Jamie Powell: The Making of the 2023 Champion Apprentice
Jockey Powell recorded 28 winners from 294 runs to finish ahead of Adam Caffrey and Conor Stone-Walsh
Tuesday, 12 December 2023
Powell was presented with the Champion Apprentice Jockey trophy at the Curragh in November
It was surreal really, I’ve been going to the Curragh since I was a kid, so for it to happen there was special - Jamie Powell
Jamie Powell’s rapid rise has taken him to the other side of the world, but he could not have been much closer to home when crowned Flat Champion Apprentice, writes Ben Hart.
The 21-year-old from Kildare enjoyed a stellar breakthrough season, establishing himself as one of the sport’s hottest properties following a winter's work in Australia.
Having never sat on a horse until he was 17, the speed of his ascent has caught even Powell by surprise.
“I’m still trying to process it a bit, I’m still on cloud nine,” he said.
“Champion Apprentice was the target coming into the year, so for it to work out was amazing and to have all of my family and friends there at the Curragh when the racing ended was a bonus.
“It was something I dreamt of since I got into racing, it was such a great day and something I’ll never forget.”
Though his first voyage Down Under proved transformative, Powell admits a second trip never crossed his mind.
He will instead spend the next few months improving connections and filling his contact book while riding at Dundalk.
“Australia was a great trip, I really enjoyed that,” said Powell.
“I went out to Mark Newman in Sydney and I was on the Randwick track every morning and that was a great experience.
“I was getting to ride nice horses and exercise in the morning was a lot different from here, all their gallops would be timed so you were running in sectionals.
“You might run a furlong in 13 or 14 seconds, so you get a feel for that and when you go into a race you can judge pace a bit better.
“What I learnt there I’ll take with me throughout my whole career, it definitely helped and I’m very grateful for the opportunity. Not many young kids get to go out to Australia and learn like I did.
Powell was not always set to be a jockey, falling out of love with the sport aged six when his friends were more interested in ‘soccer and Gaelic.’
But the Manchester City fan found a way back through a local racing academy, and he is not the first in the family to have achieved racing excellence.
His father, Anthony, won the 1989 Irish National onboard Made Of Money but tragically passed when Powell was just five months old.
“I’ve watched a few of his races back,” said Powell. “He’s rode some big winners, so they are great films to be watching back, it’s surreal to think that was going on back then.
“He’s a man I unfortunately never got to know or meet. I have no real memories of him, but I’ve heard plenty of stories amongst the trainers and owners that I’m riding for, nine times out of 10 it’s something good.”
Powell has never been short of racing role models however, with long-standing supporters Johnny Murtagh and Niall McCullough always on hand to offer advice or unpack a race performance.
“My mother has raised me since a baby on her own, so she’s a very strong woman and she’s nearly done the job of two parents,” he said.
“She’s a great woman, she’s made everything a bit easier for the whole family. She never got too down or anything like that. She just wanted us to be happy, she’s done so much for us all.
“She has a lot of credit to take for the type of people we are, she’s done so much for us all and we’re all so grateful and make sure she knows that.
“Hopefully he would be proud, that’s one thing you do wish.”
Nobody could have asked much more of Powell in the last 12 months, but he is determined to kick on and fulfil his wildest racing dreams.
“Everyone probably says it but to be a champion jockey, that’s why you get into racing,” he said.
“It’s so hard to do, so many top riders haven’t been a champion.
“You don’t want to be looking too far ahead, that’s maybe one of those things you can think about in five or 10 years.
“That would probably be the biggest target of any jockey’s career.”
The 21-year-old from Kildare enjoyed a stellar breakthrough season, establishing himself as one of the sport’s hottest properties following a winter's work in Australia.
Having never sat on a horse until he was 17, the speed of his ascent has caught even Powell by surprise.
“I’m still trying to process it a bit, I’m still on cloud nine,” he said.
“Champion Apprentice was the target coming into the year, so for it to work out was amazing and to have all of my family and friends there at the Curragh when the racing ended was a bonus.
“It was surreal really, I’ve been going to the Curragh since I was a kid, so for it to happen there was special.CHAMPION APPRENTICE 2023 🏆🏆 Thank you to everyone who has supported me this year , all the owners, trainers, family, friends my Boss and also my agent . It’s something I worked hard towards so I’m over the moon that it worked out ! Hopefully 2024 is just as good🤞🏻 pic.twitter.com/aLOnSkEhry
— Jamie Powell (@JamiePoweII) November 6, 2023
“It was something I dreamt of since I got into racing, it was such a great day and something I’ll never forget.”
Though his first voyage Down Under proved transformative, Powell admits a second trip never crossed his mind.
He will instead spend the next few months improving connections and filling his contact book while riding at Dundalk.
“Australia was a great trip, I really enjoyed that,” said Powell.
“I went out to Mark Newman in Sydney and I was on the Randwick track every morning and that was a great experience.
“I was getting to ride nice horses and exercise in the morning was a lot different from here, all their gallops would be timed so you were running in sectionals.
“You might run a furlong in 13 or 14 seconds, so you get a feel for that and when you go into a race you can judge pace a bit better.
“What I learnt there I’ll take with me throughout my whole career, it definitely helped and I’m very grateful for the opportunity. Not many young kids get to go out to Australia and learn like I did.
“Now it’s progression time in my career, I need to be keeping my face in the circle.”🥇 Fratas wins again! Michael Mulvany's charge completes the hat-trick in the Newtown Fillies' Handicap for Jamie Powell & Michael Mulvany at @TramoreRaces pic.twitter.com/LnRIF3zNnd
— Horse Racing Ireland (@HRIRacing) September 13, 2023
Powell was not always set to be a jockey, falling out of love with the sport aged six when his friends were more interested in ‘soccer and Gaelic.’
But the Manchester City fan found a way back through a local racing academy, and he is not the first in the family to have achieved racing excellence.
His father, Anthony, won the 1989 Irish National onboard Made Of Money but tragically passed when Powell was just five months old.
“I’ve watched a few of his races back,” said Powell. “He’s rode some big winners, so they are great films to be watching back, it’s surreal to think that was going on back then.
“He’s a man I unfortunately never got to know or meet. I have no real memories of him, but I’ve heard plenty of stories amongst the trainers and owners that I’m riding for, nine times out of 10 it’s something good.”
Powell has never been short of racing role models however, with long-standing supporters Johnny Murtagh and Niall McCullough always on hand to offer advice or unpack a race performance.
And as the youngest of four, Powell's mum Suzanne will always be his biggest fan and inspiration.Champion Apprentice Jamie Powell @curraghrace pic.twitter.com/ZpxD7Rr8Vi
— Irishracing.com Live (@IrishRacing365) November 5, 2023
“My mother has raised me since a baby on her own, so she’s a very strong woman and she’s nearly done the job of two parents,” he said.
“She’s a great woman, she’s made everything a bit easier for the whole family. She never got too down or anything like that. She just wanted us to be happy, she’s done so much for us all.
“She has a lot of credit to take for the type of people we are, she’s done so much for us all and we’re all so grateful and make sure she knows that.
“Hopefully he would be proud, that’s one thing you do wish.”
Nobody could have asked much more of Powell in the last 12 months, but he is determined to kick on and fulfil his wildest racing dreams.
“Everyone probably says it but to be a champion jockey, that’s why you get into racing,” he said.
“It’s so hard to do, so many top riders haven’t been a champion.
“You don’t want to be looking too far ahead, that’s maybe one of those things you can think about in five or 10 years.
“That would probably be the biggest target of any jockey’s career.”