BEGGY STEADY GO
PAGES OF FANTASTIC START WITH HORSE RACING
AIDAN O’BRIEN backroom boy Padraig Beggy became an overnight sensation on Saturday when he produced one of the biggest Derby shocks of all time on 40-1 outsider Wings Of Eagles.
Beggy, with just three previous wins in two and a half years at Ballydoyle, stormed home on one of the leastfancied of O’Brien’s five runners to add his name to the Derby’s roll of honour.
It is a list that includes superstars of the saddle like Lester Piggott, Frankie Dettori, Scobie Breasley, Fred Archer, Keiren Fallon, Ryan Moore and Gordon Richards.
Wings Of Eagles got the better of stablemates Cliffs Of Moher (2nd), Capri (6th), Douglas Macarthur (7th), Venice Beach (12th) and The Anvil (17th).
But Beggy might have ended up in one of racing’s backwaters or, even retired from the game altogether, if O’Brien had not given him the chance to restart his career after a one-year ® ban in Australia when he tested positive for cocaine.
“I got into a bit of trouble out in Australia – a bad mistake. Something I’ve put behind me,” said Beggy.
“I was knocked down then. I had to pick myself up and I’ve come back out fighting.
“When Aidan had a chat with me and said, ‘Padraig, you keep working, and some day we’ll repay you.’ I don’t think he meant the Derby.
“So I got into Ballydoyle and I worked hard. He was good to me. I owe him an awful lot.
“I’ve never ridden big winners and I thought riding big winners or Classic runners had gone by me till Aidan started giving me the rides in them races. It means the world to me.”
Once the shock had worn off, O’Brien, sending out his sixth Derby winner, said Beggy had given his horse “a peach of a ride”, adding: “Padraig is a world-class rider, always has been and he has been with us a good while.
“We really appreciate his work, day in, day out, every morning.” Later Beggy was quick to acknowledge the cards had fallen his way in one of the most open Derbys in recent years. He said: “You could run the race again and maybe one of our others would win it.”
Alternatively you could run it again and Wings Of Eagles might well win by further.
He was the only one of the 18 to meet serious traffic problems in the home straight, but for which he would have hit the front a lot sooner. OFORMER trainer David Nicholls, has died at the age of 61.
The dour Yorkshireman won a number of big sprints over the last 20 years with the likes of Redford, Evens And Odds, Victoire De Lyphar, Strike Up The Band, Tax Free, Rudi’s Pet, Proud Native and Moss Vale.
His Group One winners were Fire Up The Band, Ya Malak, Continent, Bahamian Pirate and Regal Parade.
As a jockey, he hit the heights on the leading sprinter of her time, Soba. ORIBCHESTER is clear favourite for the Queen Anne Stakes on the opening day of Royal Ascot. The four-year-old is 4-6 with BoyleSports.