ASK most punters in a British betting shop who Tommy Treacy is and their best guess might be "Dick's brother". By the time of the Festival at Cheltenham in March, though, the 20-year-old Irishman may be considerably more familiar, as the regular partner of Ireland's favourite hurdler, Danoli.
Tom Foley, Danoli's trainer, announced yesterday that Treacy will be in the saddle when the gelding, not seen on a race-track since suffering a life-threatening injury when winning the Aintree Hurdle in April, contests the Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown on Sunday. Charlie Swan, who has steered Danoli to all his greatest victories, told Foley that prior claims on his services mean that he will be unable to maintain the partnership, and Foley quickly turned to Treacy to take his place.
Though be has had just four rides in Britain, Treacy is one of the rising stars of Irish jumping. He finished sixth in the riders' championship last season and already has 23 winners to his credit this term. He has also ridden Danoli twice before, recording a victory in a minor hurdle race and third place in a competitive Leopardstown event.
"I was waiting to hear from Adrian Maguire and I didn't hear from him at all," Foley said. "Tommy knows the horse, and he's schooled him recently, which is also a help."
Treacy should also have at least one more chance to fill in any gaps in his knowledge of Danoli after Sunday's race. "The first run will probably tell us a lot," Foley said, "but we're using it more as a nice introduction, we're not going to kill him. He'd have another run before Cheltenham, and he'll be a different horse in his next run, it always takes three or four races to get him right. That's why we have to run him on Sunday, other than that we wouldn't."
Treacy was predictably delighted by yesterday's booking. "You'll certainly be seeing me at, the Festival in March anyway, he said, "but now, please God, I might be on Danoli."
With Montelado and Hotel Minella - Swan's mount in preference to Danoli - also definite runners in Sunday's race at Leopardstown, the Champion Hurdle Trial at Haydock 24 hours earlier again seems unlikely to bed worthy of the name.
Twelve remain in the contest but yesterday it became clear that many are uncertain to run.
