Having started off at a relatively low base, the Jessica Harrington-trained Macs Joy improved up through the ranks to take his place among a vintage crop of Irish-trained 2m hurdlers in the middle part of the “noughties”. His rivalry with Brave Inca captivated the racing public for many years and he more than held his own against that top-class rival.
Trainer: Jessica Harrington
Principal Jockey: Barry Geraghty
Grade 1 Wins: ACC Bank Champion Hurdle (2006), AIG Europe Champion Hurdle (2005), December Festival Hurdle (2004)
Early Days
Macs Joy began his career in four-year-old bumpers, making a winning debut at Tralee in June 2003 prior to finishing a close third at Tipperary three weeks later. He started off his career over hurdles the following October, but it took him four attempts to get off the mark in that sphere, eventually winning a maiden at Downpatrick in December. A second-place finish to the subsequent Cheltenham Gold Cup winner War Of Attrition in a conditions hurdle at Navan was followed by an improved showing with him finishing second to the well-handicapped Dromlease Express in the Pierse Handicap Hurdle at Leopardstown in January 2004.
That run signalled the start of the progression of Macs Joy and while he won his next start in a handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse the following month, he controversially lost the race in the steward’s room. He was strongly fancied for the County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, but he was narrowly balloted out of that race. He soon gained compensation for that disappointment, registering impressive successes in the Menolly Homes Handicap Hurdle at Fairyhouse and the Swinton Handicap Hurdle at Haydock in the months that followed.
A Handicapper Becomes A Grade 1 Performer
The 2004/5 season saw Macs Joy successfully made the transition from handicap hurdles into Grade 1 company. He began the campaign by finishing third to Back In Front in a Flat maiden at Navan before comfortably getting the better of Brave Inca in a conditions hurdle at Down Royal in November.While he found Harchibald and Back In Front too good in the Morgiana Hurdle just nine days later, he would be freshened up after that defeat and the best was yet to come from him. Contesting Grade 1 company for the first time in the December Festival Hurdle at Leopardstown, he once again comfortably mastered Brave Inca. Just under a month later, he duly confirmed that form in the AIG Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown, but this time the margin was a hard-fought short-head. However, he may have peaked too soon that season as Brave Inca finished in front of him when he finished fifth in the Cheltenham Champion Hurdle and third in the Punchestown equivalent a few weeks later.
A More Patient Approach
In 2005/6, Harrington opted to bring Macs Joy along gradually, finishing down the field in his first two starts of the season before finishing a promising second to his old rival Brave Inca in the AIG Champion Hurdle. An easy win in the Red Mills Trial Hurdle at Gowran Park followed and he went to Cheltenham as the well-fancied third favourite. Having travelled easily into the straight, he only gave best to Brave Inca on the run-in, finishing a highly-creditable second to Colm Murphy’s charge. However, he avenged that defeat in impressive fashion when easily winning the ACC Bank Champion Hurdle at the Punchestown Festival, his third win at the highest level.
Disappointment Following By Tragedy
Unfortunately, that would prove to be the last time Macs Joy would enter the winner’s enclosure as he had a truncated campaign in 2006/7 with the highlight coming when a close second to Silent Oscar in the ACC Bank Champion Hurdle at the Punchestown Festival. Having made an encouraging return to action in the Maplewood Developments Hurdle at Punchestown in November 2007, hopes were high that Macs Joy would return to his best. However, in his very next start in the Boylesports International Hurdle at Cheltenham he tragically broke a hind leg and had to be humanely destroyed, bringing a tragic end to a tremendous career. It was a cruel blow for all of his connections, but he owed nobody anything and had sealed his place as one of the top Irish hurdlers of the decade. In total, he won nine of his 31 starts and earned over €600,000 in prize money.
Info supplied by Horse Racing Ireland – Updated January 2011
