Stories from the Saddle: Boris Ball
- pporacommittee
- 3 days ago
- 6 min read
Boris Ball – who hails from near Rye, in East Sussex – rode his first winner, on only his fifth ride, when Toss Again took the PPORA Novice Riders race at Horseheath on Saturday. 20-year-old Boris, who now works for James and Jenny Owen’s Newmarket yard, told Jake Exelby about his journey from ponies to racehorses – after a three year hiatus – as well as his love of skiing and the reason for his unique (among current pointing jockeys) first name!
Talk me through your career in racing so far and how you got into point-to-pointing in the first place?
My Mum, Alex McCabe, was an amateur jockey and assistant trainer to Noel Chance. My Dad, Al, didn’t ride but sells birch bundles for fences to the Jockey Club, and some point-to-points, including Ampton.
My elder brother Cosmo – who had a few rides in points before Covid – is more into bloodstock now, but I’ve always been the madder one, doing something that could get me hurt, for the adrenalin rush. For example, I once jumped a gate out hunting on my racing pony – I think it made the cover of Horse & Hound!
I grew up pony racing – I think I was plotted on one because Cosmo was doing it – and had about 50 rides and a handful of winners. I was in the same year group as (Flat jockey) Harry Davies and (former point-to-point rider turned leading conditional) Freddie Gingell. But then I lost interest and said to my parents, “I’ll never sit on a horse again”. And I didn’t… for three years.
When I was 18, I went to see Cosmo, who was working as pupil assistant to James Ferguson. I got on an ‘old bus’, and got the itch again. I was studying at Sparsholt College, just down the rode from Chris Gordon, and went to ride out there – I was absolutely dreadful! His wife Jenny said that I could work in the yard, but wasn’t good enough to ride!
How did you get to ride in your first races for David Phelan?
After that, I thought, “I’ll become good enough,” so got in touch with David Phelan and worked for him during the summer of 2023. I threw myself in at the deep end, breaking-in horses and riding his pre-trainers.
When I went back to college, I called Chris again and told him that I’d changed and was stronger, so he said he’d give me another shot. I worked there every single morning before college, and would go home at the weekends to ride for David.
Then, when I left college, I started working for David – who taught me everything I know about riding – full time. He was looking for a novice rider last season, so gave me a few spins.
Tell me about your first rides last season.
I didn’t do very well! I pulled up on my first ride – Time To Upgrade – at Charing, then fell off Tully Star two out at Parham when going well. It was in front of everyone, so I had to do the walk of shame back to the paddock! As a family, we don’t have a good track record at Parham. Then I was third on Tully Star again at Godstone.
How did you come to work for Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm at Chantilly in France?
Cosmo suggested I go to France because they do lots of schooling and he knows I love my jumping. So I spoke to Noel, told him how eager I was and went for two months. I was there with fellow jockeys Felix Barlow and Laurie Gallacher.
How did your move to James Owen come about?
Alex Chadwick (who rides for Owen) is a friend, so I called James and asked if I could ride out there before going to France. I loved it – they have a great team – so, when I came back from France, I called James again and started there full-time in September.
How did you get the ride on Toss Again?
He was bought at Tattersalls Ireland in November (from Henry de Bromhead). He’s a lovely looking black horse with a great temperament and my eyes lit up when I heard he was a pointer, but I though owner John Morrey would ride it himself.
Then I was told that John didn’t want to ride him first time and I’ll be forever grateful for that. He was my first winner, and that means the world. I’m so grateful to John, James and Jenny for giving me the opportunity.
Do you think you’ll be able to keep the ride?
He may be entered again at Higham on Saturday week. I’m not sure if I will, but I’ll just keep working hard and see where the wind blows!
How hard have you been finding it to get rides?
(Boris had his only other ride this season on Harpers Creek at Ampton for John Whyte).
It’s a struggle, as I’m new to East Anglia and there’s quite a lot of competition. James and Jenny have Conal Kavanagh as their stable novice, and he rides Aramax.
Which other horses in James and Jenny’s yard would you most like to ride?
(Classy flat winner and top juvenile hurdler) East India Dock, of course! I’d love to have a go on One Big Bang in a three-mile chase, and there’s also Secret Des Dieux.
Which other jockeys do you admire, both pointing and under rules?
In pointing, James King. I love the way he rides, and he’s successful under rules too.
When I was younger, I looked up to the likes of Tom Scudamore and A P McCoy. Now, it would be Tom Cannon. He’s so strong, and rides incredibly well.
Do you have a favourite point-to-point course?
I like Godstone. I pony raced there and enjoyed going round over fences. Charing is my local track and I had my first rides there, both pony racing and point-to-pointing.
What do you enjoy most about pointing?
It’s in my blood. My grandfather, John Ball, was into his hunting and was paddock announcer in the South East, where Dad built many of the fences.
For me, it’s about the thrill and the adrenalin, and your team-mates – the people you work with – having faith in you.
What are your ambitions in pointing and racing?
Cross-country racing is my favourite, so I’d love to ride in – and even win – one of the Glenfarclas chases at Cheltenham.
I’m stocky, and strongly built, and weigh 11st, so am too heavy to turn professional. But I’d like to get my Category B licence to ride against professionals and become known as a good amateur, with momentum behing me.
Are you a keen hunter? If so, what do you think will happen to pointing after a hunting ban?
I grew up hunting – we used to go out with the Grissells and the Marshalls with the East Sussex & Romney March. It would be a terrible shame (if it was banned) and I’d be devastated that a classic English tradition was wiped away.
Point-to-points are run by the hunts, and I’m not sure if we could run them as charity events, like they do at Sheriff Hutton for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance. Hopefully we can keep the name of the Hunts alive at least – for example, the East Sussex & Romney March Races – so our children could learn about what we used to do in the old days
What would you be doing if you weren’t involved with horses?
I’d be living in the Alps in the South of France, being a professional skier. I love my skiing – it’s my favourite sport in the world. Unfortunately, it falls in the middle of the point-to-point season!
More realistically, I’d probably be a land agent.
South East jockeys are renowned for their interesting names – before the brothers Cosmo and Boris Ball, we had Oswald and Quentin Wedmore! Why do you think that is?
Don’t forget we’ve also got a Sebastian (Mead)! Mum didn’t want to give Cosmo and I standard first names as we have quite a dull surname. I think she went to a town in Ireland called Borris when she was pregnant – maybe that’s the reason!
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