He began his career in racing with Paul Gilligan before joining Paul Nolan when he was sixteen. It was Nolan who got him going. He started by riding on the Flat before taking out a jump jockey’s licence.
He rode his first important winner when a 7lb claimer on the Nolan-trained Square Ball in the Kilkenny Handicap Hurdle at Gowran Park on 6 October 2007. The following year he rode another of Nolan’s horses, Alpha Ridge, to win the Listed Newenham Mulligan Novice Hurdle at Limerick in November and the Grade 3 European Breeders Fund Novice Hurdle at Cork in November.
Thanks mainly to Paul Nolan’s support, Alain went on to be champion conditional jockey in Ireland. Nolan also provided him with three Grade 1 winners during the 2009/10 season, most notably the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase and Leopardstown’s Hennessy Gold Cup on Joncol, the other being the Barry and Sandra Kelly Memorial Novice Hurdle at Navan on Shinrock Paddy. He also rode Shinrock Paddy to win the following season’s Grade 3 Limestone Lad Hurdle at Naas.
He crossed the Irish Sea to ply his trade in Britain in 2011 and registered his first major English success in the Grade 2 Dipper Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham on Champion Court for trainer Martin Keighley on New Year’s Day 2012.
In January 2016 he won the valuable bet365 Handicap Chase at Ascot on 25-1 outsider Dare Me for Venetia Williams.
Alain enjoyed his best season in 2018/19 with 25 wins and, based at Catterick, built up a successful association with Middleham trainer Micky Hammond. However, he also suffered his share of injuries, including a fractured pelvis when the Hammond-trained Swarez suffered a fatal fall in a novice handicap chase at Southwell in August 2020.
In March 2021 he landed a gamble for trainer Emmet Mullins when guiding The Shunter to victory in the richly-endowed Morebattle Hurdle at Kelso.
Alain rode more than 230 winners, retiring on a winning note when partnering the Micky Hammond-trained Rory And Me in a 2m 2½f maiden hurdle at Market Rasen on 3 June 2022, revealing his intention to start a new career as a jockeys’ agent.
“It’s great to go out on a winner,” he reflected. “I’ve got an opportunity of being an agent for some of the lads – Aidan Coleman, Richie McLernon. I love riding. I wasn’t really ready to give up, but looking at the picture down the line I thought it was an opportunity I had to take right now.
"I'm happy to go out of the game riding as well as I have done for a long time. I’ve had a great career. I've loved every minute of it. I've been living my dream now for 15 to 18 years.
“I’ve ridden some good horses in some good races. I’m proud of what I’ve done in the game with no horse background. I’m happy and content, even though it’s a bit too soon, but it’s for an opportunity that I couldn't resist."
Alain Cawley’s major wins were:
2007: Kilkenny Handicap Hurdle – Square Ball
2008: Newenham Mulligan Novice Hurdle – Alpha Ridge
2008: European Breeders Fund Novice Hurdle – Alpha Ridge
2008: Proudstown Handicap Hurdle – Our Eric
2009: John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase – Joncol
2009: Barry and Sandra Kelly Memorial Novice Hurdle – Shinrock Paddy
2009: Horse & Jockey Hotel Hurdle – Chicago Grey
2020: Hennessy Gold Cup Chase – Joncol
2011: Limestone Lad Hurdle – Shinrock Paddy
2012: Dipper Novices’ Chase – Champion Court
2016: bet365 Handicap Chase – Dare Me
2017: Nickel Coin Mares’ National Hunt Flat Race – Dame Rose
2021: Morebattle Handicap Hurdle – The Shunter
2021: Cazoo Hurdle – Top Ville Ben
