Legend Carberry dies
TOMMY CARBERRY, one of the great legends in the saddle, died yesterday aged 75. Carberry was one of the few to have ridden and trained the winner of the Grand National.
The popular Irishman rode L’Escargot to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1970 and 1971 and partnered him him to beat Red Rum in the 1975 Grand National.
He also won the Gold Cup on Ten Up in 1975 and was robbed of a fourth victory in the 1980 race on Tied Cottage after the horse failed a dope test owing to a batch of contaminated feed.
In his native Ireland there were two victories in the Irish Grand National on Brown Lad in 1975 and 1976.
He also rode with distinction on the Flat, winning the Joe McGrath Memorial Stakes on Fordham, for Vincent O’Brien, at Leopardstown in 1979.
Following his retirement from the saddle, Carberry trained Bobbyjo to win the 1999 Grand National with his son Paul in the saddle.
“He passed away just before lunchtime today,” said Paul. “He’d been ill for a while and fought it for a long time.
“He gave me a Grand National winner and has been great for Irish racing. He got the best out of everything he produced.”
Noel Meade, who employed Paul as his stable jockey along with his sister, Nina, the talented amateur rider, said: “He was a legend, and a hero of mine from when I was a kid.
“He rode the first winner I had at Galway on Larks Venture. I think it was just the second winner I’d had at the time after Tu Va, and he rode a good few for me.
“I always enjoyed meeting him, and going for a drink with him. He was a genius in the saddle, and Paul was very like him. He was nearly a carbon copy of him.
“Tommy could ride a horse to win from the front one day, and hold him up and win the next day.
“He was a fabulous tactician and judge of pace, and just had that natural talent that is so hard to come by – it is bred in him. It was fantastic to see him train Bobbyjo to win the National.
“He didn’t have many bullets to fire as a trainer, and to win one of the greatest races of all was fantastic.
“To have Paul riding him made it all the more special.
“When they came home after Bobbyjo won the National it was a magic day. They celebrated long and hard.”
Carberry is survived by his widow, Pamela, sons Thomas, Paul, Philip, Peter and Mark and daughter Nina.
All his children, with the exception of Mark – who is a carpenter – became talented riders.