Cheltenham Festival: Paddy Brennan remembers the famous victories on the imperial commander, Inglis Dover and more | Racing news
One of the most important moments for me this season, Jumps talked about the campaign with the former top rider Paddy Brennan every Wednesday on an unbridled, digital show.
Paddy left the saddle last April, took more than 1500 winners in a nearly 20-year career. His successes in the big race were included by King George VI Chase in Kempton at Cue Card and six winners of the Cheltenham Festival.
Now that we are on the verge of a four -day Gloucestershire party, I thought it was a perfect opportunity to go down with Paddy with Paddy and look back at his famous Cheltenham victories, which include the biggest prize of all, the Golden Cup.
As for most of the Joker, Prestbury Park was a unique place for Paddy.
“Driving in Cheltenham was massive, but the victory was everything,” he told me.
“It’s special. There is no feeling in the world. There is a relief. There are so many jockers who have never got that opportunity, to list a couple like Leighton Aspella and Paul Moloney, they never got it. They were top jockers, but it’s so hard to beat there.”
It was in 2006 Paddy first hit Cheltenham Jackpot, thanks Shamayoun In Fred Winter Hunices ‘juvenile’ handicap extensions.
Not much horses were warming up because of the success in Cheltenham, Southwell, who was previously withdrawn at Hereford, but Shamayoun did for Charlie Egerton.
Shamayoun, who drove Thomas himself, won a little obstacle to a novice at Southwell, when he was still with the Blinkari a posterity of the great Kahyasi.
He went to Cheltenham as a 40-1 pole under Brennan, but she worked again for head, and was clear almost three lengths.
“When I rode Shamayoun and won it – my first winner of Cheltenham – I just thought I was the best jockey in the world,” Brennan says.
“I recently got a job with Charlie, and he had about 20 horses to drive. Shamayoun had a blink and went to the beginning, I remember thinking that this horse was not winning anything!
“So, at the beginning, I lifted him and screamed in my ear for the first two obstacles. We continued to win and owe him a lot.
“I made a little clown out of myself on the line as I really celebrated!”
Next year Brennan was on that again, this time Inglis Drever In the world’s 1st grade obstacle.
Inglis Drever beat Mighty Man, with his favorite black Jack Ketchum fell early.
But talking to Paddy, you soon find out that this was not a day of joy.
“What was the Horse Inglis Drever. I remember when I got a job driving for Howard Johnson. His horses galled through the field with the entrance shaft, and one day we were outside and this horse walked past. I asked the staff what it was, and they said it was Inglis Dreves.
“Graham Lee beat him in the past. I have to say that I didn’t enjoy the victory on him much. I was on the verge of him – my job was on the edge and if the truth is known that Howard Johnson did not really want me to ride him.
“He was a strenuous ride. That day he never went and almost fell in the first series of back. But he would hear the crowd at the top of the hill and stripped off. He was a freak.
“I wish I had that day again. The pressures of work ruined my enjoyment.”
2008 Paddy hit the Persemps finals on board Ballyfitz. The horse withdrew four years later at the age of 12 after a great fourth in Scottish citizen.
Ballyfitz entered Cheltenham in great form, previously achieved a good achievement of a handicap in Haydock. He remained strongly running for coach Nigel Twiston-Davies.
“In those days you could win a pertemps with not much in your hand,” Paddy remembers. “He was a direct horse, but it remained very well. The rain slowed it all that day even though the departure was officially welcome to soft.”
It was in 2009 that Brennan’s hero Gold Cup Imperial commander He started to really show what he could do, landing with Ryanair Chase 1. He had already shown the affection of Cheltenham and was far from embarrassed in Ballymore for obstacles.
“The Voy Por Ustedes was a warm favorite (4-5) and that day was a good terrain, so he was sharp enough for the imperial commander,” Brennan says. “I was always in top quality equipment and we couldn’t miss the rhythm. He stayed on the game and I knew he wanted a step on a trip.”
Imperial Commander got it at Cheltenham Gold Cup next year.
“Imperial Commander who won the Golden Cup was the biggest day of my riding career, but he is closely aligned by Cue Card, landing on King George,” Paddy admits.
“It was a strange day. One I will never forget. I remember in complete relief I hit the line. I didn’t have a winner all week, and then I won the Gold Cup.
“I think I would ever do that again, I would appreciate it even more. But that was so special.
“There was no pressure for me. Entering the race, everywhere you left were the cry of Kauto stars and Denman. But I knew I had the opportunity and everything went fine.
“Imperial Commander was strong. The monster of the horse. It was very difficult to train – Nigel Twiston -Davies did a great job with him – you couldn’t start him every other week while he put it in the race so much, but he had everything.
“They recently said you pressed ‘x’ to jump Galopin des Champs and that was such an imperial commander over the fence. You couldn’t put it on the ground.
“As I passed the post, I put my finger at my mouth as a sign of silence. I planned it. It was all about two horses. I won.”
On the same day, Brennan doubled with an old favorite in The island of the pigeonwho seized the great annual.
“The island of Pigeon was like a man,” Paddy says with a smile. “He was a folk horse on the lower end – he never arrived at the top as a horse, but he was special.
He was gray, a little different and very small. He had the will to win, but he was a little unusual, almost “Piggy”. He would save a little. I thought he was almost a man. I don’t think he would have won at Cheltenham if the imperial commander had not won the same day.
“I went there and gave him a lot zero, without driving, but everyone went too fast, and we flew home and won.”
Six winners of the Paddy Festival will never forget. “I wish he had 15 more about what they were talking about,” he adds. “I could talk about them all day.”
So we could fall, so we could.
