| PEOPLE |
Familiar Faces
IN A YEAR FILLED WITH PROTOCOLS AND RESTRICTIONS, THERE WERE NO FACES MORE FAMILIAR THAN THE RACING TV PUNDITS. CAREN WALSH TAKES A LOOK BACK AT 2021 AND GETS A QUICKFIRE INSIGHT INTO SOME OF OUR FAVOURITE IRISH RACING PRESENTERS.
| MAGAZINE 2022 |
Donn McClean
Lisa O’Neill
First Memory of Horseracing Red Rum winning his third Grand National. Most Memorable Race 2021 Has to be Rachael Blackmore’s historic win in the Grand National. Best Jockey Performance When Hugh Morgan won on Young Dev with no irons for most of the race, you probably could have given the NH ride of the y
First Memory of Horseracing Being more interested in the amusement park at Bellewstown than horseracing! Most Memorable Race 2021 Tiger Roll doing what he does best, winning the Cross Country at Cheltenham. Best Jockey Performance 2021 Jack Kennedy’s never-say-die ride on Mount Ida in the Kim Muir in Cheltenham. Best Training Performance Noel Meade achieving his first Group 1 winner in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh with Helvic Dream. Favourite Horse of All Time Tiger Roll. Race You Most Look Forward To Aintree Grand National. Best Moment as a
ear right then. On the Flat, Chis Hayes’ ride on Romantic Proposal in the Dash at The Curragh was a masterclass. Best Training Performance Henry de Bromhead’s achievement at Cheltenham. Champion Chase, Champion Hurdle, The Gold Cup, two other Grade 1s and a Grade 2, six winners for five different owners. Favourite Horse of All Time Dawn Run. Race You Most Look Forward To Cheltenham Gold Cup. Best Moment as a TV Presenter
Gary O’Brien First Memory of Horseracing Seeing Foxtrot Tango win at Laytown for the late Fr. Sean
Sitting with Pat Smullen for a feature in-depth interview in 2014. Guilty Pleasure Modern Family! Favourite Food My wife’s shepherd’s pie. Person You Most Admire Easy one, my Dad. The person that he is, all that he has achieved, the degree which he is universally respected, and his constant cheerful demeanour after everything. Lasting Memory of 2021 A short queue at the Galway entrance. One Wish for the Future Longer queues at racecourse entrances.
Breen ridden by Joanna Morgan. Most Memorable Race 2021 Freewheelin Dylan’s exhibition of jumping in The Irish Grand National. Such a shame there wasn’t the normal crowd to acknowledge a hugely popular local winner. Best Jockey Performance You could probably say just Colin Keane’s entire season. Best Training Performance It has to be Willie Mullins for bringing Klassical Dream, a notoriously difficult horse, back
from a huge layoff to hack up in a Grade 1 over a completely new distance at the Punchestown Festival. Favourite Horse of All Time Carvill’s Hill. Race You Most Look Forward To The Supreme Novice at Cheltenham – the beginning of the best week of racing. Best Moment as a TV Presenter Interviewing Sir Henry Cecil after Frankel won at Royal Ascot.
TV Presenter Working with great people on and off camera. Guilty Pleasure Chocolate! Favourite Food Fillet steak, chips and pepper sauce Person You Most Admire My mother Margaret, for her endless support, guidance and excellent cooking. Lasting Memory of 2021 Smooth Player, providing me with my 100th career win. One Wish for the Future To complete and pass my Master’s Degree in Sports Psychology next year.
Guilty Pleasure Sweet Treats! Favourite Food Curry. Person You Most Admire Hopefully no one will mind me picking two, Kevin Prendergast and John Kiely. Their enthusiasm and dedication is an inspiration to anyone involved in our sport. Lasting Memory of 2021 The public finally returning to the racecourses, adding some much-needed atmosphere. One Wish for the Future The CoVid -19 becomes a distant memory asap.
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