Paddy Merrigan has made up with Peter Bowen after admitting he 'couldn't take' losing the rides on Special Envoy and Souffleur.
Young jockey apologises to boss after going AWOL
Paddy Merrigan has made up with Peter Bowen after admitting he 'couldn't take' losing the rides on Special Envoy and Souffleur.
The talented young rider, who recently lost the lead in the conditional jockeys' title, went missing over the festive period after being 'jocked-off' two of Bowen's stable stars.
The Irishman is attached to the Haverfordwest yard and is delighted to have cleared the air with the trainer, whom he hopes will continue to back him.
"Thank God Mr Bowen has given me another chance," he told At The Races. "I went down there and had a chat with him yesterday and he's just been great again.
"I'll keep my head down now, I've apologised if I've upset anyone or done anything wrong and all I want to do now is put it behind me. I will hopefully be riding for Mr Bowen shortly."
Mistakes
Referring to the decision to replace him aboard both Special Envoy and Grade One winner Souffleur, Merrigan added: "You have to take it on the chin - there's a lot of people involved in these decisions.
"Whether I'm a bad person or not I don't know, I'm guilty of handling the situation wrong. I'm young, I'm going to make mistakes - what can I do.
"When things didn't happen for me, I couldn't really take it and I needed time to take it. I've learned a lot from it and I'm a better person for it.
"You never think it will happen to you, but when you're taken off good horses it's not easy to say take it on the chin and walk away.
"When I was taken off good horses, I didn't know what to do, it took me a couple of weeks to get over it.
"I handled the situation badly and it definitely won't happen again."
