IRISH GRAND NATIONAL EXHIBITION IN STORE PLUS REST OF THE EASTER MONDAY RACING
HE was far from a household name heading to Fairyhouse but Coleraine jockey Jody Mcgarvey left the Meath track yesterday as the hero of the hour having bagged a famous Grade One double on his red-letter day.
It’s four years since Mcgarvey landed his sole top-flight success aboard Great Field and two in one day was “unbelievable”, he said, as he led home a Willie Mullins 1-2-3 aboard Janidil (12/1) in the Underwriting Exchange Gold Cup Novice Chase.
The 30-year-old has been a regular ally of JP Mcmanus in recent seasons and he soared in the green and gold hoops to fend off stablemates Franco De Port (8/1) and Asterion Forlonge (7/4 favourite) on an extraordinary day for him.
“It’s a dream come true,” Mcgarvey said. “I don’t have a top job so I’m not riding these horses regularly and when I do get the chance, you really do appreciate it. I know how hard it is and there’s lads that would give their left arm to be standing where I am.
“I wanted to be a jockey since I was a little boy. I’ve had a good auld time up until now but never really hit the heights and then winning two races at the highest level on a big weekend like this really is a dream come true because I know how hard it is.”
Mcgarvey, one of the most popular jockeys in the weighing room, insisted “it’s no harm” that the pubs are shut to temper his celebrations ahead of partnering Jerrysback in the Irish Grand National today.
The Coleraine rider also excelled as Skyace (4/1 joint-favourite) produced the latest chapter of her fairytale career to hand John ‘Shark’ Hanlon his first Grade One triumph in the Mares Novice Hurdle Championship Final.
Having been purchased from Mullins for a paltry £600, few could have envisaged that the sixyear-old would scale such heights as she held off Gauloise (5/1) by half a length to confirm his trainer’s bullish comments pre-race.
“Everyone wants to have one Grade One winner and for me it’s great. I think it’s great for racing as anyone can see now that you can buy a horse cheaply, get a syndicate together and have some fun,” said Hanlon.
“The owners are two lads from Dublin, a lad from Wexford and the rest are all from Dubai. There are 100 sitting down today in Dubai for a meal and I’m sure there will be great excitement. I thought that she couldn’t get beat.”
Mcgarvey added: “It’s a pure fairytale.
“Every time she kept winning nobody could believe it and everybody kept underestimating her. She’s come here and she’s proved that she is that good.”
Mullins may have made a rare mistake in letting Skyace go for peanuts but the champion trainer still managed a 137/1 four-timer with Echoes In Rain (2/1 joint-favourite) oozing class in the Grade Two Paddy Kehoe Suspended Ceilings Novice Hurdle.