The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
‘I just closed my eyes, I was so nervous...’
A year ago this week Jack Kennedy rode his first Cheltenham winner as parents Liz and Billy watched from the stands. Stephen Fernane chats to them about their memories of that special day
BOB Dylan once said ‘take care of all your memories for you can’t relive them’ which is a bit how Billy and Liz Kennedy must feel right now as they reflect on the day Jack rode his first winner at the Cheltenham Festival. Jack’s still busy making memories, but you can only ride your first winner at the world’s most famous festival once.
No one gave 33/1 shot Labaik a chance that day. A horse with a reputation for making a show of himself by not starting his races seemed destined for an ‘also ran’ tag. But sometimes jump racing can make the gods nod in defiance of logic.
Watching Jack cross the finish line in front of 30,000 baying spectators is enough to put emotions in a tailspin and Jack’s Cheltenham Coronation is as clear today as it was twelve months ago for his mom and dad.
“I went off on my own when the race started and closed my eyes as I was just so nervous,” said Liz.
“I was praying the horse would start and Jack would get around safely. When I heard the commentator on the loudspeaker say ‘Labaik is coming on the outside’ I opened my eyes and just started roaring my head off, ‘come on Jack, come on’.”
The day was also hugely emotional for Billy who must have found himself thinking back to where it all started in Ballintaggart Racecourse when he and Jack ruled the pony racing circuit.
“It was just an unbelievable feeling as we weren’t expecting it. I was up in the stand and it was lovely to see his first winner there. Jack is always good at getting a horse to settle and it showed that day,” he said.
Immediately after the race a group of the happiest faces you will ever see at Cheltenham turned the parade ring into a little corner of Dingle as Liz and Billy shared the moment with close friends and family.
“Sean Moriarty and his wife Katy; Sean’s sisters Lisa, Martina, and Tom Sullivan were with us. I’d say there was about nine in total. It was just incredible. We went our separate ways to watch the race as we were all too nervous. The emotion got the better of us and we were all crying after it. We were on cloud nine for the day,” Liz added.
Much has already been said and written about the young Monacappa man’s desire to be a jockey. But Liz recalls a time when even Santa played a part in helping Jack achieve his dream. His first ever pony was Pair Of Jacks and they turned more sharp corners together in the pony tracks of Ireland than a Formula One team.
“Everything he ever wanted from Santa since he was 3 or 4 had to do with horses. One year he even wanted a pair of blinkers, even though he didn’t have a pony. Eventually he took riding lessons and we bought him a pony. He spent all his time in the paddock by the side of the house making his own jumps. After school he’d just drop his bag, tack his pony, and off he’d go.”
Jack wanted to be a flat jockey when starting out and the three-time pony champion was learning his trade from fellow Kerry legend Tommy Stack. But Gordon Elliott also had his sights set on acquiring Jack’s talent for Cullentra House Stables. Jack joined Gordon’s when he was 15 and hasn’t looked back since.
“Jack and his brother Paddy were at the horse sales one day when Gordon approached him asking when he was coming up to join him. Jack was about 13 or 14 and didn’t think anything of it at the time. But Paddy later told us that Gordon was serious. It proved the best move Jack ever made,” Billy said.
The Kennedy’s story is a unique one given there’s no horseracing link in the family. To have two sons as jockeys and another a trainer is a remarkable achievement. Success is all about family for the Kennedy’s and at the time of writing Jack has ridden 55 winners and Paddy 15. Paddy is attached to Jessica Harrington’s yard and also won twice this season on Touch of Gold, a mare trained by his brother Michael. Jack’s other brother David resides in the US and he travelled from Boston to New Jersey to watch Jack win the Foxbrook Champion Hurdle on Zanjabeel last October.
“My grandfather would have kept horses when I was younger but Jack and the boys would never have seen them. Billy’s grandfather also had an old work horse. That was about the extent of it. Once the lads showed an interest though we always encouraged it,” Liz said.
Billy has been behind his sons’ interest in horses from the get-go. Rising at dawn to make sure the horses were ridden out before the boys started school and training them, Billy is very much the mortar that helped build the boys’ careers and a case in point is the 2014 Dingle Derby when Jack rode Coola Boola - trained by his dad - to victory.
“We started training the ponies ourselves here at home and we had a great couple of years with them. Jack has a great set of hands on him and a great racing brain. I’m very proud of the boys and all they’ve achieved in the sport,” Billy said.
The Kennedy’s are all set for a trip to the Cotswolds again next week. But no matter what highs and lows the trip offers, Jack and Labaik will always be a length in front when it comes to special memories.