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Barry Geraghty won the Betfair Ascot Chase on twelve year old Monet's Garden on the 20th February, describing the Nicky Richards-trained gelding as the 'best and bravest' jumper he had ridden - which says a lot considering Geraghty is a Grand National winning jockey, who when winning on Monty's Pass in 2003, likened it to a 'schooling session', as he had enjoyed the race so much. So sure was their victory that Geraghty could afford to look back over his shoulder at Supreme Glory and Amberleigh House who he beat by twelve and two lengths respectively. This was the icing on the cake for a fantastic period of Geraghtys' as then six year career - just three weeks prior to his Grand National win he had been the leading jockey at the Cheltenham Festival, winning five races. This seriously upped his league and put him alongside jockeys such as Fred Winter, Jamie Osborne and Tony McCoy, who were the only ones to accomplish this feat previously. As we all know Cheltenham and Aintree are the big-time races of the horseracing world, and separate the good from the brilliant, but if all of this wasn't enough, on the day before the Grand National Geraghty won the Martell Cognac Sefton Novices' Hurdle on the Jonjo O'Neill trained Iris's Gift, bagging the £46,400 prize. It is fair to say that the majority of the brilliant jockeys of our time were born into racing families and it is also true of Geraghty. His father was 'Tucker' Geraghty, a horse dealer who had previously been an amateur jockey, and had trained a few horses including What Odds who won the Grand National Trial Handicap Chase in 2005. Geraghty's brother Ross won the 2002 Irish Grand National on The Bunny Boiler, while his grandfather bred Golden Miller in 1927 - the only horse to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Grand National in the same year. Quite a lot to live up to, but Geraghty has managed it! Geraghty was apprenticed to Noel Meade and rode his first winner under Rules at seventeen - Stagalier at Down Royal. He won the Midlands National on Miss Orchestra on only his third ride over fences and became Irish Champion Jump Jockey in the 1999-2000 season - although cynics may say that this was because both Walsh and Carberry were off at the time due to injury. He made his Grand National debut in 2000 on Call It A Day who had finished third the previous year, but his seasonal form was poor and he went off at 50-1. Ruby Walsh was also making his debut and he was lucky enough to be on the 10-1 Papillon, who as we all know won, while Geraghty did well to come sixth. His second attempt at the race was a disaster on Hanakham, who fell at the second fence. 2002 was the beginning of the rest of Geraghty's career - he won the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup, the Queen Mother Celebration Chase, the Thomas Pink Gold Cup, The Martell Cup, the Heineken Gold Cup, the Irish Independent Arkle Trophy Chase and the Guinness Kerry National. His win on Alexander Banquet in the Hennessy Gold Cup made him an ante-post favourite for the Grand National, but carrying eleven stone eleven pounds, he unseated Geraghty at the first Bechers. Following his 2003 National win, and having had his fair share of injuries, Geraghty decided to buy a pub and a farm in Co Meath, preferring to stay in his native land than become a leading stable jockey in England, as was offered. He has continued to race, finishing the 2007 season as third in the Ireland top jockey table, second only to Walsh in terms of prize money. Could he back in the National this year?
The Grand National is nearly upon us, horses & jockeys are busy preparing for Englands most popular racing racing day. This year a million pounds awaits the winning horse and trainer. Only ten or so horses will have the stamina to finish the tough course, find out which horses are odds on to win this great race.
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