Burke new first jockey to Potts

Jonathan Burke has been appointed first jockey to one of the biggest owners of National Hunt horses in this country, Alan and Ann Potts, replacing Andrew Lynch.

The Potts, who have most of their sizeable string with Henry de Bromhead, as well as a handful with Jim Dreaper, are best known as the owners of the high-class Sizing Europe.

Alan Potts is a hugely successful businessman, establishing a company called MMD in 1978. MMD design and manufacture material processing equipment used in many types of surfaces and underground mining operations the world over. In particular the company has extended the technology of mineral reduction by the development of low profile, high capacity, compact sizing machines.

As a result, of course, many of the horses the Pottses own are called Sizing something or other.

A son of trainer, Liam Burke, Jonathan is 18-year-of of age and has ridden just 30 winners, 12 as a professional.

Said Burke: “I am thrilled to be given this opportunity and want to thank Mr and Mrs Potts, as well as Henry de Bromhead and Jim Dreaper. I am very much looking forward to working with them all.”

Burke rode as a professional for the first time at Ballinrobe on May 27. His first winner as a professional soon arrived, aboard Adrian Maguire’s Golden Kite in the Connacht National Handicap Chase at Roscommon on June 9.

Still a 5lbs claimer, Burke has now been dramatically catapulted into one of the most high profile jobs in Ireland.

The great Sizing Europe, a 12-year-old, remains in training and is being geared towards a return to action in the PWC Chase, a race he has won for the last three years, at Gowan Park at the beginning of next month.

Burke is likely to have his first ride in his new job aboard Loosen My Load, trained by de Bromhead, in a two miles and six chase at Galway tomorrow.