The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Scaling the heights of Cheltenham success for Tralee’s Phillip Enright
PHILLIP Enright is a jockey who seems to relish the idea of producing memorable winners a long way from home. His first career win was in Downpatrick in August 2005 and he did it again last October when travelling to the Cotswolds for Cheltenham’s October meeting. Up to that point Phillip had ridden three times around Cheltenham without a win. So to have broken the Prestbury Park duck aboard the Henry De Bromhead trained, Heron Heights, must have given the Cork-based jockey an amazing feel.
“It was great to ride a winner at Cheltenham and it must be unbelievable to ride one at the festival. Anyone that rides a winner there always says they get a great kick from it. I certainly did anyway. It was only the Octo- ber meeting, but at the same time it was nice to do it.”
But Phillip is modest in the extreme as everyone knows some of the best Cheltenham Festival plans are hatched during those twilight autumn meetings when trainers and jockeys try to decipher what might run best come the spring. Heron Heights has entries in the JT McNamara Chase and RSA Chase. So what are his chances?
“Ever since that day Henry said he’d go back there in March with him. It’s a big step up in class again but I actually think he’ll prefer the March ground even more.”
The young Tralee man has spent the bones of 10 years with Cork trainer Robert Tyner notching over 92 winners for the Kinsale handler. But Phillip has rode winners for a host of other trainers too, most memorably his back-to-back wins in the Thyestes Chase in ’08 and ’09, courtesy of the Tom O’Leary trained, Priests Leap.
“Robert (Tyner) has been unbelievably good to me and he really got me on the road. I spent a year point-to-pointing with Pat Doyle and another year with Michael Hourigan.
That all stood to me and I’m with Robert now over 10 years. But prior to all that I started in Kennedy’s Equestrian Centre in Tralee doing show jumping. Niki O’Shea was riding out for Tom Cooper at the time and he asked me to come up.
From there I ended up riding out at Tom’s for three years while at school. I guess you could say I was bitten by the bug.”
These days Phillip is more familiar with the term ‘schooling horses’, but his Cheltenham memories recall a time when ‘horses at school’ was more the case.
“It’s true. When I was in school one of my teachers in 5th class was mad for the horses as well. For the week of Cheltenham he would bring in a TV to the class and we’d watch the first race live. It was some feeling,” he laughs.
So what does the mind’s eye see first when it comes to refreshing those precious Cheltenham moments?
“Edredon Bleu and Direct Route in 2000 is one of the first Cheltenham races that stands out. It was such an unbelievable battle in the Queen Mother Champion Chase. Total Enjoyment is another very special one and to have a big Cheltenham winner from Tralee - and knowing Tom so well - was brilliant.
Tom is an unbelievable trainer and it’s a pity he doesn’t get as many horses as he deserves. In fairness to Tom, he took us all on at some stage and gave us a chance in the sport.”
Phillip admits he mightn’t have too much involvement in the festival hooley at Cheltenham and that Douvan is the horse they’ve all got to live up to.
By the same token, I bet there won’t be many in Phillip’s corner next week who can say they rode a Cheltenham winner. Phillip can, and that’s worth travelling any distance to achieve at any time in the year.
“As we started to come down the hill Istabraq was running a bit lazily. I shook the reins at him and he suddenly came alive.” – Charlie Swan in 2000 talking about Istabraq’s historic third Champion Hurdle win. ANYONE THAT RIDES A WINNER AT CHELTENHAM ALWAYS SAY THEY GET A GREAT KICK FROM IT