HAVE you ever had one of those days where it feels like your phone never stops ringing? Well, step inside the office of jump jockeys’ agent Garry Cribbin and try this on for size.

It’s a Friday morning in early October - not exactly peak jumping season - and declarations for a seven-race National Hunt card at Killarney are about to close. With four of the contests attracting 10 runners or less (and no other jumps meeting closing for declarations or entries on the same day), it’s by no means a manic morning for the man who represents leading jockeys such as Darragh O’Keeffe, Mark Walsh, Keith Donoghue, Donagh Meyler, Dan King, Danny Gilligan, Jordan Gainford and Sean Flanagan (to name just a few).

If this day represents a pretty routine few hours, in the grand scheme of things, I’m curious as to how many times his phone actually rings.

“I stepped into the office at 7.05am, so let me take a count from there,” Cribbin begins, opening up his call log and starting the long scroll backwards.

“One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight…” Before we know it, the count has reached 61 individual calls by 10.30am alone. And that’s not the end of it. Not nearly. Even when excluding texts and WhatsApp messages from trainers and jockeys, his call history amounts to 98 different phone calls on one morning alone.

If we’re nearing triple digits on a standard day, his Clane, Co Kildare base must resemble something like Dublin Airport’s air traffic control centre on days when multiple National Hunt fixtures are down for a deadline. It’s the type of juggling act that would tip most people over the edge, but Cribbin has proven time and time again that he is capable of balancing it all - helping deliver standout results alongside his team of riders since undertaking this role in 2004.

“I suppose that communication element just grows with the job and you get so used to it - I literally don’t take the phone out of my hand,” he explains.

“If you come into my office, which I often call the dungeon, you have to approach it with complete tunnel vision. That’s it. I will not come out of my office until I’m done.

“The day usually flows very consistently. I’m up every morning at 5.30am, I get my gym and fitness work done, and by 7am I’m buzzing for the day ahead. You’ve got trainers firming up plans before declarations close at 10am, weights from the previous day’s entries come out at 11am, so there’s a clearer picture on ballots and likely runners by then, and then all of a sudden entries for the next slate of meetings close at 12pm.

“It can end up closer to 1pm by the time you get those fields, if a race has reopened for entries.

“You can’t take your eye off the ball or miss any of those times of the day. It’s bang, bang, bang. But after 22 years, I’m well used to it.”

There is more than one reason why Cribbin’s number is in such high demand. For starters, he has a roster that spans a staggering 66 jockeys, according to Horse Racing Ireland’s database. He is the go-to man for a host of National Hunt racing’s ace talents.

But he is also a human encyclopedia when it comes to the formbook. There isn’t a race run in Ireland that the 45-year-old hasn’t analysed and formed a view on, and his insight is an invaluable tool to trainers plotting their next move with a horse among the entries. Combine that knowledge with a real air of professionalism in his dealings, and it’s not hard to see why he is highly trusted among the industry’s participants.

All-in mindset

“I don’t know how anyone else can have another job and do this as well, because this really is full-time for me,” Cribbin says of his approach to the role.

“By the time you watch every race, and watching them over and over to spot the horses flying home into fifth or sixth that could be nice spares for your riders next time, it’s massively time consuming - but it has to be done. The homework side is what I find most interesting above all.

“When you do identify those winners, ones who mightn’t be totally obvious, and the lads are texting you afterwards delighted to have got a winning spare - those ones are really satisfying for everyone. The game has gone very tight for jump jockeys in terms of opportunities, as everyone knows, so you have to be so sharp. The day I get complacent, that’ll be the day I pack it in.”

He adds: “Over the years, you build up trust with the trainers. You do your best to help guide any trainer who asks for your opinion when they’re considering whether to run or not, or if they have a couple of options in the same window. You’re doing your homework on all of the races and trying hard to give them the best advice you can if you’re asked. We’re all working towards the same goal and I’m very fortunate that I’ve built up great relationships with the trainers over the years.”

Are there difficulties that come from having such a large number of riders under your remit?

