Fitzgerald rides his 1,000 career winner

Mick Fitzgerald joined an elite club of jockeys when he rode his 1,000th career winner aboard Orswell Crest at Sandown today.

The 33-year-old became only the ninth jump jockey to achieve the magical target when he booted the Philip Hobbs-trained nine-year-old home in the Keith Garwood and Chris Garlick 50th Birthday Handicap Chase.

After his eight-length all-the-way victory, Fitzgerald quickly made it a double when Caracciola swept past Pirandello to claim the Barry and Christine Davies Silver Wedding Handicap Hurdle for his boss Nicky Henderson.

And he went on to a treble when Iris Royal put up a commanding performance in the Daytona Sandown Park Handicap Chase, also for Henderson.

Fitzgerald joins Stan Mellor, John Francome, Peter Scudamore, Richard Dunwoody, Tony McCoy, Peter Niven, Adrian Maguire and Richard Johnson, who are the only others to have reached the landmark.

The Irishman, whose first victory came on Lovers Secret at Ludlow in December 1988, said: “This means everything to me – it means I join a band of elite jockeys.

“I have so much to thank Nicky Henderson for. I would have liked to do it on one of Nicky’s, but I wasn’t about to turn down a winner!

“It is nice I have done it for Philip Hobbs.

“This is my 12th season with Nicky and I am very lucky to have such a good job. It is a pleasure to ride for him and I work with a great bunch of people at Seven Barrows. He is a great man to work for and a great friend.”

When asked what winners stuck out in his mind, he turned to the crowd and in typical quick-witted fashion said: “Every one of the them!”

Fitzgerald is virtually on 1,003 winners already because he will be awarded a race at Kempton from February following a positive test from the original winner, but the Jockey Club has yet to disqualify the horse officially.

Injuries have blighted the Cork-born rider’s career and he missed much of the summer after reconstructive surgery to his left ankle in June, having broken it in a fall last season.

He returned to the saddle in October.

Fitzgerald, whose injuries have included broken arms, legs and the removal of a collar-bone, admitted the fightback from his latest injury almost forced him to rethink his career.

He said: “When it is such a long road back from recovery, it made me think, ‘How bad do I want this?’

“By the end of the four months, I wanted it so badly you wouldn’t believe it - I have even given up drinking for the last month just so I can be good and strong again.”

Henderson’s stable jockey, whose biggest victories have come on See More Business in the Cheltenham Gold Cup (1999) and Rough Quest in the Grand National (1996), added: “I am looking forward to this season as much as I have ever done. Here’s to the next winner.”

An emotional Henderson was fighting to choke back the tears after welcoming in the man he describes as “my great friend”.

“He is a great team player and his dedication to us has been absolutely amazing,” Henderson said.

“He has got a great tactical brain and really does his homework on our horses. He’s a bright guy.

He knows exactly what he is going to do.

“I am so proud of him, because we have been great mates for a very long time. It is a great achievement.”

Richard Dunwoody, who rode 1,699 winners before his career was ended by an arm injury, said: “Mick is a fierce competitor and a good friend. He is a brilliant rider and very dedicated.

“It is fantastic to see him reach this milestone and he has always been one of the best horseman in the business. His dedication in the face of some very bad injuries has been first class. I am truly thrilled for him.”