Co. Cork born jockey Johnathan Burke was left in a sour predicament in Ireland after losing the “Poison chalice” retainership position with the Pott’s family, he had the job security of knowing he was almost certain of winnable chances on a day-to-day basis. Those prominent green and yellow silks unquestionably propelled his career.

It’s a great situation for any young jockey to be in however these types of partnerships seem to always out run their course, frequently the jockey comes out of the job in a shoddier position than when he first got the job. The quote “Don’t put your eggs in one basket” comes to mind, but to Burkes credit who could refuse the enticement of mingling it up with the horse racing elites, but when the partnership turns hostile, somebody has to be at accountable, nine times out of ten the innocent jockey is burdened with all the blame.

Burke agonised a “Sucker-punch” When you lose a job of that supremacy, starting from the bottom is the only way to make it back to safe ground. Selling your capabilities to trainers and owners again is problematic when you’re not riding horses of that winnable quality anymore.

Enduring aquiet spell, out of demand can be a quick road to destruction, as being self-assured is what makes the difference in them being a leading jockey, if a rider loses faith in their skills, it’s almost game-over. if their morale is down and the all-important confidence is battered, there appears to be no passage to return. Burke refused to rest on his laurels, he went off to the UK to redeem himself.

Without a doubt, Burke has to be considered one of the finest riders of his generation, diminishing in amongst the larger than life Irish weighing room figures was not something he was going to do.

Plagued with injuries for such a long period of time, has halted his headway however still in his early twenties, he has so much to give so why not demonstrate his star qualities to a wider audience. Irish racing is mostly on from Thursday to Sunday however in Britain the racing is on a much more broader spectrum, three or four meetings a day is not a rarity. Linking up with English based trainer Charlie Longsdon has been the game-changer. The duo seemingly have an amicable relationship, they know each other’s boundaries and the match-up has been almost straightforward, which is sporadically seen in the wacky world of horse racing. Egos get in the way of virtually everything. Burke has no ego snags, being brought up in a modest family has made him the man he is today. With 25 winners this year to-date, the road to the return is within grasping distance.

You can’t beat hard work, that’s something burke isn’t afraid of. His persistency is the key to his success. The best of Burke is yet to come.