Friday, June 27th

The Curragh

IT’S Irish Derby weekend so from here on we are playing the back nine for the remainder of the year. Sure, we won’t be sorry to see the end of it, will we?

I always take the positives and I am delighted to be here at the Curragh working. No point talking about “it’s a pity this” or “it’s a pity that”!

We are where we are and today, like the foreseeable future, racing is being held behind closed doors. Eight races, eight happy winners, happy punters betting from their armchairs instead of on course. Fair play to HRI and IHRB for getting the show back on the road.

Don’t get me wrong, I miss the way it “was” or what we were used to, and Derby weekend behind closed doors hits the racing heart hard.

Normally you are welcoming photographer and journalist colleagues from England, Australia and further afield. The press room is packed and the Derby buzz is infectious.

Today, you rock up to the main entrance you show Tony Byrne your AIR card, walk past the temperature check where Frank Lannon scans your bar code on the phone and you pick up your wristband for entry from Darren Lawlor.

Up today there have only been three photographers and three journalists allowed to any day’s racing, but fair play to Barbara White and HRI, they have got more media in today for Irish racing’s jewel in its crown.

Seven photographers and 12 journalists, so that means due to social distancing, we are separated with the snappers set up in the “proper” press room in the Aga Khan Stand while the writers are in the main reception area.

Favourite days

Irish Derby Day is always one of my favourite racing days of the year. It’s the worldwide showcase event for Irish racing and today is no different.

At 7.15pm this evening, the race will be shown in America on the Fox Sports channel, which has 100 million viewers. Japan will show it to 40 million viewers and throw in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, the Middle East, Europe, the Caribbean and Canada, you will realise what it means for the Irish horse industry.

The race itself turns out to be a 14th win in the Irish Derby for trainer Aidan O’Brien when Santiago beats stable companion Tiger Moth. It gives me a small bit of satisfaction as Santiago won his maiden last year at the Harvest Festival in Listowel and this gives the Island racetrack its third Irish Derby winner following on from Alamshar and Treasure Beach.

I always look on at Aidan in amazement. The records he is creating before our eyes will be spoken and written about for centuries to come and we are witnessing racing history being made.

Aidan is 51 years old this October and when you think that other greats like Jessica Harrington, Dermot Weld, Jim Bolger and Kevin Prendergast are 70 and over, just think if the great man stays healthy and well, please God, and he still has the appetite for the game, it’s not mad to think that he could clock up at least 20 Irish Derby victories!

Seamie Heffernan is the jockey on board today and he is another fantastic story. Probably Aidan’s most trusted lieutenant, Seamie was recording his fourth Irish Derby win after Soldier Of Fortune, Frozen Fire and Capri.

A joint champion apprentice in 1994, sharing with Darragh O’Donoghue, he landed in Ballydoyle after starting out with Arthur Moore, moving onto P J Finn and then Jim Bolger before taking up the second-jockey role to Christy Roche in Ballydoyle.

After Christy he has served as second jockey to Mick Kinane, Jamie Spencer, Johnny Murtagh, Joseph O’Brien, Donnacha O’Brien and Ryan Moore.

In the current climate, with Ryan unable to ride here, at 48 Seamie could land his elusive first jockeys’ championship this year, as he is just behind Shane Foley and operating at a 23% strike rate.

I doubt that you get to be a serious cog in the Ballydoyle wheel without a hard work ethic and a poker face personality for the outside world, as Seamie displays, and no-one in the game would begrudge the Kildare man a maiden jockeys’ championship.

Outside of racing, he is great company and we shared a great craic in Tenerife one night when Chips, Sneaky Boo and Myself ran into Seamie and his family over dinner.

After racing, I head to Kilcullen where Chips is having a socially distanced bbq to celebrate wife Aisling’s 40th birthday. Most of the team here were at Ash’s 30th birthday and it’s my first social night out after lockdown.

Monday, June 29th

Limerick & Kilbeggan

The racing circus rolls onto two venues today. Kilbeggan have their first meeting of the year where Liam is on duty and I head to Limerick for their third meeting since lockdown finished. A day’s work in Limerick is like and evening in the gym. Because of the restrictions the press are based up stairs in the private boxes in the Stand. Three floors up! You could take the lift but that would be cheating.

Only two writers today, Tom Weekes and Mark Boylan, and throw in “Dr” Fran Berry for Racing TV meaning we have plenty room.

On the track it’s great to see Tracey Collins land a welcome winner when Noirvento scores under Ronan Whelan. During the week Tracey lost two of her team, one to injury and one to colic, so hopefully her winning spell will continue.

This horse is owned by an 18-strong syndicate from Tracey’s local pub, The Croft Inn in Suncroft, and she tells us “it’s a loss to Limerick that they aren’t here today”.

Other highlights are a first turf winner for trainer Donnacha O’Brien, a double for jockey Gavin Ryan and trainer Charles Byrnes wins the finale before heading to Kilbeggan to saddle a runner in the bumper.

Wednesday, July 1st

Leopardstown & Tipperary

Back to Dublin for me this evening and the card throws up some great highlights.

Trainer Jessica Harrington, who recorded two winners at this afternoon’s jumps fixture in Tipperary, is on hand to welcome two more here, making it four on the day.

“It’s great to be back and to come back with a winner is even better,” says Jessica with a smile, referring to the over-70s rule which meant she had to stay away from the racecourse until today.

Shane Foley rides a treble, moving him to eight in front in the jockeys’ title race of Seamie Heffernan and past champion Colin Keane.

Trainer Johnny Murtagh has a double including a first group success for 3lb-claiming jockey Ben Coen aboard Know It All, while Shane Kelly steers Red Kelly to success for the Meath man.

Thursday, July 2nd

Sligo & Bellewstown

I’m in Sligo today for their first meeting of the year and thankfully all goes well for Kathryn Foley and her team here.

On the track, young Ben Coen keeps his strike-rate up with a double on the card for trainers James Nash and Mick Mulvany.

Grand National-winning jockey David Mullins swaps codes and rides a flat winner for his dad Tom with Powersville, and I Know I Can provides jockey Ross Coakley and trainer John Oxx with their first success for the new season.

On the way home, I have a call from trainer Enda Bolger. For a second it goes through my mind that he might be telling me that his great friend Bruce Springsteen might be around his place.

“Come over in the morning, I have Patrick Mullins and Derek O’Connor schooling over banks.”

A picture of multiple champions schooling, sure it’s the next best thing to catching The Boss!