Speculation had been rife in the press that Brennan had already taken up the post from the departing Graham Lee, but Wylie then came out to rubbish reports that any such agreement had been reached.

"We haven't secured Paddy, we've only had him for two or three horses so far. We'd like to though, and hopefully that will happen over the next two or three months. There will be plenty of jockeys we can approach, but hopefully Paddy will be the main jockey next season."

Galway man Lee had effectively been in the position for the past few seasons, but he has since taken up a position as first jockey to trainer English-based Tipperary man Ferdy Murphy, news which came as a shock to Wylie.

"I was amazed. I was away in Majorca and it all happened very quickly. I was playing golf and I got a phone call on the ninth tee from Graham.

He just said he had been offered a job by Ferdy and he had taken it and I was the first to know."

Wylie said that Lee's illness, a virus which has kept him out of the saddle for the last month, had precipitated Johnson's decision to look for another top jockey to ride the yard's powerful string. A decision which had spawned the Brennan rumours.

Brennan is currently number two to Richard Johnson at Philip Hobbs's yard, but he did ride Iron Man to finish second at Perth on Thursday for Wylie and Johnson. "He's a good jockey, Howard likes him a lot, so fingers crossed he rides for us next season, " Wylie added.