“I have a lot of young claimers, but that’s how I got started from day one and I do the best I can for each and every one of them,” Cribbin explains.

“If it ever comes to it that anyone isn’t happy, I fully accept the direction they want to go and always leave the door open for the future. It’s more a case of younger riders, at times, maybe feeling they should have more rides, but it’s not like years ago when young conditionals served their apprenticeship somewhere for a period before stepping into more rides. It’s a bit different now.

“For example, I go back to the likes of Michael Hourigan, who I can remember working closely with Adrian Heskin for years; he helped turn him into the rider he became. There was an investment of time into young lads, but now those jockeys almost want to be up and running straight away, without necessarily serving that same time.

“You see riders who fly through their claim and there’s always the risk that they can be forgotten about slightly once they reach the end of their allowance. Part of that is because they maybe haven’t ended up with the same hours and connections that riders years ago had in the bank.”

Competitive landscape

It recently emerged in the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board’s annual statistics reports for 2024 and 2025 that Ireland’s total number of professional jump jockeys had fallen to 90 and 91. That is a marked drop from an average of 121 licences per year from 2000 to 2023.

It has been pointed out that the reduced number of fruitful stable jockey jobs at present, compared to the era just gone, could be a contributing factor, but Cribbin believes the reality is that riders are simply fighting in an ultra-competitive environment in Ireland.

“I think there are so many lads battling for that one good spare at the moment,” says Cribbin.

“I can see how hard it is when they’re working away, as very capable riders, but they just need an opportunity to show it against the top jockeys. I know it must be frustrating, even demoralising, for some of them to be without the rides they feel they deserve. It is tough.

“You try your best to get those chances for them, but there are only so many opportunities out there. You hope that those riders will trust the process and bide their time. Naturally enough, owners tend to go with who is in fashion. It’s like a goalscorer in football; once they’re hitting the back of the net, there’s every chance they’ll be in the starting 11.”

He continues: “The likes of Darragh O’Keeffe is proof that, if you stay working and keep your head, good things can come with time. He just wants to be the best he possibly can, and if that means him working seven days a week, driving around the country from morning to evening, he’s willing to do it.

“You could find him riding work and schooling anywhere in the country. And his results are reflective of that. I’m a firm believer that, if you put in the work and show up in yards, good things can happen for you.”

Some of Cribbin’s closest relationships in life are with his riders, so he naturally has a stronger understanding than most of the demands placed on jockeys today. One area he feels could serve the fraternity more fairly is the severity of suspensions handed out for repeat riding offences.

“I’m not sure we have the balance right at the moment,” says the evergreen runner, who has completed 5km within 15 minutes and managed to navigate the 2019 London Marathon in a lightning-fast two hours and 38 minutes. He has also ticked off the six World Marathon Majors.

“In the last couple of years, it all feels too severe. Increased penalties for second and third offences really do sting riders and there’s a knock-on impact of missing out on days too. Once these guys lose a ride, they don’t automatically get back on the same horse the next day. If another jockey wins or gets on well on a horse they were due to ride when suspended, they can lose that same ride for the future very quickly. I’m a believer that element should be factored into the bans being handed out.

Tough sanctions

“And then take, for example, Leopardstown last Christmas. You heard Noel Meade and other very respected figures speaking on the television when Donagh Meyler was forced to sit out on a winning ride with Affordale Fury in the Savills Chase. I’m not on my own in feeling that was a very harsh outcome for Donagh.

“He was given an eight-day suspension [increased due to two previous careless riding breaches] and anyone who watched it could see it was an extremely minimal incident, on a spare ride. The consequences of that decision were massive; he missed one of our biggest Grade 1s in the calendar. I don’t think it was right, and that’s just one example. Plenty of other riders are being hit hard by this too.”

He continues: “Are there other ways we could look at dealing with penalty breaches? Do you put a financial penalty in place where riders pay something to the Irish Injured Jockeys instead [of increased days]? I’m sure somebody could find a solution that works more effectively and fairly for everyone. We all have to respect the rules, but I’m not certain we have the system as good as it could be.”

