Speaking exclusively to BOYLE Sports, leading Irish jumps jockey and number one rider for trainer Henry de Bromhead, Darragh O’Keeffe has spoken bullishly about keeping Cheltenham as a four day event, his favourite other festivals and his perspective on Willie Mullins "phenomenal" operation.
Elsewhere, O'Keefe reflected on the recent John Durkan event, Loosimouths recent victory, Gold Cup aspirations and backs English trainers to do well in both the Leopardstown Christmas Festival as well as at Cheltenham next March.
The piece concludes with the young jockey reflecting on the difference between Irish and British Jockeys, naming his favourite ride and what he likes to do to relax away from racing.
Cheltenham Festival
Keep Cheltenham As Four Days!
It doesn't seem right to me. I definitely don't think you'd be adding on another day to it anyway. Four days seems right, but some are still saying three days was better. I suppose it's whether people think maybe three days was better for the public and better for racing itself. I definitely wouldn't be given it another day anyway.
I suppose asking a jockey, the four days seem great for us because obviously, the more rides you have, the more chances you have of riding winners there. Know. I think it works well there at the minute, Tuesday to Friday, doesn't it? There's plenty of good racing on.
Favourite Festivals
I suppose Cheltenham is the ultimate; it is where everyone wants to go and get to. It's the pinnacle of our sport, isn't it? When you start off the season, it's what horses you can ride. You say, ‘This horse could be good enough for Cheltenham.’ So that is the ultimate place where everyone wants to compete.
There's plenty of festivals over here, like Leopardstown, Punchestown and things like Fairyhouse this weekend, and you have your Navans. But they are all gearing up to get to the one place, and that is Cheltenham.
Everyone Wants To Match Mullins
It's a phenomenal operation. With the horses they have and the team they've built, you'd have to take your hats off to them, really. He’s champion trainer in England in the last couple of years as well, which says a lot for him. He's phenomenal, and he has wonderful horses.
But when you see what they can do, when they can go to the Breeders' Cup and take out a Breeders' Cup Turf, it's unreal. Everyone has to get to their level, and it makes everyone else hungry, I'm sure. It's not frustrating. As I said, everyone has to get to their level. It's not by luck they’re at the top.
They've worked for it. When you’re taking them on, you have to be on your game, and you know you need the right horses to do that as well. It challenges everyone. Everyone has to look for more quality. It makes everyone want to work harder and try to get near them.
John Durkan
John Durkan Reflections: “One Of The Best I’ve Been Involved In”
It was a phenomenal race. I rode Heart Wood, and he finished fourth and went well. But I just thought the gallop Gaelic Warrior went was incredible. I saw him galloping into the middle fence down the back, and I thought, ‘He’ll have to crack now.’ But I couldn't even get anywhere near him. He's one hell of a racehorse, and it was one hell of a performance to beat a horse like Fact to File.
I couldn't have seen it beforehand, to be honest [Gaelic Warriors’ win]. I just didn't think that he'd be able to go out and do what he did and still outstay Fact to File. It was one hell of a race. To see Fastorslow finish third and me fourth and the horses that finished behind us, it was an incredible race. Gaelic Warrior was after running so gassy for the first mile of the race and jumping exuberantly and all that. Paul Townend knew when the horse needed a breather, having made a couple of mistakes, so he had to fill him up to get the chance to finish the race, let alone win it. It was a proper, proper race.
To be honest, the John Durkan on Sunday was as good a race I've ridden in for depth of quality. The gallop we went on was remarkable. I thought we were flying. I was riding Heart Wood, who is a good, solid horse, and I was just about comfortable where I was, and I was a long way behind Mark[Walsh] and Paul [Townend]. I was jumping well, but if I'd happened to miss any fence down the back, I would have been gone. I thought that was as good a race as I'd ridden in, to be honest.
The pace we went, I thought Paul and Mark would have to start slowing down, climbing up to the fourth last. But I couldn't get near them, and if anything, they picked up again. I think he will be the favourite now for the King George at Kempton. It was always going to be that the John Durkan was going to be a stepping stone to the King George, wasn't it? I think after a performance like that, he'd have to be the favourite. He’s going to take plenty of beatings wherever he goes next.
