Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
I’m better for a bet at festival
Mccririck fights back from illness
JOHN Mccririck has battled back from a mystery illness to return to work at the Cheltenham Festival.
The legendary racing pundit, 77, started having issues with his legs and speech over Christmas and has since been very weak.
Doctors were initially baffled but it is now believed he had severe flu.
There were rumours Mccririck would not make it to Cheltenham but he defied the odds and headed there with wife Jenny yesterday. He said: “I had terrible flu and it really got to my legs and voice – it was awful. It’s hard to recover from and I’m not fully fit. But I’m Cheltenham-bound and we’re booked in for all four days.”
Tipster Mccririck, who spent a night in hospital after falling ill at Cheltenham in 2013, is synonymous with the festival for racing fans, having covered it for various broadcasters since the 1960s.
But he admits he has been struggling to find winners lately and added: “I need something to win at Cheltenham, I can tell you.”