The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
The man behind the Cheltenham lens - Pat Healy
PAT IS ALWAYS THERE TO CAPTURE THE THRILLS AND SPILLS OF A SPORT THAT’S ANYTHING BUT PREDICTABLE “I have one or two favourite spots at Cheltenham, usually near a TV monitor. I’ll listen to the commentary without watching the action then occasionaly peep at the screen as the race comes to the boil.” – Paul Nicholls on his Cheltenham routine.
IT’S no exaggeration to say Pat Healy has probably witnessed more finish line smiles than perennial broadcaster, Jimmy Magee. If you don’t believe me, watch closely throughout Cheltenham and you’ll see every winning jockey giving the Listowel photographer a thumbs up seconds after crossing the famous finish line. And whether it’s Clonmel or Cheltenham, Kempton or Killarney, Pat is always there to capture the thrills and spills of a sport that’s anything but predictable.
But it helps when you’re part of a family synonymous with horse racing photography - both here and the UK. A love affair that started 42 years ago when his dad Liam set up ‘Healy Racing’ and built a widely respected reputation for himself within the world of horse racing.
Pat is preparing for his yearly migration across the Irish Sea for what will be his 28 Cheltenham Festival. So what exactly does a day at jump racing’s Mecca consist of for ‘Team Healy’?
“Liam and I will head over on the Monday and we’re at the track every morning at 9:30am and we don’t leave again until 9:30pm that night. It’s not a social event for us as we’ve got to make sure everything is done right and look after everything. The facilities at Cheltenham are excellent these days. It’s our biggest gig of the year as we’ve contracts with newspapers, magazines and websites and while it’s hard work, to be at the top of the Cheltenham hill and see the enjoyment and pleasure on the faces of the jockeys when they cross the line is just fantastic,” explained Pat.
Pat recalls a time when Cheltenham was much more of a social event and an easy going affair with jockeys and trainers less restricted when it came to merging the daily pressures of the racetrack with the Cheltenham nightlife. But as every sport knows nowadays, professionalism is boss.
“I’ve seen many changes over the years, but certainly the biggest change is the level of professionalism involved. I’m friends with a lot of the jockeys and trainers and when I first started going there it was so social. Having the Craic was very much part of it and from a work point of view, I was shooting film back then and didn’t have to develop it until I got home to Listowel on the Thursday night. So the nights were your own. There was great nights in places like the Golden Valley Hotel with games of cards and a few late drinks. Whereas now it’s all gone so professional, which I suppose is good in one way.”
Neither do you experience the thrills and spills of 27 Cheltenham Festivals without the magic having left its mark on your memory. Pat is fortunate to have witnessed some amazing mid-March moments under a Cotswolds sky and lived to tell the tale.
“I’m lucky in that I’m friends with some of the jockeys, especially Norman Williamson who in 1995 won the Champion Hurdle and Gold Cup double. We had a great party after the Gold Cup that year and finished up in London for two days! Charlie Swan is another good friend of mine and to see him win three Champion Hurdles with Istabraq was special. There’s so many memories and Danoli, Dorans Pride and Imperial Call are more occasions that spring to mind.
Pat continued: “Even last year I was so happy for Bryan Cooper winning the Gold Cup. What he went through with injury was unreal. I remember when he crossed the line my first thoughts were for his mom Geraldine who minded Bryan for six tough weeks after his horrible fall in 2014.”
Lastly, no mention of Healy Racing would be complete without a ‘tip of the hat’ to the man who made it possible. Sadly, Liam Snr died in July 2016 but his legacy lives on in the everyday racing shots that decorate our newspapers and social media feeds, thanks to Pat’s incalculable hours spent in racetracks and point-topoint fields. Pat’s siblings, Liam and Cathy, along with his nephew Kevin, now take up the mantle of Healy Racing.
“I owe everything to the boss. I always admired him as he had the courage to give up his job in Listowel to take a chance. North Kerry isn’t exactly a hotbed in the thoroughbred industry and to take the chance and make it work is testament to his vision. I owe it all to him and thankfully he gave me the opportunity to do something I love. He always had a saying: ‘love what you do; do what you love,’ and there’s few things I love more than being at Cheltenham in March.”