MY SENOR MOMENT IS THE STUFF OF DREAMS
Fox amazed he’s getting his Gold chance after years viewing on TV
Derek Fox was a schoolboy cheering for Florida Pearl in the Gold Cup.
He was glued to the TV as Best Mate racked up a famous hat-trick.
Fox always dreamed of getting a chance in racing’s most illustrious jumps race.
Now he’s there. And he says it’s an honour to be on Ahoy Senor.
Lucinda Russell’s stable jockey takes the hopes of a nation into Cheltenham’s Friday showpiece and he’s relishing it.
Now 30, it’s a first crack at the big one. He’s wanted this chance since watching Ireland’s hero go for glory turning into the millennium and this is his time.
Fox said: “I’ve been watching the
Gold Cup for as long as I can remember.
“I used to watch Florida Pearl. He used to always catch my eye and I supported him a wee bit.
“I don’t know why. He just caught my attention when I was younger and then Best Mate winning three, I’ve some very good memories of the event.
“It’s a race I’ve always wanted to ride in and it’s great to have the opportunity.
“Just to have a horse good enough to go for the Gold Cup is what everyone is looking for.
“I feel honoured to be riding Ahoy Senor and hold him in high regard. I genuinely fancy him for the Gold Cup.
“He’s classy and can still improve at this age for a variety of reasons. It’s a great sense of pride to have the ride.”
Since announcing himself with a blistering victory in a Grade One novice hurdle at Aintree two years ago, the eight-year- old’s star has just kept rising.
Now the hopes of Scotland are pinned on the strapping chaser.
Not that this is anything new for Fox. Six years ago, that same patriotic buzz swept Scotland as One For Arthur went for the Grand National.
The pair delivered and Fox said: “It’s a bit of pressure but good pressure as that’s the position you want to be in riding good horses.
“It’s funny. I’d like to say that winning the Grand National and other big races takes the pressure off. But it doesn’t, or add any either.
“I like to think any time I have ridden in a big race, I don’t let the title sway my opinion or change what I would do any other day.
“I remember being focused on the race approaching it and I didn’t let
any of the noise in. After I pulled up, you get that sense of relief and joy. But I don’t know if I fully understood the whole attention that would come afterwards.
“To an extent, you could go along with your day to day before the Grand National. Since that, at least every other week someone will mention it and bring it up.
“It’s something massive and a very fond memory. I wouldn’t change it. I enjoyed every minute.”
With a National under his belt, Fox also snared a Festival winner 12 months ago when Corach Rambler roared to success in the Ultima.
Corach returns this week to defend his title and, such was the brilliance of the from-the-back ride, the meeting’s most successful ever, Ruby Walsh, sang his praises.
Although the Sligo-born pilot was defeated in the Brown Advisory the following day on Ahoy Senor, it was another superb effort by horse and man to get second behind the impressive L’Homme Presse.
Fox has shown he can produce on the big days and added: “I am lucky enough that, when Lucinda and Scu pick out horses to go there, they have picked out the right ones.
“They don’t just go down there with social runners.
“It’s been pretty lucky for me so far and I like to think that I take every day I go racing seriously.
“It’s not a hobby or a game. I try to be as professional as possible.”
The Scu to which Fox refers is, of course, the legendary Peter Scudamore.
Russell’s partner was an eight-time champion jockey and his valuable wisdom is on offer every single day.
Fox said: “Scu has just been the greatest influence you can have.
“I’ve been here nine years and I don’t think he’s ever come at me with one big speech the whole time.
“The way he does things is the best way. He is always giving you little bits of advice over the years and it all adds up.
“I’ve learned an awful lot from him and I still do as he’s still a great help.
“He’s been to all of these big Festivals and knows the game inside out. It’s second nature to him and he’s a massive help to my career in every way.”
Scu may not have won a Gold Cup but he won just about everything else, with Fox now having a chance to do it for him and the yard.
He knew at first sight that Ahoy Senor could be good. Just not this good.
Fox recalled day one and said: “We had bad frost and snow. I remember him going around the circle.
“Straight away, he was an impressive looking horse. The way I look at horses when they come into the yard is I think, ‘Could he be a 120 or 130 horse?’.
“I always think if every horse coming into the yard was rated at that, you would have an awful lot of winners. “I was confident he’d be at least 130 but I couldn’t have said he’d be a 160.
“I didn’t know or expect him to be as good as he has turned out.”