I don`t have to say it, the racing media do it for me. John Francome, Alistair Down, Tanya Stevenson, Simon Holt, Peter Naughton, Sean Magee, Tom Richmond, Graham Cunningham, even John McCririck and no doubt many others are all as one in their praise of a fantastic servant to National Hunt Racing, Mister McGoldrick.
Sue Smith, at the start of the current season, knew she only had to tell me if she thought it was time for him to hang up his boots, but no, in her own words , “In his head he`s still a 4yo, his body is like that of a 4yo, his legs are like those of a 4yo, and his enthusiasm to go out on Baildon Moor most mornings has not diminished.So much so that he still wants to “play out” when most of the others have cried enough”.
And so the legend he has become ( not my words, the Racing Posts ) is still enjoying himself and thrilling racegoers with his ability to perform honourably, even in defeat, the latest being at Cheltenham (again) on Saturday 30th Jan in the Betfair Trophy Chase. His gutsy third prompted the comment from Alistair Down on Channel 4 TV that it won`t be long before families are naming their kids after him!! I think it was meant as a compliment !!
And so we now have to consider finding him a race at the Cheltenham Festival. Much will depend on ground conditions of course, but if it were to come up Good to Soft with rain on the day to loosen up the ground, I think that would set up a real opportunity for a another big race from McG.
If conditions are as mentioned, I suggest you watch the video on the home page which shows him winning the Racing Post Plate in 2008. On that day the ground was exactly how I`ve described and just watch how he glides over it, whereas if you watched him race in the Betfair Trophy, the ground was tacky or sticky which definitely didn`t help him.
No complaints though, even if its Good to Firm in March and we have to change plans, Sue will find a race for him on a day where things will click into place and his admirers will be, as one, cheering him home.
