Joy at Mallow as young jockey Wesley Joyce seals first win since return from serious injury
THUMBS UP: Jockey Wesley Joyce weighs in after riding Trueba to win giving him his first winner since comeback from injury. Picture: Healy Racing
A mundane midweek meeting turned into a most special occasion at Cork racecourse, Mallow, as young rider Wesley Joyce completed his long journey back to the winner’s enclosure following his horrific fall at the 2022 Galway festival.
The 20-year-old, from Moyross, Co. Limerick, suffered serious injuries which left him in intensive care and on a long and difficult road to recovery.
On Wednesday afternoon, however, there was nothing but unbridled joy on the face of the rider after he secured his first success since his return, and did so aboard a horse, the Eddie Linehan-trained Trueba, which had given him one of his first winners as a jockey.
"It’s been a while coming,” said a relieved and overjoyed Joyce, whose whispered tones are a reminder of the extent of the accident.
“I’ve been hitting the crossbar, and in the past three or four weeks. I’ve had three or four seconds and a couple of thirds, and I was thinking when was the winner going to come.
“But to get it on Trueba … he gave me a winner early in my career, in Limerick, so he’s been a good servant for me. And thanks to Eddie and the team down there, and thanks to everyone here for the support.” Reflecting on the past 12 months, he said: “Since the fall, the journey has been hard but to come back riding, that’s all I ever wanted to do. I just want to keep riding, and whatever happens happens. I’m so grateful to be here riding, especially riding a winner.
“I’m back to 100 percent fitness but I was told that I’d only have 80 percent of my breathing, so I have to work extra hard on my fitness, which I’ve been doing. It seems to be okay, working away grand.
“It’s great to have my mother here as it’s her first time to see me ride a winner. She’s happy out, and that’s all I want, is to make them happy.”
In the jockeys’ championship, Colin Keane is beginning to turn the screw, and the champion jockey added two more to his tally to increase his lead over Billy Lee to 10 winners. He got going aboard the Noel Meade-trained Van Demon in the opening race, the Newmarket Maiden. Representing Noel Meade, he made all the running and made his experience count against the promising but green Hardpoint.
Keane completed his near 16-1 double when Gypsy Woman carried top weight to victory in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies’ Handicap. Trained by Ger Lyons, the filly led early and found plenty to readily account for his rivals, headed by Vadiana. She is going in the right direction and has scope for further improvement.
Elsa’s Pride caused a 25-1 upset when getting up late to win the Mallow Handicap. Market leader Oakley made most of the running and looked to have all of his rivals in trouble as he turned for home. However, he was unable to resist the late rush of the game Elsa’s Pride, who scored for trainer Fozzy Stack, jockey Andy Slattery and owner Sir Francis Brooke. There was a sting in the tail for Seamus Heffernan, ride of the runner-up, as he received a four-day ban for overuse of the whip.
Heffernan gained a degree of compensation when taking the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies’ & Mares’ Maiden aboard odds-on favourite Starry Eyed, trained by Aidan O’Brien. Again, the rider was positive aboard his mount but on this occasion the challengers were unable to get by as she stuck to her task well to score decisively.
“She is a lovely filly, but she has taken a bit of time to come to hand,” said stable representative Chris Armstrong. “She had a very good run the last day at the Curragh in probably a very strong maiden. She came here and Seamus gave her a straightforward ride and she’s got the job done and got an important bracket.
“Probably a mile and a quarter is her trip, and we'll step her up a fraction and we’ll try to find a bit of black type for her. She has promised that for a while and it’s good she’s finally delivered.”
Ameerat Jamaira, a comfortable winner on her handicap debut, at Killarney, was even more impressive in following up in the Corkracecourse.ie Rated Race. Trained by Michael Halford and Tracey Collins and given a fine ride by Ronan Whelan, she didn’t look like the easiest of rides but once they straightened up, she picked up in great style to win as she pleased.
“She’s a lovely, placid filly but she’s fierce green,” said Halford. “She’s probably better suited to going left-handed but I couldn’t find a race for her. She wasn’t an ideal candidate to be drawn on the wide outside, but Ronan rode her particularly well.
“She’s tall and weak but she’s getting her act together. She’s getting her head in front, which is the important thing, and you’d say that she has the size and scope that if the owners were thinking of keeping her in training for next year, there might be even more to come.”
To the suggestion she could be in for a considerable hike up the ratings, Halford responded: “You’d rather them going up than down.” Apprentice rider Jamie Powell is enjoying a fine season and he put another winner on the board when his mount, the Pat Murphy-trained Rock Dandy, held the late rally of Van Krolock by the minimum margin.
