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Luke McAteer hopes to build on his Royal Ascot debut with another trip to the fabled meeting this summer as he continues his burgeoning partnership with David Marnane.

The jockey from Rathmullan rode Sir Yoshi in the Windsor Castle Stakes last year, the same horse he was aboard during York’s Dante Festival this week, and hopes to get the nod on the promising four-year-old Tokenomics this time around.

“We are hoping he can get there for the Royal Hunt Cup,” he said.

“He is a horse we have been looking forward to and he had a good win at Cork on the last day.

“That was probably the highlight of my season so far, I’ve had a solid start. I’ve had five winners already, so we are going well, and I’ve had plenty of rides.

“The ride at Royal Ascot last year was a great experience. It’s the place to be. I’d ridden there before but not at the royal meeting, it was brilliant.”

Racing is in the blood for McAteer, who took his first strides in the saddle at a riding school run by his grandfather, Tom McLaughlin.

The Donegal man is one of four siblings but was the only one who truly fell in love with the sport and came through the pony racing ranks, an experience he describes as ‘invaluable’.

“You are riding for lads who it is a hobby for but they are also spending a lot of money too,” he said.

“They do everything right, they feed them well, train them, bring them to the beach to gallop.

“You get used to dealing with people at a young age and you know if you don’t get it right, they will use someone else.

“And even the race riding things – it’s not a surprise when you come out the stalls and you are going at speed.

“It does stand you in good stead, as you can see from all the lads who have done it.”

McAteer left school aged 16 to work at Jim Bolger’s yard, regularly riding out 2021 2,000 Guineas winner Poetic Flare, and banked a winner for the trainer on his first-ever ride on the track when Pirolo came home in front at Fairyhouse in 2017.

But his path has not been without its challenges and he admits to doubting his future in the sport at one stage.

“It was tough at the start, I struggled with my weight a bit and opportunities were slim enough,” he said.

“I was at a bit of a crossroads coming into Covid as to whether to keep going or not.

“I said I’d give it one more year and that was my best year ever.

“A lot of the trainers I was riding for had good years as well and it was nice to be rewarded for putting the work in.

“Every couple of weeks I was having two or three winners and I rode a Group 3 winner at Leopardstown in the October, my 25th winner of the year. To finish the season up with that was really nice.

“I have kept at it since, kept my head down and thankfully it seems to be working.”

The 24-year-old, who also has high hopes for three-year-old East Hampton this summer if the ground softens, rode out his claim in 2023 – also at Fairyhouse – and is a big fan of GAA and soccer off the track, with the Liverpool fan revelling in his team’s Premier League title win.

He continues to learn from the best on his own journey through the racing ranks and is relishing being part of a competitive but friendly group of flat jockeys.

“You look up to the best, so when I was growing up it was the likes of Richard Hughes and Johnny Murtagh at Royal Ascot and international jockeys like Christophe Soumillon,” he said.

“It’s a good atmosphere in the weighing room in Ireland, it’s good craic, as serious as it gets you’ll always be able to have a laugh.

“It’s tough in this country with all the good riders but there’s also plenty of loyalty. If you work hard enough, you’ll get your rewards.”