Festival sees a day of Micks’ emotions

IT WASN’T a great day for the Paddies but the Micks did all right. Last summer, jockey Mick Fitzgerald broke his neck in the kind of accident that would lead lesser men to a desk job.

Yesterday, the Wexford man barely broke a sweat when he brought Fondmort over the finish line with the kind of cool reserved for refrigerator maintenance men.

"When I was lying in hospital with a broken neck I didn't think I'd be back at Cheltenham, never mind riding a winner," he confessed.

He didn't think it twice then, because he went on to have a second winning ride with Non So and the crowd were so pleased for him, they were happy to overlook that neither counted as an Irish victory.

The other Mick who was enjoying a day hardline fans regarded as an interval before Gold Cup Day was Mr Ryanair, Michael O'Leary.

He picked a kind day to start charging passengers for their luggage as the spare suitcases some optimistic punters had brought in the hope of packing them with winnings were unlikely to be put to use.

O'Leary had sponsored a race at the festival for the first time but didn't manage to back the winner so took pleasure in battering the British instead.

"We're keeping the best horses at home and selling ye lot the rubbish and coming over here to beat you on a regular basis," he told an English interviewer with characteristically cheeky glee.

Another happy man was JP McManus, whose horse, Reveillez, was the first win of the day. JP had a "little" wager on Reveillez though rumour had it the return on that little investment hit a sum close to €1 million.

He really did have a little bet on his second winner of the day, Kadoun, at least little by McManus standards and modest enough not to affect the 50-1 odds.

The biggest smiles of the day belonged to Irish soccer manager Steve Staunton and former international Niall Quinn who spotted JP at the bookies before the race and wisely followed his example.

"The bookie said we must be mad to back it at 50-1 but we said 'if I'm as mad as JP McManus, that's ok with me'," said a chuffed Quinn.

Neither gent would divulge the extent of their outlay on Kadoun but Quinn's betting plans for today or rather the lack of them were revealing. "I've my money made after that. I'm keeping my hands in my pocket," he said.