MICHAEL KINANE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

How well have you adapted to life out of the saddle?
Very well. Obviously I’m not going racing every day anymore and I do miss the camaraderie in the weighing room, but I don’t miss the day-to-day grind of riding. I’m riding work a couple of days a week at John Oxx’s to keep fit and I have my farm at home, so I’m kept busy.

Looking back, would you change anything about your riding career?
No. I’ve never been one to look back. You make your decisions and move on.

What horse are you looking forward to watching this year?
Fame And Glory. It was good to see him bounce back at Leopardstown and he should have an exciting four-year-old campaign.

Favourite non-racing pastime?
I find boating and fishing very relaxing.

Favourite fishing spot?
Lough Derg.

What has been your biggest catch?
I’m only getting the hang of it – they haven’t been that big!

Favourite spectator sport outside of racing?
I enjoy most ball sports, especially hurling and football. Hopefully I will have time to get to a few more of Tipperary’s hurling matches this year.

Can Tipperary win this year’s All-Ireland?
They were very close last year, so they don’t have to get much better. If they can improve as much as they did from the year before to last year, they have a great chance.

Will you watch the Champions’ League Final?
Absolutely.

Who do you fancy, Inter Milan or Bayern Munich?
I have a funny feeling about Bayern. It’s going to be very hard to beat Inter, but I think Bayern have a bit of pedigree and are very hardy. It’s going to be fascinating.

Favourite soccer team?
Manchester United

Favourite player?
Wayne Rooney

Who will win the World Cup?
Argentina.

Favourite film?
The Bucket List.

If you hadn’t been a jockey, what would you have been?
Hard to imagine anything else because I never had to give it any thought. I was lucky enough to live the dream.

Best non-racing moment?
Getting married – once I got used to it!

Are you afraid of anything?
I’m not a very strong swimmer so I had a bit of a fear of deep water, but I did have a go at deep-sea diving so it’s something that I’ve faced up to.

Masterminded subject?
Pass!

Did you have a hero growing up?
My Dad was very influential and I always looked up to Lester Piggott.

Best piece of advice you ever received?
Believe in yourself, which isn’t always easy in sport.