As always, the racing had some spectacular highs and unfortunately also had to endure some terrible lows over the past year. Here we look at the best and worst memories of 2024.
Highlights
McManus remains a national treasure
Paul Townend celebrates winning the Grand National with I Am Maximus (David Davies for The Jockey Club)
No one has put more into National Hunt racing in Britain and Ireland than JP McManus, who supports so many people at all levels of the industry. Any rewards he receives are always hugely popular and I Am Maximus’ Grand National triumph was another day to remember at Aintree. The green and gold flew home fair after the final hurdle to give McManus a third victory in spectacular Liverpool and he lifted the trophy flanked by his grandchildren. He said: “I love everything about the race. I love Liverpool, the excitement of coming here, the run-up to the National, it’s just a very special place. If you win, it’s a wonderful spectacle.”
Gold Cup glory for Galopin Des Champs – again
Galopin Des Champs won the Cheltenham Gold Cup again (David Davies for The Jockey Club)
It was another fantastic Cheltenham Festival for the all-conquering Willie Mullins, with State Man’s Champion Hurdle success backed up by victories in major races for the likes of Gaelic Warrior, Lossiemouth, Ballyburn, Fact To File, Majborough, Jasmin De Vaux and Absurde. However, Galopin Des Champs stood out for his clear jump late in the Gold Cup. As Gerri Colombe pressed, Paul Townend asked his mount for two big jumps on the home straight and the defending champion responded superbly before staying strong up the hill.
Franny Norton’s glorious swan song
Weighing room stalwart Franny Norton bowed out in Chester in September (David Davies/PA)
Everyone likes to see an experienced jockey bow on a high note and Franny Norton certainly had a fairytale finish in his beloved Chester, riding a Roodee treble on his final day in the saddle. The 54-year-old Liverpool-born pilot was given a guard of honor before his penultimate ride on Small Fry proved successful and Qitaal then rode home the winner by a wide margin in the final event after a thunderstorm threatened to derail the race. “It was like God was crying because I’m retiring,” Norton joked.
Kia Joorabchian replenishes arsenal with new Amo
Kia Joorabchian is spending big (Mike Egerton/PA).
The businessman and influential football figure may not be everyone’s cup of tea and has been involved in some acrimonious splits with his jockeys and trainers, but racing needs colorful characters who can transcend the sport and Joorabchian certainly impressed in sales. A 4.4 million guineas daughter of Frankel and a 4.3 million guineas son of Wootton Bassett were among Amo Racing’s huge spenders at the Tattersalls Book One sale. Irish Oaks heroine You Got To Me was subsequently bought for €4.8 million and Joorabchian said: “We are trying to do the right thing. We have to compete, and we’ve been trying to compete for many years and probably burned so much money trying to do so.” The likes of Coolmore, Godolphin and Juddmonte have dominated at the elite level, but this is an ambitious attempt to join that group.
City of Troy Derby Redemption
City Of Troy came well in the Derby (John Walton/PA)
After an excellent youth campaign, Aidan O’Brien’s much-hyped star flopped in the 2000 Guineas, but redeemed himself in emphatic fashion with a derby career run. Ambiente Friendly looked to be sailing three furlongs further, but City Of Troy, led by Ryan Moore, stormed through to eventually break free. Coolmore partner Michael Tabor stated: “Aidan said this is the best we’ve ever had and it all came true.”
Lows
City Of Troy Breeders’ Cup Classic KO
City Of Troy in the paddock for the Breeders’ Cup Classic (Neil Morrice/PA)
Victories at Sandown’s Eclipse and the Juddmonte International at York followed his success at Epsom and set the stage for an assault on the Breeders’ Cup Classic. O’Brien had come close to capturing this prize before and was confident that City Of Troy, as the son of American Triple Crown hero Justify, could give him an elusive first win. However, he started slowly and never played a role, with Moore admitting, “They were going so fast and he just couldn’t get going.”
Henderson’s Cheltenham Festival woes
Cheltenham 2024 was one to forget for Nicky Henderson (Adam Davy/PA)
With Constitution Hill ruled out of a Champion Hurdle defense the week before the race due to a respiratory infection, Nicky Henderson’s Cheltenham Festival got off to an inauspicious start as five of his six runners retired on Tuesday. That led the Seven Barrows trainer to rule out a series of leading contenders and while a handful of his remaining entries performed successfully, a series of unsatisfactory scopes left the trainer dejected and admitting: “You just got scared to run away .”
Racing mourns the death of ‘much loved’ Cherchi
Jockey Stefano Cherchi at Southwell (Simon Marper/PA).
The death of young jockey Stefano Cherchi from injuries sustained in a fall in Australia shocked many across the racing world, having ridden more than 100 winners in Britain before moving Down Under. The 23-year-old rider worked with 38 winners for compatriot Marco Botti while in Britain, and the Newmarket handler was among those deeply saddened by the tragedy. The trainer said: “His charm and his way with people made him such a nice guy. To me, to be honest, he was a bit of a son.” The Professional Jockeys Association added: “Stefano was not only a gifted rider but was also hugely popular in the weighing room because of his humility, kindness and sense of humour. He was much loved and will be missed even more.”
Shark bite leaves an unappetizing taste
Trainer John ‘Shark’ Hanlon with stable star Hewick (Niall Carson/PA).
Opinions vary on the seriousness of the offense committed by Shark Hanlon in removing a dead horse from his yard earlier this year, but even the most sympathetic observer would describe it as a poor error of judgment. The horse was transported on an open trailer towed by Hanlon’s horse trailer, with the body left visible after a tarp shifted during the journey. A member of the public filmed the incident and it was widely shared on social media. A subsequent suspension was reduced on appeal from ten months to six months, with the possibility that it could be further reduced to three months. After enjoying a fairytale run with Hewick’s Cinderella story, culminating in his victory in the final King George at Kempton Park on Boxing Day, Hanlon’s festive season will be very different this year.
A final word for absent friends
Abuffalosoldier was a gutsy winner on what was unfortunately his last start (Mike Egerton/PA)
All horse deaths are disturbing, but some clearly hit a little harder. When Hidden Law broke down and was fatally injured almost immediately after the winning line at Chester, he had just given Godolphin dreams of Derby glory with an authoritative Chester Vase win. At the Cheltenham meeting in November, Abuffalosoldier was a courageous winner over just under three and a half miles, but collapsed on the course after an ITV interview with his jockey Sean Bowen. Off the track, Shishkin’s death due to an injury sustained at Seven Barrows left Henderson “devastated that such a great horse, friend and warrior has gone”. All fallen soldiers have our deepest sympathy.
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