Linehan lines up jumps return
The Cork-born 18-year-old is desperate to return to his first love of jumping, having honed his skills for the likes of Willie Mullins and Ferdy Murphy, and is likely to make the switch shortly.
The middle of July has been phenomenally rewarding, as Linehan won from four consecutive rides, starting off with a handicap at Ayr last Monday, through a conditionals maiden hurdle at Uttoxeter on Wednesday and two more apprentice handicaps at Doncaster and Newbury, with the final success being on his first ride for the powerful Mark Johnston stable.
Fresh-faced but confident, Linehan prefers to be known as Eddie rather than the grand-sounding Edmond, and very much gives the impression he is a name to remember.
“To win four times in a week is fantastic for a young lad like me,” he said.
“My future definitely lies over jumps, though. At the moment my licence is with Tim Easterby but I’m probably going to move in the next week or so.
“I began working for Willie Mullins in Ireland, worked a lot for him, and then I moved to Ferdy Murphy. He gave me a couple of rides at the meeting at Cheltenham after the Festival, and I’ve had a couple of winners over hurdles.
“It’s not certain yet, but I may move to Neil Mulholland in the next couple of weeks, or I will go back to Ferdy. I’m not quite sure.”
He continued: “I’m not really from a racing family, but my father did a bit of pre-training and I did a lot of pony racing in Ireland. I’m from more of a farming background.
“I’m riding pretty much everywhere at the moment and the plan’s just to keep tipping away.”
