Champion jockey and trainer Carberry had deep love for Kerry

“TOMMY always loved coming to Kerry and he is one of the reasons why I fell in love with this sport,” said Listowel racing photographer Pat Healy following the recent passing of Tommy Carberry. Tommy will go down in history for his epic partnership with L’Escargot and the champion jockey was no stranger to Kerry during the height of his career.

“As a kid I remember going to Killarney, Tralee and Listowel races with my dad watching him and being in awe of him. I used to follow him from the weigh room to the parade ring and one day he said to me: ‘hello young fella’. That made my day. He was a real legend and to have become friends with him in later life was just fantastic. People like AP McCoy and Richard Hughes were at his funeral which tells you something of how well liked and respected he was,” said Pat.

Tommy Carberry rode as an apprentice in Kerry in the 195859 seasons and at Ballybeggan in 1969 famously won the Paget Cup and Blennerhasset Cup for the Dan Moore trained ‘Kilcoo’ and ‘Her Heritage’ (Dan was also Tommy’s father-in-law).

He won the Kerry National in 1970 aboard Money Point and in 1975 finished 2nd in the race on L’Escargot when the famous horse came out of retirement – a horse he won the Aintree Grand National on ahead of Red Rum in 1975 and Cheltenham Gold Cups in 1970 and 1971. Carberry also won the Gold Cup in 1975 on Ten Up (the forgotten horse)

In 1982, a fall in a hurdle race at Listowel’s June meeting ended Tommy’s career when he suffered a punctured lung and broken ribs. He was in intensive care and required a ventilator for six weeks and doctors advised him to give up riding. As an aside, on the way to St Catherine’s Hospital that day, the ambulance made a stop-off to pick up a woman who was heavily pregnant and in labour.

In 1983 Tommy returned to Listowel, this time as trainer, and with his first ever runner in the old race won the Guinness Kerry National with Royal Appointment at odds of 16/1.

“He was a born horseman and he leaves behind a strong family legacy. He was a gentleman and a proper racing man. He’ll be missed,” Pat concluded.

Picture Connolly Collection Brown Lad with jockey Tommy Carberry after winning the Irish Grand National for the second consecutive year in 1976.

Photo by Ray McManus Trainer Tommy Carberry pictured in 1985.