The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Kerry jockeys enjoyed plenty of success in truncated season
IT’S fair to say the abrupt end to the 2019-20 National Hunt season will be met with mixed feelings by Kerry’s jump jockeys. On the one hand is Jack Kennedy, whose leg break at the Dublin Racing Festival in February drew a tragic line through his season. Needless to say Kennedy will be pleased to see the back of the season.
On the flip side, Philip Enright, Paddy
Kennedy and the Brouder brothers – Gavin, Gearoid and Kevin - were all in scintillating form throughout the season and would have loved to have ridden out the remainder of the campaign.
With Robbie Power now riding more for trainer Colin Tizzard in the UK, Paddy Kennedy gained extra opportunities for trainer Jessica Harrington. Paddy was riding better than ever this season and notched six wins to his credit.
Philip Enright also enjoyed one of the best seasons of his career, to date, finishing with 37 wins. Likewise, Kevin Brouder stamped his arrival on the jump racing scene finishing with 40 wins (sixth in the overall Irish Jump Jockeys Championship). Two memorable wins at the Dublin Racing Festival and a third place finish in the Coral Cup - his first ride at the Cheltenham Festival - are Kevin’s stand out moments.
The Bryan Cooper/Paul Nolan partnership continued with Bryan finishing on 11 wins, while conditional riders Gearoid and Gavin Brouder both enjoyed consistent seasons. The latter finished fourth in the Coral Cup at Cheltenham and also scored notable wins for trainer Gordon Elliott this season.
Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) called a halt to the 2019-2020 jumps season a full month before its usual end, and two of the biggest attractions of the year have been lost: the €500k 150th Boylesport Irish Grand National, and the €3.2 million Punchestown Festival featuring a whole host of Grade 1 races.
Apart from the National, these races will not be rescheduled.
No date has been fixed for the start of the summer jumps programme, but it will be a while as it has been decided that when racing is allowed again, probably behind closed doors initially, the first month will be devoted to flat racing.
HRI chief executive Brian Kavanagh said that work was continuing on a target date for the resumption of racing on the flat, and he warned of the economic implications for the racing industry of the disruptions.
“Like many other sectors, the racing and breeding industry in Ireland will take a seismic economic blow from the fall-out of Covid-19,” he said.
The British Horse Racing Authority has adopted a similar strategy, and they have decided that the jumps will not resume over there until July 1.
For official purposes, the season ended at Clonmel on March 24 and the standings then decided who won the various championships.
Unsurprisingly, 63-year-old Willie Mullins is leading trainer for the 14th time in all, and for the 13th season in a row, since he began training in 1988.
Gordon Elliott filled the runner-up spot for the eighth year in a row, just a little over €100k behind Mullins, who also trained most winners, 165 to Elliott’s 157.
Paul Townend retained the jockeys’ title with 104 winners, from Davy Russell (69) and Rachael Blackmore (48).
Pat Mullins was leading amateur again, and leading conditional was Darragh O’Keeffe (48).