Make way for the more mature Maguire

Brian O'Connor talks to Adrian Maguire who is eagerly looking forward to teaming up with Florida Pearl again.

Now kids, I know some of you think there is no other jockey in the world except Tony McCoy and that's OK. You can't be blamed. What else can you think when a fawning media is desperate to hang their coverage on a single face. But be aware, there was actually life before the skinny one.

In fact, while all of you now dream of being AP, the man himself used to dream of being Adrian Maguire. Hard to imagine, I know, but it's true. Even harder to remember now is how big a deal Maguire was back then. But their former teacher knows.

"I had Adrian before I had AP and there is no question he is equally as talented. The difference is AP has had all the breaks and Adrian has had none," Toby Balding declared in November after Maguire rode his 1,000th winner.

The phraseology might have been unfortunate: After all, Maguire has had more breaks to his body than any one man deserves in 10 lifetimes. Still, Balding recognises the talent. Over 1,000 winners, including a Gold Cup at 20, and one of just seven men to pass that 1,000 mark.

Funny then how the suspicion grows that if Maguire wins tomorrow's Hennessy, and then lands the Gold Cup itself on Florida Pearl, a lifetime of nags beginning with "if only" will have been averted.

It's seven years since a broken arm destroyed what was Maguire's last realistic shout at being champion jockey. Afterwards, a bitter break up with David Nicholson - with whom big race success was almost a given right - and persistent injury led to loud whispers that his bottle was gone.

The last two years have seen a successful association with Ferdy Murphy in the north of England but the championship victories of the likes of Barton and Viking Flagship began to look very distant.

But then Willie Mullins's problems in finding a King George jockey for Florida Pearl led him to his old friend.

"I've always admired him. He's just such a natural talent," the trainer says. For his own part, Maguire ranks that Christmas victory as highly as any in his career and recognises he now has a partner of the first rank again.

"He is a top class horse who I think is going to the Gold Cup with his biggest chance of winning so far. I say that simply because he is such a big horse. Physically he has developed all the time and at 10, he should be at his peak. He's a man now," Maguire says.

"For me, if I was to win the Gold Cup now, it would be the highlight of my career. When Cool Ground won (1992) I was too young to appreciate it." Now 30, and a father of two, Maguire is clearly a more mature customer than the young whirlwind at the start of the 90s who threatened to dominate the game for as long as he wanted to and who generated as many headlines as any jockey before or since.

Unfortunately too many topped injury stories. "Do I think about what might have been? Well, I would have ridden a good few more winners to start with! You have to be honest and realistic. I feel very lucky to have ridden the winners I have and been as successful as I have. Injuries are part of the game. You've just got to deal with them.

"I never felt I lost anything, confidence wise, at any time. Winners give you confidence, and put you in the spotlight, and I know I am enjoying it more now than I ever have. A lot of that has to do with Ferdy Murphy," he says.

Murphy has supplied the likes of Paris Pike in the Scottish National and the highly promising novice Truckers Tavern who also runs tomorrow. But Florida Pearl is a glimpse back to what once was the norm.

"The King George is the only time I've ridden him but it felt like he was never going to let anything past him.

" He really galloped straight to the line. Cheltenham is a very different track, and a lot more demanding stamina wise, but he has won a SunAlliance over the trip and I think this could be his year," Maguire remarks.

If that is the case, then a record fourth Hennessy is on the cards and Willie Mullins is in no doubt that horse and jockey are made for each other.

"I've always imagined Adrian would be a man to suit Florida and when he got the chance, it worked out great," he says.

So watch the favourite, kids, and watch the man on his back show everyone how to make the most of a chance.