Continuing to thrive on the big occasion

BRIAN GERAGHTY: BRIAN O'CONNORcatches up with the jockey who has replaced the retired Mick Fitzgerald for the festival's most successfultrainer, Nicky Henderson

FOR A MAN who has enjoyed some of the finest moments of a glittering career at Cheltenham, Barry Geraghty has a remarkably clear-eyed view of next week’s festival.

“It’s become a bit of a monster. I mean it’s brilliant and great, centre stage, where you want to be, and everything else,” he argues. “But nowadays it seems everything is a trial for Cheltenham. Very valuable races only count towards it. In fact whatever wins the Gold Cup, it’s like it’s almost only a trial for next year’s Gold Cup!”

Such a comment is typical of the man whose tally of 13 festival winners includes a Gold Cup, two Champion Chases and a World Hurdle. Of the major championship races, only the Champion Hurdle has remained elusive and Geraghty has as good a chance of reining in Binocular on Tuesday as anyone else with the favourite’s stable companion Punjabi. It’s hard to imagine, however, such an omission on his CV comes between Geraghty and his sleep as it seems Tony McCoy obsesses about his lack of a Grand National success. That might have something to do with having a victory in the Aintree spectacular in the bag already. But it’s more to do with an innate ability to keep what he does in context.

The evidence of this decade suggests no jockey thrives more on the big occasion than the former champion. He has had at least one Cheltenham winner in each of the last seven years. In 2003 there were five of them, and that was still in the days of a three-day festival.

Geraghty’s finest moments on the likes of Kicking King and Moscow Flyer have testified to a relish of the Cheltenham challenge rather than a dread of getting it wrong.

“You’re revved up on the first day but once you’re into it things roll along just like on a normal day. You know your form, you know where you’re going in a race and you know what you want to happen. I wouldn’t suffer from nerves anyway but even still I suppose I’d be fairly psyched. Not eyes out on stalks or anything like that. I suppose focused is the word,” he says.

This year he has a lot to focus on. When Punjabi ran a fine third in last year’s Champion Hurdle, Geraghty couldn’t have known then it was a significant step towards a new career avenue that has seen him replace the now-retired Mick Fitzgerald as number one jockey to the festival’s most successful trainer, Nicky Henderson. McCoy may have the ride on Binocular for his retainer JP McManus, but there is plenty left over for Geraghty, such as the Triumph favourite Zaynar and the World Hurdle contender, Punchestowns.

Along with rides on Irish-trained hopes like the Arkle-bound Forpadydeplasterer, it gives the Meath-born rider a book of rides that bookmakers rate only behind Ruby Walsh’s. Winning the leading rider award again is a realistic ambition and there is even the possibility of a historic Gold Cup triumph on the Queen Elizabeth’s runner Barbers Shop. It makes for a tantalising glimpse of an ideal climax to his first season with Henderson.

“After the first few weekends of travelling over to ride in England, I was no good for nothing on the Monday. But you get used to the travelling. You get into a sort of auto-pilot situation. And at least I knew what it involved having ridden for Jonjo (O’Neill) and Paul Nicholls a few years ago.

“And things have gone great with Nicky. He’s in the game for years and he knows the ups and downs. He’s also very understanding of what can happen in a race,” he says.

It’s little wonder the two men get on well as Geraghty’s arrival has coincided with a vintage season for the Lambourn trainer. Any idea that Henderson’s love-affair with Cheltenham meant punters were best leaving him alone until the turn of the year has been knocked for six by a succession of big-race winners that have cemented the new partnership.

The reality remains, though, that the festival is the centrepiece of an entire season and Geraghty’s proven track record would have appealed mightily to the Englishman when he went looking for Fitzgerald’s replacement. Cheltenham might be a scenic mecca for thousands but it presents real challenges to those riding around it.

“It is tricky but it all depends on the pace of each race. Different situations demand different cardinal rules but it’s all about pace. If you lose your possie off a slow pace you are done. The place rewards initiative but that only comes from experience,” he says before pointing out how some things have changed in recent years.

“When I rode in England first the pace was almost always cut-throat. That might have had to do with Martin Pipe raising the fitness bar and he went out the gate with everything. But things have got more tactical now. I think it’s to do with the likes of Paul Nicholls, Alan King and Nicky improving fitness levels as well. Now if something goes off quick, other horses are fit enough to go with them,” Geraghty adds.

Geraghty’s view is that the Irish team is not a vintage one compared to even just a few years ago but there remain some first-rate prospects among the raiding party.

“Cousin Vinny is very good. What happened to him the last day has happened to us all – me anyway – and he is proven on the track as well which is a bonus. Forpadydeplasterer was beaten by the ground on his last run and I think on good going he has a chance in a not vintage Arkle. It’s winnable. I think on good ground Sublimity will be a big danger in the Champion Hurdle. If it hadn’t rained on the morning of last year’s race he might have won it. He’s a forgotten horse,” he argues.

Punjabi is his own Champion Hurdle mount again and a cut in the ground wouldn’t be a huge blow for that horse’s chances of overturning Binocular and co. “He was third last year and I would have thought he has improved. He was good at Wetherby first time and Kempton wouldn’t have suited him at Christmas. It’s too quick round there for him and he will be better around Cheltenham. He’s more of a stayer than a speed horse,” Geraghty says.

“Punchestowns wasn’t fully revved up the last day and he was good in the Long Walk and must have a good chance in the Stayers. Zaynar won at Ascot but he will be better suited by Cheltenham as well and I think he must have a good chance,” he adds.

All the evidence of the last decade suggests that if the horses are up to it then they can look forward to an inspired touch around National Hunt racing’s ultimate test. And as for Geraghty, he gets the sort of ammunition to tame this monster.