“And Doran’s Pride’s a faller, Danoli hits the front, Danoli strikes the first blow for Ireland”.
Peter O’Sullevan’s commentary from the back of the last home in the 1995 Sun Alliance (now RSA) Novices Hurdle. The day Danoli became ‘The People’s Champion.
Even in terms of sport, it was a different world. Tom Foley’s stable star was indeed the first Irish winner of that year’s Cheltenham Festival. On day two of what was only a three day affair back then.
Such a scenario seems unfathomable now. Yet, the world does indeed work in mysterious ways. His final flight capitulation was the first time I’d ever heard of Doran’s Pride. Or his trainer Michael Hourigan. Or his jockey, Shane Broderick.
It will hardly come as a huge surprise that an affinity of sorts has always been felt with Broderick. Who, I’m not sure exactly how long after the days of Doran’s was left needing similar life adjustments to myself having suffered catastrophic injuries in a fall.
However, in another example of who or whatever it is that pulls the levers in the control tower far away having a quirky way of doing things, just days after the anniversary of Tom Foley’s passing, Michael Hourigan has tonight (Monday) announced his retirement from the training ranks after a bountiful career that spanned more than five decades.
Thus, the most popular – or boring, depending on your perspective – choice on Irish menus – Beef Or Salmon – can finally be retired! ‘Beefy’, one of the greatest enigmas ever to set hoof on a racecourse.
His raw talent beyond question, his CV standing comparison with any of the contemporaries of his era. Yet it is equally indisputable that Hourigan’s hero had his quirks.
Not that he was by any means alone in being hamstrung by the foible in question – an inability to get up the Cheltenham hill in a competitive fashion.
Prestbury Park, though, is not the be all and end all there’s a tendancy to make it out to be. All of the big festival meetings – yes, Cheltenham, but also Aintree, Fairyhouse, Punchestown, Galway or Listowel now have laudible pots of prizemoney on offer.
Leopardstown, however, was Beef Or Salmon’s fiefdom. He just came alive around the place. And, as he proved one day when young Carberry let him coast home in his own time, when he was on song, very few, not even a three time Gold Cup winner, could keep up with him!
It would be unfair and wholly inaccurate, though, to pigeonhole Michael Hourigan as a one horse wonder. With others such as Church Island, Hi Cloy, Deep Bramble, Tropical Lake and Doran’s (Pride) he has left an indellible mark on National Hunt racing on both sides of the Irish sea.
Not to mention, as one would expect, sending out numerous winners in the green and gold hoops of his fellow Limerick man. While he was also on the Gigginstown House Stud roster before Michael O’Leary became narky and miserable.
However, as with others like Charles Byrnes and Colm Murphy and Philip Rothwell and Tony Martin, Michael found a way to sustain his operation.
In his case, a good chunk of that was down to a steed which ranked almost as high among my favourites as did ‘Beefy’ – A New Story. Not only did the Fourstars All Star gelding have a career of commendable longevity and versatility, he was the launchpad for some of the best careers had in the saddle during the era in which he was competing.
To look at his roster of riders is to observe some of the finest riding talent to emerge on and from the Irish circuit during the same era – Paul Carberry, Nina Carberry, Peter Carberry, Ruby Walsh, Davy Russell, Denis O’Regan, Timmy Murphy, Tom Doyle, Laura Hourigan, Jane Mangan and, most significantly, Adrian Heskin.
That’s some legacy of opportunity for one horse to leave behind, and of course some legacy for the great man to hand over to his daughter, Laura, as he bows out.
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