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JESSICA Harrington will always hold a special place in Cheltenham history. The Moone trainer will forever be remembered for training the imperious Moscow Flyer, one of the greatest chasers of all time but her love of the festival began when she was just a teenager.
“The first time I went to the festival I think I went before I was 18. I used to watch it on the television before that. It was amazing. The whole atmosphere was incredible,” she says.
I’ve seen a lot of changes at Cheltenham since then. The winner’s enclosure was in front of the weighing room for instance. They have changed a lot over the years. Some of it I wouldn’t agree with but on the whole they have done a great job and haven’t taken the atmosphere away.
For her the importance of Cheltenham, especially in Irish sporting life, has historical beginnings. “It’s probably the pinnacle of every year in horse racing in England and Ireland and the fact that the Irish go over there you get great English Irish rivalry. It goes back to history. Traditionally the question was has Ireland got the best horses? We definitely breed the best but we went through a few lean times and we saw horses bred and produced here but trained over there winning.
The much maligned Celtic Tiger era did bring some benefits to the country, not least for racing. The fact that we could afford to keep our best horses here and not have to export them to England.
“The Celtic Tiger had a knock on effect on racing and we were able to keep our best horses and we saw that over the last few years. Look at last year when we had 13 winners. I don’t know if we will have that many winners again this year but we will be competitive in a lot of the races,” she adds.
The atmosphere at the start of the week, when everyone is buzzing with excitement and anticipation and the course is full of promise for everyone is a favourite time for Jessica. “When you go in there on Tuesday, everybody is there and everyone is in good humour and then the races start and the massive cheer goes up from the crowds.”
The legendary roar that emanates from the stands as the tapes go up for the first race at 1.30pm today is another aspect of the festival she loves. “Talking to the jockeys they tell you when you turn into the straight and jump the last hurdle a wall of noise hits them,” she explains.
Jessica is staying with Nicky Henderson in Lambourn this week, as she has done for many festivals and there is good natured rivalry between the pair. For the Punchestown festival, Nicky stays with Jessica and her family in Moone.
Although her name will forever be inextricably linked to the wonderful Moscow Flyer she has been lucky enough to train seven winners over the course of the last 12 festivals.
Her first winner will always be a treasured memory. “Space Trucker in 1999 was my first winner. That was amazing. When he won I couldn’t believe it. I’d had a few placed horses before but to get the number one spot in that enclosure was amazing.”
Moscow Flyer was fantastic. He won there three times and was very lucky for me. I’ve been very lucky to train seven winners.”
Spirit Leader Cork All Star and Bostons Angel are the other names on the Harrington Cheltenham role of honour.
It could so very nearly have been eight. Last year, her experience on day two of the festival encapsulate racing. Oscars Well was leading the Neptune Investments Novices Hurdle jumping the last flight but made a bad mistake on landing and was lucky to stay on his feet. He ended up fourth. Just over half an hour later Bostons’ Angel won the RSA Chase.
She could get this year’s Festival off to a flying start for the Irish. Her smart novice hurdler Steps to Freedom is one of the leading hopes for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle today (Tuesday) and Mrs Harrington is happy with his preparations. “He has a good chance and I hope he runs well. I’m very happy with him so far and he is in good form,” she says.
Oscars Well makes a return trip to Prestbury Park hoping for better luck this time but his trainer is under no illusion about the size of the challenge that faces him in the Champion Hurdle this afternoon (Tuesday). “We have Oscars Well in the Champion Hurdle but I don’t think anything will beat Hurricane Fly. He is an exceptional horse. Oscars Well is in good form and he should run well.”
Citizenship won the Boyelsports Hurdle at Leopardstown in January in impressive style and he will more than likely chase a massive bonus in Friday’s County Hurdle, his trainer explains. “He is going for €100,000 bonus put up by Boylesports for winning the Boylesports Hurdle at Leopardstown which is very exciting and an added incentive.”
Jezki was an impressive winner of the bumper at Leopardstown last week and he completes Mrs Harington’s small but select team as she bids to write another glorious chapter in her Cheltenham story.
*This article first appeared in The Nationalist 13 March 2012
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