Ballymac’s McDermott excels on both sides of The Pond
horses get sold to the US so in that sense it’s the same. The racing takes place mainly up and down the east coast starting in late March when the weather eases. We start off in the south-eastern states before moving up through places like Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania in late spring. Then in summer it quietens down again for a few weeks as the ground gets too hard. The cards are mixed and pretty much like you’d get in Killarney and Listowel except it’s in places like Saratoga, Belmont, Boston, Sussex Downs, and Philadelphia Park,” Sean said.
Sean won his first Grade 1 in Belmont Park last year on a horse that won its point-topoint in Kildorrey Co. Cork. Scorpiancer was initially sold to trainer Rebecca Curtis in the UK and was later brought to America where everything clicked one day for Sean and Scorpiancer when winning the $150,000 race. “It was great to win a Grade 1 on him. He had his problems in the past but a change of scenery probably freshened him I reckon.”
A few weeks later the partnership went close again. This time in the American Grand National at Fair Hills Racetrack, New Jersey. But they had to settle for second place that day after pushing Ruby Walsh and Rawnaq all the way to the line.
“I had actually ridden Rawnaq in the past and the opportunity had come up to ride him a few times, but I’m retained by trainer Jack Fisher. That Grade 1 was as good as anything you’d get in Leopardstown and it’s great to see American racing getting more exposure. There’s huge potential for jump racing in America,” Sean explained.
But before it came to riding winners in the New World, Sean learned his trade in the old one. He started out show jumping before upping the ante in the point-to-point fields. The late Mike McDermott knew a thing or two about horses and it’s thanks to his dad that Sean first picked up the reins of a future he now loves.
“Dad started me show jumping and we always had horses at home growing up. After a few years I just wanted to go racing. I guess when dad died I was at a bit of a crossroads and I really wanted to apply myself to jump racing. Tom Cooper helped me out at the start and from there I went to Mick Halford in the Curragh. I was also apprentice for Pat Fahy in Carlow and rode a lot of winners for him. I had a lot of injuries when I was younger which wasn’t ideal. But I just loved the feel of being a jump jockey.”
And so we come to Cheltenham, a place Sean knows well having ridden there many times, including at the festival. So, what does the Mecca of jump racing mean to Sean McDermott?
“I rode around there a few times and it’s a good feeling. Personally, I’ve always loved the early mornings at Cheltenham. Generally, when I go there I help out Willie Mullins and there’s just something about the place at morning time as it slowly comes alive and the anticipation is in the air. You’re riding out these star horses in the morning who might not be stars come the evening. I speak to all the lads and even the likes of Ruby - given all he’s achieved there - he still gets nervous. Cheltenham is just that kind of a place.”