Were Lossiemouth’s Antics A Concern? No!
She's a lovely mare. I've just seen the clip of it. I don't think I’d read too much into that. Most horses, after running a race, are supposed to stand still to get into a photo. But they’d be hot and warm and would prefer to keep moving around. I wouldn't really see too much into what she did.
Gold Cup Pinnacle
If I had a good Champion Hurdle horse to ride, I wouldn't mind that either. I suppose when everyone sets out to buy a horse, everyone sets out to buy a Gold Cup horse! It is the dream. The Gold Cup is probably the pinnacle. It's the best horses that take each other on.
Leopardstown
Leopardstown Christmas Festival
It's massive. Massive, for novices and open horses. You’ve got plenty of Grade 1s, plenty of good handicaps. It's a great festival, it's a great track to ride around, the chase track especially. It's a great course. The best horse normally wins up there. It's a fantastic place, and there's always a great crowd, great atmosphere.
As I said, it's one of those stepping stones again to Cheltenham. Riding a good horse round Leopardstown over fences, when you swing down into the back straight, it's brilliant. Navan is great too, and I really love riding around Aintree. All those tracks are great when you're riding good horses!
At Christmas, you'll find out with the novices where most of them will be out to win their maiden hurdles and beginners’ chases, and then they'll be stepping into Graded company after Leopardstown. People will be finding out what trips and where they'll go heading towards Cheltenham, and whether they're going two, two and a half or three miles with them.
Leopardstown Would Welcome English Runners
I'm not sure it's an advantage because it's not like nobody else can come there, you know what I mean? Everyone is welcome to come there. I don't think there's an advantage come March. They've had two good trials wherever they are.
In England, they've the Trials in January. Everyone's welcome to go to Leopardstown. I’m sure they’d be delighted if more of the English horses came over for our Festivals.
England Will Have More Winners At Cheltenham
I don’t know if there is any secret. The Irish trainers seem to buy all the quality of horses, I suppose. That’s probably what it comes down to. But in fairness, the English, over the last couple of years, have made a good stab of it with trainers like Dan Skelton, and they're making a fair go of things over there now, making it good and competitive as well.
I think the English will be having more winners at Cheltenham, and it's good to see. Even though I'm from Ireland, you'd love to see everyone having a winner and small trainers, jockeys and owners. It’s what makes a good festival, I think.
Darragh O'Keeffe
Irish Jockeys vs British Jockeys – The Difference
I'd say Irish jockeys would ride that bit tighter. The racing every day over here is very competitive. We’ve got Tramore tomorrow, and even in the low-grade races, the nought to 100s or nought to 110s or whatever, there could be 15 or 16 runners in them.
The Irish tend to ride good and tight. That's a competitive sport at the end of the day. And when you're going over to Cheltenham, you're going to give everyone enough room, but you're not going to give room for two if there's room for only one, you know what I mean? I think jockeys ride accordingly, and if they ride carelessly, they'll be penalised for it.
Favourite Win
I suppose Maskada winning the Grand Annual in Cheltenham, two years ago, my first winner at the Festival, was brilliant. I’ve had plenty of winners where I thought, ‘That was great.’
Hiddenvalley Lake winning at Aintree was brilliant. My mum and dad, and everyone was over for it, and winning my first Grade 1 on A Plus Tard in the Savills at Christmas was unreal as well.
Outside Passion Snooker: “I love Ronnie O’Sullivan”
Actually, one hobby I like doing is playing pool or snooker. I have a good interest in that when I get time to do it. I'm a big Ronnie O'Sullivan fan. If the snooker was on and nobody was around, I'd sit down and watch snooker for hours and hours, if I had the time. I dare not have a pool table in my house at the minute because I'd be playing myself if I wasn't playing anyone else!
I just love watching Ronnie play. He is a superstar. I love how mad he is. He’s just one of those characters. You just don't know what he's going to do. He's the one fella who, if he's winning and he's playing bad, he doesn’t like it. I think he said he'd rather play well and lose than play badly and win.
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