There is a sneery element of Irish society and, it pains me to say, the media, whose greatest function in life seems to be bandwagoning on people’s misfortune. Or at the very least finding fault with every scintilla of what they do in life. Now read on…
There’s one particular hack at national level – no names will be mentioned as they undoubtedly have more pull and chronies than I – and it is the absolute belief of the occupant of this seat – if they could blame Micheal Martin and/or the Fianna Fail party for the raindrops they would gleefully do so.
Which in a strange way makes me laugh. Think about this – Fianna Fail have been in power more than any other political party since the foundation of the State. Why? Because the electorate chose them to be so. So they can’t have been that bad!
But the point also needs making that such sniping and begrudgery is not, in any way, confined to the realm of politics and those therein. There are admittedly small but annoying cohort of people who love nothing more than having a pop at JP McManus – and others of his ilk – because, in the minds of the bewildered, they don’t do x, y or z.
At this stage, it will be readily admitted that yours truly is an unashamed, beaming admirer of the man from South Liberties and feel very privileged to have spent time in his company on a few occasions. Strip away the numerous causes, sporting and otherwise, to which JP and his family have been generous benefactors to. Focus only on horse racing for a bit.
By the last figures seen by this writer, the McManus operation have 300 horses in training with 33 different handlers here in Ireland something in the region of the same with 20 trainers in the UK as well as having some manner of bloodstock interests in France and Germany. That’s without mentioning his own Martinstown Stud at home in Limerick where the resting/injured/retired horses reside in the lap of equine luxury.
Just stop and think of all the employment that alone facilitates, Not to mention the manufacture and delivery – or collection – of feed and bedding and medicines and the requirement for innumerable farriers also.
That’s without mentioning his contributions to UL, the TUS Gaelic Grounds, Thomond Park and EVERY GAA county board in the country and the fact that what is most likely the jewel in the McManus crown, Adare Manor, will host the next Ryder Cup.
So talk of JP being ‘Ruthless’ or ‘Miserable’ simply won’t wash with anybody bar the bitterest begrudgers,
Yet that was exactly the slurry-like commentary emanating from certain quarters when it was announced on Monday that JP has appointed Harry Cobden as his retained rider from next season onwards.
Now, the great man having a retained rider is not new. AP McCoy and Barry Geraghty having previously held the role. Not only that, but there was an entire squad of jockeys.
Depending on how far back you want to go, Christy Roche, Paul Maloney, Conor O’Dwyer, ‘Slippers’ Madden, Mark Walsh, Jody McGarvey, Simon Torrens, Aidan Coleman, AP and Barry got, throughout their careers, most of their work as jockeys came in the green and gold hoops and white cap.
So, headlines flying in some quarters following the Cobden announcement screaming “Gold Cup hero jockey dumped” was nothing but sensationalist bullsh*t.
For one thing, Mr McManus has never done anything of the sort, secondly, I do not believe he would have it in him to do so, and thirdly, Mark is in his 40th year and may well be edging towards getting out in one piece.
What I will say is that, to me at least, Harry Cobden was a surprising choice. Firstly, because JP going for a non Irish rider would not have been foreseen.
Secondly, for the jockey, leaving an establishment like that of Paul Nicholls cannot have been easy for Harry himself. And thirdly, if the preference was for a UK-based rider, I’d have put either of the Bowen brothers or Jonjo Jnr or Johnny Burke or Lorcan Williams.
Personally, though, if it were me, I’d have been looking at Charlie O’Dwyer or Simon Torrens or one of the Bowen brothers.
But then, JP hasn’t got to where he is in life by getting much wrong. He probably got this right too.