The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Top 2017 for Kennedy bolstered by epic Cheltenham
“HOPEFULLY I can get the win, but just getting a few more rides than last year would do,” is how Jack Kennedy expressed his wish to ride a winner at the Cheltenham Festival when speaking to him back in February. Less than three weeks after that interview, in the very first race on the opening day of the festival, Jack fulfilled his dream in scintillating fashion.
Time will always stand still whenever Jack decides to reflect on Tuesday, March 14 at around 1.34pm: there he’ll be sitting handy at the top of the hill on 25/1 shot Labaik for trainer Gordan Elliott in the ultra-competitive Supreme Novices’ Hurdle. Rounding for home at the bottom of the hill, Jack and Labaik see an opening and make ground.
All eyes are on Jack in the distinctive orange silks which stand out against the grey Labaik. He sees a stride and cuts through the field. Crossing the winning post he punches the air wearing a smile wider than Wyoming. Some disagreed over whether Labaik was that good; all agreed it marked the first of many Cheltenham wins for Jack.
One of the biggest challenges in reviewing Jack Kennedy’s year is figuring out where to start, as Jack’s trajectory of success is all about acceleration rather than the sort of measured progress you’d expect in a competitive sport like NH racing. Everyone has their own starting point as to when Jack first flagged his intention to be a star of the turf. Shrewd observers claimed to have seen the beginnings of greatness when Jack, knee high to a grasshopper, won the Dingle Derby, while others point to the treble at Navan in November 2015 when he won the Troyton Chase for Gordon Elliott and owner JP McManus. That day’s treble marked a spell of 7 wins in 10 rides – a phenomenal run of form for the then 16-year-old. This was the day he well and truly grabbed the racing world’s attention and he hasn’t let go since.
Jack’s highlight of the 2017 season begins in the dying days of 2016 when on December 28 at Leopardstown he won his first Grade 1 in the Lexus Chase on 11/1 shot, Outlander, which, as luck would have it, was also Jack’s 100th win of his career. Speaking about his protégé after the race Gordon Elliott said, “He’s a big part of the team at home and he’s my man. I’m delighted for him.” Ever the wise one is Elliott when it comes to spotting a good thing.
A second Grade 1 followed in The Lawlor’s Hotel Novice Hurdle at Nass on January 8 when Jack steered the impressive Death Duty to victory. Jack’s season was cut short early in May after a crushing fall at Punchestown fractured his left femur - the second time he fractured his leg inside 12 months. Jack was side-lined until late August and his first win on his return came in Downpatrick on August 28 aboard Polymath.
This summer also brought the shock news of Gold Cup winning jockey Bryan Cooper’s demotion as first choice rider for Gigginstown. Much of Bryan’s focus is now cross channel where he rides for trainer Colin Tizzard and the Tralee man has some exciting prospects in Finian’s Oscar and Fox Norton. But Bryan’s departure ultimately meant more opportunities for Kennedy and the Dingle man had no intention of looking this gift horse in the mouth.
In October the dynamic duo of Elliott and Kennedy continued their rich vein of form in the US, this time at the Far Hills race meeting in New Jersey where Jack rode Zajabell to win a novice hurdle worth $125k.
In November he rode an incredible 5 winners in 24 hours, a double at Nass on Saturday followed by a treble at Navan on Sunday - a feat that included 3 graded races for Gordan Elliott. The Nass double came courtesy of Ball D’Arc and Mossbank, while at Navan, Mengali Khan, Apple’s Jade and Clarcam rounded off a memorable treble.
In early December Kennedy produced another double at Fairyhouse, again with Mengali Khan and Apple’s Jade. Jack is also enjoying a spin on Samcro these days, an impressive winner of his maiden and novice hurdle having also won three NH flat races in succession. Samcro even prompted the normally reserved Jack to reveal to RTE Sport that the horse is the best he has ridden. ‘Whatever he does over hurdles, he looks to be better again chasing. There is just something different about Samcro,’ Jack said.
Lastly, when Jack isn’t busy churning out doubles and trebles faster than Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor, he tends to spend his time honing his Cossack horsemanship skills. Jack made spectacular headlines at Clonmel in December when, after clearing a fence in a beginners’ chase, he lost his balance. Holding on to the horse’s neck as though his life depended on it, Jack made a miraculous recovery to get himself straight again on the Elliott-trained Robin Des Mana. And if all that wasn’t dramatic enough, he steadied the horse, got him jumping again, and won the race with a wry smile on his face. It’s now known as the ‘Miracle of Clonmel’ and fellow jockey Davy Russell jokingly tweeted after the race: ‘Better to be born lucky than rich, Jack.’
It’s been an epic 2017 for Jack Kennedy and chances are that by the time you read this he’ll already be off somewhere upping the ante and making headlines faster than it takes to say ‘winner alright’. It’s what the Dingle man does best.