Jonathan Moore: ‘The hooves landed on both sides of my spine and the lower end of my rib cage’

Moore's tone can’t fully disguise an astonishment that someone would even think that a career as an international soccer player might be preferable to mucking out thoroughbred horses in mid-winter

Flooring Porter and Jonathan Moore face up to the final hurdle to go on and win at Leopardstown last December. The Wexford jockey missed out on Cheltenham through injury but hopes to be back in the saddle very soon. Picture: Healy Racing

It's the last Sunday before the recent Cheltenham Festival and Jonathan Moore is finalising his preparation for the big event aboard Ujumpthelastuwin in a two-mile handicap chase at Naas. 

The steadily improving Wexford-born jockey, 26, riding for the steadily improving Meath based trainer, Gavin Cromwell, has eased his mount into a challenging position on the approach to the second last. Moore is at the threshold of a landmark week in his career, booked to ride Flooring Porter in the Stayers and Vallinier in the three-mile novice hurdle and both have excellent chances to bring him an inaugural festival win.