'I fell into the sport' - Kevin Brogan in dreamland ahead of title crowning

Kevin Brogan admitted he never thought he would get the chance to have a successful career in the saddle ahead of his crowning as this season's champion conditional jockey at Sandown's jumps finale meeting on Saturday.

The 21-year-old will join the likes of Sir Anthony McCoy, Richard Johnson and last year's winner Danny McMenamin on the roll of honour as champion conditional having ridden 46 winners during the 2021-22 campaign - 13 more than his nearest rival Theo Gillard.

Brogan, who comes from Kill, County Kildare, had no background in racing growing up - he even busked with his friends as a schoolboy - prior to first sitting on a horse aged 11 and has been shocked at the rapid rise of his career to win his landmark title.

How the Conditional Jockeys' Championship looks:

1 Kevin Brogan 46 wins
2 Theo Gillard 33 wins
3 Liam Harrison 31 wins
4 Mitchell Bastyan 28 wins

"I'm only a young lad from Kill, it doesn't really happen to people like me," he said. "It's definitely something I thought wouldn't happen, but I've been very lucky to be involved with some brilliant trainers and owners.

"I fell into the sport, my uncle had a few stables and rented them out to a woman, who had a couple of ponies and we'd go up and see them. I wanted a couple of lessons so she taught me.

"She said that her brother went to the racing school [RACE], which I had my eyes on when I was about 13. Fortunately I got accepted onto the trainee jockey course that they have there for 10 months and it all built from there."

After a two-and-half-year spell with Gordon Elliott and four winners in Ireland, Brogan moved to Jonjo O'Neill's yard to become stable conditional in August 2020.

He has partnered 69 winners in Britain since, including a big-race Saturday victory in front of the ITV cameras on the Harry Fry-trained Phoenix Way in the bet365 Handicap Chase at Ascot in January.

Phoenix Way: Kevin Brogan's seasonal highlightCredit: Alan Crowhurst

He added: "It's one of those moments where you have to pinch yourself. I know I'd been getting plenty of rides, but to get a chance on the big stage on national television - especially on the same day as Shishkin v Energumene - and to win it as well, you can't really describe it.

"I always wanted to come over and give it a shot as everything was tied up at home - it was very hard to get going. Thank god I did come over."

Brogan, who will be joined by his family at Sandown on Saturday before the celebrations continue at the Punchestown festival next week, already has ambitions to start fast next season and is eager to land the two winners he needs to ride out his claim as soon as possible.

"I've hit the ground running and it's going to be very important to try and keep the momentum up, get as many rides as I can and get some more contacts and hopefully stay injury-free," he said.

"Most importantly, it's to try and keep on improving. Hopefully I can fire my leg across something nice along the way, which would be good."

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