The sky is the limit for level-headed Daniel King

Given the sky-high praise lavished on Daniel King in the aftermath of a stunning Galway big-race Plate-Hurdle double it would be tempting to think the 21-year-old’s feet might only just be coming back down to earth about now.

It is, after all, not every jockey that is described as, “as good a rider as I’ve seen since the likes of Ruby Walsh. The next coming! Top class” by a trainer in Tony Martin who is not exactly short of laps around the block.

Or praised by no less a judge than Willie Mullins who, when asked after King rode King Alexander to Plate glory whether the jockey was one of the brightest young talents in the weighing room, said: “He appears to be and today franked that.”

If you were expecting King to be dining out on such plaudits for years you would be disappointed. After 20 minutes speaking to him, you suspect a quick sandwich from the garage on the way back from Galway that night was probably as far as it went.

“Obviously it is nice hearing things like that and it is nice publicity, but I enjoyed it because I don’t think anything has changed in the way I go about each day as it comes,” he said. “The good days are hard to come by really so you have to enjoy them.”

It was quite a meeting for the King who booted home three winners at Ballybrit in Frankie John for long-time supporter Denis Hogan, King Alexander in the Plate for Mullins and Putapoundinthejar in the Galway Hurdle for Martin, a double last achieved by Joe Byrne in 1984.

Moreover, it was a week which reflected not only his emerging talent in the saddle but a growing fan base of Irish handlers, a fact that bodes well ahead of the new season.

King started out on the Flat, in his case as a 16-year-old apprentice with Hogan.

“I always wanted to go jumping, but you can’t get your jumps licence until you are 17 and you can get your Flat licence at 16. I was 16 and quite light at the time so I was lucky enough that I could start off on the Flat,” explained King.

“But I had seen my brother Connor (eight years his senior and now a trainer) struggle with his weight so I kind of knew I would get tall and a bit heavier but always planned for it.

“I am glad I started off on the Flat though and I do think it stood to me. It helps with tidying up your riding. I do think it helps with your style as you ride a bit shorter and you ride a bit tighter as well.

“There have been plenty who started on the Flat as well (AP McCoy, Paul Carberry, Charlie Swan and Paul Townend all took that route) and overall I think it has made me a better jockey, but I was always destined for the jumps.”

King rode 35 winners on the level between 2021-24 before becoming a conditional over obstacles finishing third in the conditional jockeys’ championship in 2023-24 with 20 winners and then posting a career-best 34 winners last season which included a pair of Grade Two victories aboard flagship mount, Oscars Brother.

“I was there for four or five years then lost my claim and I went a bit quiet like many do,” added King. “It is a hard old game. But I was kind of at the stage where I needed to spread myself out a bit and went to a few different trainers.

“I am kind of lucky since I started riding I’ve had good people behind me.”

In addition to Hogan, King now rides out at the stables of Martin, Mullins, John Ryan, Thurles-based Mark Molloy and the Tipperary yard of John Ryan – support which the rider from Kilbrin, Co. Cork is determined to fully utilise.

“There is a lot of things I can improve. I try to improve every day,” continued the young jockey.

“I’m lucky enough to be getting plenty of rides every day and once you are riding every day you can improve. I’m quite happy with the way I ride but I like learning off people – there is the older jockeys I like getting advice off and things.”

And for King that desire to pick up from the best does not stop at the current occupants in the weighing room.

“I looked up to all the top jockeys growing up through my teens like Ruby Walsh, AP McCoy and Paul Carberry who was very good coming from behind and switching a horse off and very cool as well. But, to be honest, the one I used to love watching the most was Davy Russell,” he said.

“I always said I’d love to be like him. He was very good at switching a horse off and getting a horse jumping and was very strong in a finish as well. He was probably the main one that I would have always looked up to.”

King was a keen hurling and Gaelic Football player in his youth but admits he does not get time to play anymore or, for that matter, go and watch his two younger brothers.

That situation is unlikely to change any time soon with the jockey likely to be in demand for major Festivals throughout the winter starting he hopes with a few for his greatest cheerleader Martin in the November meeting at Cheltenham.