John Sandys @TheDerbywalk
Was almost as if the race matched the day. There was a sense of disbelief all around. From the first view of the historic Downs on Derby Day, to the realisation at Tattenham Corner that “He’s not coming back”.
THE year 2020 gave us many sights we could never have imagined at that hour the curtain fell on the 2020 Cheltenham Festival.
Much had changed by the evening of July 4th, and I signed off for the week in the final email to colleagues with the line. “I’ve backed Emmet McNamara to win the Derby!”
Shure, take a chance on a crazy year. Yet, would we ever have thought to see those words in print.
By the first Saturday in June 2020, we had no Derby, no pageantry planned for Royal Ascot which would follow the strict government rules necessary to get racing back in both Ireland and Britain from the summer. By the end of the month, Serpentine had just won his maiden at the Curragh.
Though the Irish Derby was the week before and Royal Ascot also came before Epsom, we still had a very live field for the Derby.
To be fair, I’d not backed Serpentine in the hope of him winning. It was one of those At First Sight, The Great Gatsby, Treasure Beach type of bets.
And there nothing more satisfying than the moment you realise, after you’ve congratulated yourself on getting a sure-fire place, holy sh*t, this horse is going to win.
Serpentine and Emmet went off in front, by Tattenham Corner he was still clear, moving well and you were scanning the field and seeing nothing making any fast moves.
It’s a long way home at Epsom up that straight, but somehow, with no racegoers as markers, it looked shorter. Serpentine never looked like being caught. McNamara made all the British TV evening news programmes. Derby winner. Remember how long it took Sir Gordon Richards and Frankie to win one?
Fluke or no fluke, the name McNamara is up there on the Epsom roll of honour alongside the great jockeys of racing history. 2020 was a year to remember for some good reasons.
Alan Delmonte@alandelmonte
Particularly great about what Hollie Doyle has done is that it’s entirely unsullied by any suspicion of favouritism or tokenism – it’s hard work, talent and making your opportunities.
IT’S safe to say there’s never been someone in racing quite like Hollie Doyle.
She’s female and a jockey, and up to three years ago, nothing really went beyond that.
Now in the often abusive world of social media, where jockeys in general are regularly slated, it’s now common place to see comments like this: “Hollie Doyle would have given a much smarter ride without doubt.”
2020 has been some year for the jockey. Doyle rode her first Royal Ascot winner, five winners in the one card, won a Group 2 then the first Group 1, rode in her first Breeders’ Cup, won a race at the Hong Kong International Jockeys Challenge, rode over 100 winners in the year, has been named the Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year and a finalist for BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
She didn’t just smash the glass ceiling for female riders, she blew it so far apart you’d forget it existed.
Gay Kelleway posted a piece on social media a little while ago – a note from the National Trainers Federation in reply to her query to get a job in a yard back in the day.
“I’m afraid I don’t know of any racing stable that would give you a job. It’s very difficult for girls to get jobs in racing and would really suggest you tried for some other sort of job with horses.”
Hopefully that person was still around to see Doyle fly from the gates on Glen Shiel in the Group 1 British Champions Sprint, gaining a half-length on her rivals.
Watching still as Doyle’s strength conjured a renewed effort from the gelding as Oxted led inside the final furlong. And were sitting comfortably when Doyle raised her whip in triumph as the judges called the result of that first Group 1 in October.
On the flat in Britain, it was Hollie’s year.
“A lot of people have done a lot of work with this horse – they’ve spent day and night trying to get him right” – Gordon Elliott
IN an interview around a month ago as the National Hunt season gathered pace, Gordon Elliot commented. “Cheltenham is the one place you do get nervous, when you are going there as a young trainer, it’s just great to have runners. Now you are expecting to have a winner or two every day.”
Elliott had been nervous with Samcro before. When he won the Neptune he’d been the Irish banker. The wheels came off when the Champion Hurdle trail proved fruitless. After Limerick at Christmas last season, Elliott could only watch the cheers for Faugheen, the old hero beating his once wonder horse.
Come Cheltenham Thursday, it was Faugheen again carrying the wave of emotion into the March Novices Chase – and Willie had back-up from the yard in twice Champion Hurdle runner-up Melon.
No one had invested more in Samcro’s rejuvenation that Jack Madden, captured roaring him home for that novice win three years ago now.
It was a ferocious battle from the second last, Samcro missed it giving the advantage to Patrick Mullins on Melon, Samcro was ahead again at the last, in the final 100 yards Melon rallied, the first still-frame on RacingTV looked in his favour.
Russell on Samcro didn’t wait for the result, believing he’d lost in the last stride and headed back up the walkway.
The result came – first No 9, Samcro. Elliott was gone, racing away, barely able to speak when the TV crews who could catch him.
Russell, appeared stunned when the result of the photo was called. “Me?” he mouthed to the other jockeys. Patrick Mullins wasn’t amused.
There’s a photo of the moment the verdict was called. Jack Madden roaring skyward held by Katie Young and Camilla Sharples – you can’t tell if it’s agony or ecstasy. Yes, Cheltenham’s the one that matters.
Emma Berry@CollingsBerry
I don’t care what happens tomorrow, there won’t be a better story than Princess Zoe winning the Prix du Cadran. Take a bow @tonymullins84 and @joeysheridan8
THE first Sunday in October is the date of Europe’s greatest race, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. It was the must-see event of the autumn as Enable went for three wins in the race.
We’ve had some memorable moments with the Irish flag flying in the Bois de Bologne too. But what was this – every Irish race fan was setting their watches for 4 o’clock on the Saturday?
The Group 1 Prix du Cadran was the culmination of a crazy plan by a jumps trainer, and not Willie, Jessica or Alan King who feature regularly among Grade 1 jumping winners.
Yes, the name was Mullins so you took heed. But we had a previous winner of this race, a son of the mighty Frankel as favourite against his mare, bought cheaply in Germany, beaten of a rating of 64, in a Navan handicap, and a teenage rider in his first Group 1. Fairytales in 2020?
We wished them well, enjoyed the ride, but secretly, did we think – has Tony got a bit above himself here? Group 1?
The Mullins team had done their homework though, the run of success that had brought them through two Galway Festival wins and up to listed class had not stopped.
Sourced in Germany by Bernard Cullinane and in the Wexford colours of Paddy Kehoe, the mare had gained a huge following that went way beyond Ireland as Tony shared the run of success on social media, and dared to expose his dreams of a Group 1 with his belief in the mare who he admitted, had given him a near heart attack when he first saw her.
As they had expected in the heavy ground, the German runner Alkuin went off out in front. Joey Sheridan was in no hurry over the two and a half miles. By the straight he was moving forward as Call The Wind began to labour.
How long was that straight? How long were those last 40 seconds? We watched in snatched sentences. Will she get there? She might, SHE MIGHT, she will, then a moment of doubt as Alkuin still led, no, wait… SHE WILL!
The phrase “and the mare’s beginning to get up” is enshrined in racing commentaries. Though Tony was a key part, he wasn’t on board that famous day. The formbook says ‘stayed on and gradually reeled in leader from over two furlongs out, led close home.’ It was miles from the magic of the moment as once again the mare made it – and lifted our spirits.