One of the proudest and most fruitful associations Cribbin built in his career was with one of racing’s great history makers, Rachael Blackmore. When Minella Times stormed to victory in the 2021 Randox Grand National, it was a breakthrough moment for the sport on many levels, while also meaning the realisation of a dream for the agent.

“Since I started out in this game, the one thing I said I’d always love to have is a jockey winning the National. Aintree is the one meeting I go to every year in England, and, of course, I missed Minella Times winning the race during Covid!” says Cribbin.

“I was sitting on the couch watching it from home and I’ll never forget it. Mark [Walsh] was on a fancied horse in Any Second Now and Rachael had her chance on Minella Times; I didn’t know which of them to roar for when the race was coming to the business end. I’d say the neighbours heard me shouting them home!”

The pair worked closely together from the beginning of Blackmore’s career, even seeing seasons where the Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning pilot had more rides than any other National Hunt jockey in Ireland (615 in 2018/’19 and 570 in 2020/’21).

“I was proud and lucky to get the chance to look after Rachael,” he says.

“From the beginning, it was clear she had something special, not only as a jockey but as a person. You could see her grow and handle the pressure that came with every new step. She achieved things I’d say many thought were impossible, and always conducted herself with class.

“More importantly than anything, she’s a good friend and I’m so happy for her that she achieved what she did. Her work ethic was top drawer and she deserved everything that came her way.”

Champion dream

The last remaining outpost for Cribbin is to have one of his riders crowned champion jockey. There is any amount of water still to flow under the bridge, but his troops again lead the way in the early stages of the campaign, with Darragh O’Keeffe and Dan King setting a strong pace.

“That’s the dream,” he says. “The season that Mark got injured when he was in front was very unfortunate, because we all know he had a great chance that year.

“We’ve given it a great go in the years since, with Rachael and with Darragh. It’s a big target, a tough target when you consider what the likes of Paul Townend and Jack Kennedy can do in a short space of time, but it’s the final piece of the jigsaw.

“We’ve got the clean sweep of the big ones in Cheltenham. The Irish Grand National and other big handicaps have been very good to us, but getting one of the team to be champion would mean everything.”

Cribbin has spent almost half his life working towards that holy grail. He first set off on this pathway following serious injuries suffered in an incident while riding out.

“I broke my neck from a very normal fall; just clipped the side of the gallop and went down,” he says.

“The first operation wasn’t a success, they went in the front of my neck, but thankfully a doctor in the Mater Hospital got me going. He said he’d have to fuse my neck, take bone from my pelvis and put it in through the back of my neck. That’s why I lost the movement of my neck.”

“Thankfully, it doesn’t stop me beating the jockeys playing golf!” he quips. “It made my day to have Ricky Doyle hand me over a green Masters jacket he got made for when we played at Keith Donoghue’s stag party recently. That was great fun with a great group. I have fantastic friends in this game.”

Cribbin continues: “I can still remember going into the old Turf Club behind the old Stand House Hotel with my neck brace on and crutches in hand. I was only out of the hospital and was going in there to do the interview [to become an agent]. It’s taken so many years to build the team we have, and I’m so appreciative to have the support of so many jockeys and trainers. I just couldn’t do it without them.

“The late Charlie O’Neill in Abbeylands is someone who was very important to me too. He started me off with ponies and hunting, and really gave me a great chance when it came to horses. I’ve certainly never forgotten him. I spent time as pupil assistant to John Dunlop years back and one of the parts I absolutely loved about that job was spending time with the race planner in the office. I quickly felt it was better than any riding out. I just got the bug.

“I saw how he worked; he was in there grafting away, even before the man doing the feed arrived. I can remember him telling me that this has to be an all-in thing, that you cannot miss anything. That has stayed with me to this day. You can never become complacent.”

There are no signs of that hunger dissipating either.

“I’m totally addicted to what I do,” Cribbin beams.

“I get such a buzz out of helping people, if that makes sense? It’s a kick like nothing else when winners click for everyone. The phone never stops - and I’m glad it doesn’t.”

Cribbin’s finger is firmly on the button. Opportunity continues to call.