Harvey’s happy memories
TV presenter Luke Harvey will be concentrating on leading ITV Sport’s coverage of the Coral Welsh Grand National at Chepstow tomorrow.
But he will be forgiven for his mind wandering as the horses line up for the big race, remembering his own victory in the flagship event as a jockey in 1990.
Harvey guided Reg Akehurst’s Cool Ground to a fine victory 27 years ago to record the biggest win of his career in the saddle before becoming one of the racing broadcasting’s most well-known faces.
Looking back on that December day, Harvey admits more than a hint of nervousness.
“The confidence at trainer Reg Akehurst’s stable was high and I felt the pressure was on,” he said.
“We went well and three flights from home I let him stride out. He absolutely pinged the second last and then it was the age-old problem going to the last ... do you go long, do you go safe?
“I went safe and he popped over and went on to win comfortably. It was a magical day.”
It was only the second time Harvey had even ridden Cool Ground, but a formidable partnership had been formed.
“I only schooled him maybe once before (riding him at) Haydock Park but Reg’s training was very different,” said Harvey.
“Reg had a string of Flat horses and would gallop his horses hard. Cool Ground would seem very slow as he would often work with milers on the gallops. However, he was one of the fittest horses I ever rode and I was always going to ride him handy at Chepstow.
“His horses were always so fit and he liked them to race prominently and to be kicked into their fences. I’ve always been of the view that the perfect race ride is to sit third, fourth or fifth and to take it up about two fences out.”
And that is pretty much how things panned out for Luke and Cool Ground in the Welsh National.
He added on course-specialist. co.uk: “On the top bend, turning for home, I was on the inside and travelling well and had to take a pull.
“If you are on the best horse in a race you have the gears to do that and Cool Ground had a tremendous will to win and a way of jumping which really suited Chepstow.
“He was so agile over his fences for a big horse.”
With the crowd roaring him home, Cool Ground went away after the last clear of favourite Carrick Hill Lad to land the odds at 9/2, with Rowlandsons Jewels in third.
Harvey admitted the Chepstow win was a huge boost to his riding career, saying: “The Welsh National is a big race to win. It helped my career and you weren’t afraid to pick up the phone and call the big trainers.
“The Welsh National was in the middle part of my career and really elevated me.”
The Coral Welsh Grand National, worth £150,000 in prize money, is off at 2.50pm on Wednesday. The gates open at 10am and the first race starts at 12.35pm.
Welsh opera singers Shan Cothi and Rebecca Evans will sing Hen Wlad Fy Nhada as the runners circle for the big race.
The Bridgend Male Choir will be performing in the Parade Ring and The Wild Murphys will be playing live all afternoon in the Bonanza Boy Marquee
The card also includes the £50,000 Coral Finale Juvenile Hurdle, won last year by Defi du Seuil who went on to take the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham.
The meeting will support Welsh charities Ty Hapus and Amser Justin Time.
Admission tickets start from £27pp in advance and hospitality packages start from £85pp including VAT subject to availability.
Details are available from www. chepstow-racecourse.co.uk.