Say what you like about people like JP McManus and Michael O’Leary, through their input to and support of horse racing – and in the case of the former many other things besides – they contribute extraordinarily to the Irish economy. That is not to say, though, that both are anything other than ruthlessly efficient businessmen, as well as being gentlemen. You don’t get to where they have in life without having the proportionate mix of both.
Personally, if looking at the two them under the one umbrella, it would have to be in the context of the incalculable roles both men play in the very viability of National Hunt racing in this country.
O’Leary is certainly the more hard nosed of the two, but time has proven he’s not averse to rowing back on a decision either if a situation demands or requires it. As demonstrated by his decision to resume doing business with Willie Mullins. Not to mention how bridges were mended – putting it very mildly – with both Davy Russell and Bryan Cooper after their services as retained rider were defenestrated with.
However, what is even more instructive is how the Westmeath maverick imparted the news – in the case of Russell at least – over a cup of tea speaks of somebody who, although fiercely combative in business, is possessed of basic human decency as well.
Further underlined by (i) races he sponsors in both Leopardstown and Cheltenham carry the name of the late Jack De Bromhead and (ii) reversing his decision to wind down his horse racing operation. Though that is believed to be linked to the Ryanair boss’s son taking the reins in terms of enthusiasm for the jumps game.
There may not be enough adjectives to articulate the ambassadorial role JP plays, not only in the realm of horse racing but the country in general. For his part, in all his years in the sport, he has only had three retained jockeys – AP McCoy, Barry Geraghty and Mark Walsh.
The first two only left the position upon retirement and – though I w not being the man’s biill admitggest fan at times – it has to be said Kildare’s Walsh is riding better now that at any time in his career. The crucial point here, however, is that, on all available evidence, JP has never jocked anybody off or forbade the services of a given rider on one of his horses.
There’s a lesson in that. Albert Einstein was a fairly clever fella and certain people would do well to heed him. The fuzzy headed genius reckoned the definition of stupidity was doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results!
Barry Connell obviously never got the memo. He has always struck me as a bit of odd ball. Now, there was a school of thought, before he started his own training operation, that, as the one paying the piper, he was entitled to ride his own horses if he so wishes. But surely even he would admit there were winners he could have had with somebody a bit more polished in the plate.
Mind you, again, prior to obtaining his own licence, his training arrangements would have been considered slightly left of field. Rather than, say, having stock with Willie Mullins or Noel Meade or Henry De Bromhead or Joseph O’Brien, financier Connell instead domiciled his stock with Tony Mullins, Mags Mullins, Tony Martin, ‘Shark’ Hanlon, Ted Walsh, Gordon Elliott and the late Dessie Hughes.
Before, in another unique move, appointing Alan Fleming – who I believe but am open to correction – served his time with Arthur Moore – to train privately for him.
Eventually, however, in keeping with the general narrative going through our journey thus far, Barry then started training his own horses. Fair enough. In fact, you’d admire him, going off, doing the courses and getting his licence etc. He certainly didn’t need to do it.
Maybe unsurprisingly, having done so, I suppose it was only natural that a retained rider would be on the cards. Danny Mullins being first up. All started in a predictable blaze of glory and, to the outside observer, all seemed rosy in the garden.
Until suddenly one day it wasn’t. And Danny was gone out to pasture, as far as the job was concerned. And so the pattern continued with Denis O’Regan, Adrian Heskin and, most recently, to my mind the most burgeoning talent in the Irish NH weigh room presently, Michael O’Sullivan. My understanding of the situation is – and, as ever, if the following is incorrect please advise and it will be adjusted accordingly – is that the trainer scheduled a schooling session for his horses at one of the Kildare tracks on the same day as there was a jumps card in Cork. Utter madness. Without knowing differently, I would imagine, for any jockey, a day’s race riding would be much more desirable and financially fruitful than all the schooling sessions on the planet. Plus, planning a schooling session on a day when there’s a fixture on – and in the jockey’s home county as well – is nothing short of provocative stupidity.
But then, you know what Einstein said about stupidity, and for that matter, how bad tradesmen usually explain away their shortcomings.
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