BOURNE TO RUN
Being first Scottish trainer at Melbourne Cup is Oz-some but we haven’t flown Nakeeta to the other side of the world to make up numbers. I’m here to bring the trophy home SAYS IAIN JARDINE
IAIN JARDINE had legendary former BBC rugby commentator Bill McLaren as his PE teacher at school.
With that background there was always a chance he’d end up heading to Australia to take on a huge sporting challenge as a British Lion or a Scotland star taking on the Wallabies.
Jardine, though, took Hawick’s other well-worn path to sporting stardom.
And through the town’s association with horse racing, this brilliant Borders mastermind has made it Down Under for another massive sporting occasion.
The Melbourne Cup is the race which stops an entire nation – it’s a public holiday in some parts of the country.
The contest is worth a staggering £6million and almost 100,000 spectators will flock to Flemington Park on Tuesday to be part of the special event.
Right in the middle of the mayhem, Jardine and his stable star Nakeeta will fly the Saltire for the very first time.
The 41-year-old will become the first Scottish trainer to be represented in the showpiece and admits his appearance comes down to ambition, talent, hard work and a connection to the past dating back to the Battle of Flodden in 1513.
Jardine told Record Sport: “I’m from Hawick and Bill McLaren was my PE teacher at school.
“He encouraged all the lads to play rugby but I couldn’t catch the ball.
“I was too wee to tackle as well. I was nippy and would have been decent had I been able to catch the ball or pass it.
“I’ll be honest, there are so many jockeys that have come from Hawick it’s unreal. I could name about 10 right away.
“If you didn’t play rugby you rode horses. It’s either or.
“They have the common riding there. It’s a tradition to do with the Battle of Flodden every May and June.
“There are 400 horses riding around in the parade and they have racing. It’s incredible.
“That’s where I got my taste of horses as a young boy, like many others from Hawick.”
Jardine’s passion first made him a national hunt jockey. He was never an AP McCoy or a John Francome but made a fine name for himself on the northern scene.
He said: “I really enjoyed it. I loved riding out. Still do. It was hard work.
“I was super fit by going to the gym and running but I struggled with the weight. That’s a hellish side to the job.
“Some of the boys have to diet badly and it has put a lot of boys out of the game. I was a lot younger when I was a jockey and, if I could turn back the clock, I would have been a better person. I was a bit too deep, didn’t say a lot and didn’t push myself the way I should’ve done.
“I was quite shy but I’m 40-odd now and it takes a while to wisen up.
“Don’t be scared to speak, push forward. If I’d done that more when I was younger I might have done better as a jockey.
“But I was happy with what I achieved and I got respect.
“I didn’t think of training, it was just the way it worked out. I got a bit of a name for myself by breaking-in horses and a few of them were sent to me after sales, young horses.
“I had a wee business doing that to start with and then I got a couple to train for point-topoints, which I did well with.
“I got a couple of older horses to win and landed a couple of touches.
“I think I trained about 20 point winners in the space of two or three seasons.
“At that time I thought: ‘I’m doing the hard bit here, I might as well have a go myself.’ When you are in the game, training or riding, it’s all you know.
“I wasn’t academic. I was just good at riding horses and
looking after them but I learned a lot and picked a lot up.”
Jardine set off on his new path and built himself up before the big break came when moving into the retired Len Lungo’s training facility at Carrutherstown in Dumfries.
From there, he has become one of the country’s hottest young handlers.
Jardine is proud of his roots and the achievements which peaked during this summer.
Following Lucinda Russell’s Grand National win with One for Arthur, Nakeeta won the most valuable handicap in Europe, the £285,000 Betfred Ebor Handicap in August.
Jardine is chuffed to do his country proud and said: “If I had to train down south, I would but I’m pleased that I train in Scotland.
“Scottish racing is great, I’m a Scot myself and I am what I am and proud of it. If I’m not, no one else will be.
“We might have a rubbish football team right now but the racing is doing well!”
Nakeeta’s Ebor success was the catalyst that sparked the dream of chasing glory in Melbourne.
The experienced Glyn Schofield has been booked to ride the six-year-old and Jardine explained it was the exploits of Heartbreak City, who won last year’s Ebor before being narrowly denied by Almandin in the Melbourne Cup, that encouraged the team to take a chance with Nakeeta.
It has been a long road to Victoria but this story could have a magical ending.
Jardine said: “My partner Val has been unbelievable. She has basically organised the whole thing. You wouldn’t believe the amount of stuff that goes into it.
“I train the horses and communicate with owners, when it comes to the administration it would be a shambles if it was left to me.
“Val sorted everything out and I really can’t thank her enough for what she has done.
“I have a couple of pals who have been to the Melbourne Cup and they say it’s incredible.
“I’m not a person who likes to be centre of attention but, hey, I’ll be there this year and I’m proud of my horse.
“It’s an awful long way to go if I didn’t think he had a chance. We’re not going there for a holiday – we’re going for the prize.
“I’m expecting a big run. If it’s not good enough so be it – but I’m here with hope and a positive attitude.
“The Ebor was a factor. I thought of Heartbreak City. He should have won but lost in last year’s Melbourne Cup by a head. Now we go there as an Ebor winner.
“No one could stand there and say he’s got no chance. We’ll be doing 110 per cent and so will Nakeeta.”
It’s unreal how many jockeys have come from Hawick, if you didn’t play rugby you rode horses IAIN JARDINE