she does not have to have a horse underneath her to get from A to B at pace.

“Dad (Paddy Mangan) was a very good road runner and I initially got my love of running from him. He coaches in Dunshaughlin AC and it was a big fraternity at the time when I was growing up," said Mangan.

"My favourite event as a kid was the 100 meters. I wasn't a big fan of the long distance back then. I was more into sprinting but before I got that injury, I had been doing some 5ks and 10ks. It was going well, I was doing the 5k in about 19 minutes and I did my first 10k in about 44 minutes.”

After a few early blows to her riding career across the pond Mangan has had better luck in the 2020s and in 2022 she experienced her finest day in the saddle aboard Island Brave in the Old Borough Cup at Haydock.

“The race I won on Island Brave was a nice pot. It's only worth £100,000 now but it was worth £150,000 when I won it. That was a great day. I never managed to get back on Island Brave after that. It was strange, it was the biggest win of my career and I never got another ride on the horse but it just shows you how bizarre racing is.”

In recent years, Mangan has struck up a lovely partnership with trainer Chris Mason. Mangan praised the Welsh-based handler for his loyalty and backing.

“When the season gets going fully, wherever Chris (Mason) has runners, I go. My loyalties lie with him. We have a great strike rate together. I know the horses well and I think that gives him peace of mind. If Oisin Murphy suddenly became available, I think Chris would still want me riding his horses. That is the way Chris operates and loyalty like that is a dying breed in this game.”

A few weeks ago, Mangan rode her first career treble on a day that she described as one where everything fell right.

“In a typical day, there will always be things that go wrong. Everything fell right for me in Southwell a few weeks ago. Those days are few and far between. My agent has such a great rapport with trainers and he always has. He got me a great book of rides that day. It was great to win on John Berry’s mare in particular because she doesn't win that often but John is a master of getting them to the track in the best shape possible,” said Mangan.

“I'd have taken one win from the day. Dapper Gee Gee won the first race, I had ridden him twice and finished first and second on him. You always think you'll just pick up where you left off so I was optimistic about his chances. It was my first day back at work after the Christmas holidays, so I was just trying not to overcomplicate things too much.”

When an athlete reaches their 30s, most of the time that means that they are heading into the twilight years of their career, however flat jockeys, barring any injuries, can prolong their journey in the saddle for many years. Mangan hopes to have many great days at the track ahead of her.

“Barring any injuries, I hope that I have many more years in the saddle. Some of my weighing room colleagues, I don't want to mention any names and call them old but there are plenty of seasoned jockeys who are having some of the best years of their career.

"It is all about what you are on in the race but I also think experience is massive. I know there are a lot of young jockeys coming off the pony racing circuit who are hungry and fit. I’m still as hungry as ever though and if I didn’t work on my fitness all the time, I wouldn't be doing right by myself.”

The way Gina Mangan is riding now her best days in the saddle may be ahead of her.

Last Tuesday Mangan made that journey to Newcastle worthwhile by winning the first race on the card aboard Tarbat Ness for trainer John Berry.

2009: Gina Mangan tasted her first success aboard Salazar at Roscommon for trainer Frank Ennis.

2010 - 2015: Mangan spent time as a work rider at the Curragh.

2016: After some time spent in Australia, Mangan’s passion for race riding was reignited and she moved to the UK for more opportunities.

2017: The BHA prohibited Mangan from taking a ride in the Derby on the grounds of inexperience.

2019: Mangan suffered a life-changing injury where she almost lost her foot completely.

2022: Mangan had the biggest individual success of her career aboard Island Brave at Haydock.

January 2026: Mangan completed her first career treble at Southwell.