The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
I have never forgotten the feeling of coming back to the winner’s enclosure
The legendary Adrian Maguire chats with Stephen Fernane about his Cheltenham memories.
NORTH Cork has a story or two to tell in the history of steeplechasing. It’s the ancestral home of the sport after all. But it’s also a place where the story of one of the sport’s greatest jump jockeys can be heard. These days Adrian Maguire can be seen driving through the quiet country lanes around Lombardstown in Mallow where he is based as a trainer. “It’s a lot harder work, but I don’t mind it in the slightest,” he tells me.
Retired at 31 due to a serious neck injury after a fall at Warwick in 2002, doctors said Adrian was lucky to walk away. Retirement was the only option and people said life away from the saddle would be intolerable for Adrian. So does training cut the same ice as riding winners 15 years on?
“It actually does. It’s hard to explain but at times when you train a winner it’s probably that bit more satisfying than riding one. All the problems you have in trying to keep horses sound, it all comes together with a win. You feel you’ve done a good job for the horse and the owner. I get a great kick out of it.”
Perhaps it’s my own projection of Cheltenham enthusiasm that shades the conversation with Adrian but I admit to sensing magic in his voice at the mention of the word. “Winners in Cheltenham are never forgotten,” he says. “Especially an Irish winner given the crowds there. It’s the Olympics of our sport.”
As he talks, I can hear echoes of Cheltenham crowds and I see him storming up the hill on Omerta in 1991, Cool Ground in 1992 and Viking Flagship in 1994.
“I’ve never forgotten the feeling of coming back to that winner’s enclosure. It’s a very special place. From one year to the next, everyone gears themselves towards Cheltenham. You’d be focused when you’re riding there, but it’s not long before you start taking it all in when coming back to that enclosure on a winner.”
You quickly sense the connection Adrian has with Omerta. Winning the Kim Muir at the 1991 festival was followed up with an amazing win at Fairyhouse a month later. It’s the horse that set Adrian on the road to becoming a household name.
“He’s the horse that started me off, no question. He was my first winner at the festival and I went on to win a very memorable Irish Grand National in the same year with him. I know when Martin Pipe had him the horse broke down once or twice and I remember Martin telling me he used to train him in the swimming pool, just to keep his legs sound. He wasn’t a big horse either, but he was tough.”
The following year the ground opened up again for Adrian when outsider, Cool Ground won the Cheltenham Gold Cup seeing off Docklands Express and The Fellow. Adrian kept Cool Ground in contention down the hill and looked destined for a place.
But Maguire had the inside rail and encouraged him home. Trainer Toby Balding had planned the race as a prep run for the Aintree Grand National but later described it as one of the bravest runs that owed a lot to the forceful riding of Maguire.
“That might be true but you can’t go without them either,” is Adrian’s kudos to Cool Ground’s willingness to keep responding. “I was 20 and it was my first ride in the Gold Cup. I was a bit surprised when they decided to run him as he was 40/1. But he stuck his head out when it mattered.”
Most racing followers will mark Viking Flagship down as Adrian’s signature ride in the 1994 Champion Chase. Adrian’s silk cap flying from his helmet at the second last fence is a memory that stands out. “He was fantastic. The Queen Mother Champion Chase is a very special race at Cheltenham. He was a very tough little horse. He always tried his heart out and he jumped brilliantly. He had all the attributes needed in a horse to win around Cheltenham.”
Although an adopted Corkonian, Adrian was born in County Meath and his induction to the sport was through pony racing and point-to-pointing. He rode six point-to-point winners in one day at Dromahane in1991 and was crowned champion the same year.
He was revered by his fellow riders and was considered ‘the real McCoy’ long before AP McCoy. In his autobiography ‘Riding the Storm’, jockey Timmy Murphy said: “Everybody in the yard was a huge fan of Adrian… he was probably one of the major reasons why there was so many good young riders at Hourigan’s at the time.”
Michael Hourigan gave Adrian his first winner – Gladtogetit – in a bumper at Sligo in 1990. From there, Adrian went to the UK and rode 1,024 winners for such trainers as Martin Pipe, Toby Balding and David Nicholson.
“Martin Pipe was probably the one ahead of everyone. He brought training to a new level and he was very much the new age trainer. Brilliant as Balding and Nicholson were, Pipe upped the bar as far as records went,” Adrian said.
But as with all great journeys, one must ultimately return to the present and I ask what horse Adrian would most like to have a spin on around Cheltenham in a week’s time.
“Everyone would love to be riding Douvan. He’s something special. Nicky Henderson’s horse Altior also looks another good one and he’s the one to beat for me. As for the Gold Cup, it’s very open this year. There’s a chance there for everyone.”
You’ll hear countless tales in the coming days about the famous Cheltenham hill - its glories and many triumphs over man and beast. But high in that list of storytelling will always be Adrian Maguire. Cool as you like on sacred ground.
“Cheltenham is an incredible experience for any jockey, let alone a skinny teenager having his first ride. I didn’t say a word to anyone while I got ready in the weigh room. The biggest names in jump racing were all there.” - Paul Carberry on his first ride at Cheltenham in 1993.