Paddy Flood is one of the most promising young National Hunt riders in Ireland at the moment, having come a very long way since riding his first winner at Tralee in June 2003.
Principal Trainers: Dessie Hughes, Arthur Moore
Notable Wins:
- Bobbyjo Chase (Vic Venturi 2010)
- Winter Festival Juvenile 3-Y-O Hurdle (Cross Appeal 2009)
- Becher Handicap Chase (Vic Venturi 2009)
- Thurles Chase (In Compliance 2009)
- Boylesports.com Champion Novice Chase (Rare Bob 2009)
- Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Novice Handicap Chase (Bella Mana Mou 2009)
- Coral Cup (Ninetieth Minute 2009)
- Woodlands Park 100 Nas Na Riogh Novice Chase (Joncol 2009)
- Coolmore NH Sires European Breeders Fund Mares Novice Chase (Moskova 2009)
- Leopardstown Handicap Chase (Schindlers Hunt 2009)
- Horse and Jockey Hotel Hurdle (Ninetieth Minute 2008)
- Maplewood Developments Hurdle (Hardy Eustace 2008)
- PricewaterhouseCoopers Chase (Finger Onthe Pulse 2008)
- Kerry National (Ponmeoath 2008 + 2007)
- Midlands National Handicap Chase (Piano Star 2008, Trotsky 2005, Night Busker 2004)
- Irish Grand National (Hear The Echo 2008)
- Woodlands Park 100 Slaney Novice Hurdle (Venalmar 2008)
- Porterstown Handicap Chase (Sea Diva 2007)
- Total Event Rental Mares Hurdle (Blazing Sky 2007 + 2006)
- Scarvagh House Stud Mares Novice Hurdle (Grangeclare Lark 2006)
- Galway Hurdle (Cuan Na Grai 2006)
- Sharp Minds Betfair Novice Handicap Chase (Liscannor Lad 2004)
Early Days
Attached to the Dessie Hughes stable in the early part of his career, Paddy quickly established himself as a useful 7lb claiming rider and rode the likes of Celestial Light, Night Busker and Liscannor Lad to victory on several occasions. Indeed, his partnership with Liscannor Lad brought him a notable success in the valuable Sharp Minds Betfair Novice Handicap Chase at the Punchestown Festival in April 2004. Having partnered Night Busker to win twice over hurdles in 2003, Paddy enjoyed a notable success on the same horse in the 2004 renewal of the Midlands National Handicap Chase at Kilbeggan.
It wasn’t long before he began to get plenty of outside rides for a variety of different trainers and the likes of Paul Nolan and Edward O’Grady were quick to use his valuable 5lb claim at this time. Other good winners that Paddy rode around this time were the likes of Hard Winter and Poker Pal at Thurles in February 2005 while at the Punchestown Festival he partnered English raider, Snoopy Loopy, to a fine success in the Opel Novice Hurdle. Later that summer, Dessie Hughes’ useful novice hurdler, Robert, provided Paddy with three consecutive victories culminating with a win at the Galway Festival while the previous week Trotsky gave him a second win in the Midlands National at Kilbeggan.
Dealing With His Demons
However, while Paddy was beginning to become more successful, he endured some personal problems and having parted company with Dessie Hughes he joined the Edward O’Grady stable in County Tipperary. Proving successful on Laragh House at the Listowel Harvest Festival in 2005 was a good start for the new combination, but once again Paddy’s personal problems began to interfere with his working life. He found that he had a problem with alcohol and on O’Grady’s advice took some time off to work things out which proved to be one of the best things he ever did. Returning to action late in the year, Paddy did not take long to re-establish himself as a prodigious talent as he rode a fine double at Limerick on St Stephen’s Day including victory on Back In Front in his first steeplechase for Edward O’Grady.
Having recently ridden out his 3 lb claim, Flood could have been expected to struggle, but Flood was soon in great demand from a variety of trainers. He kept the ride on Back In Front when they lined up for the SunAlliance Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March and was still in with every chance of victory when they parted company at the second-last fence.
Galway Glory
During the summer of 2006, Paddy enjoyed a terrific run of success with his victory on the Paul Nolan-trained Cuan Na Grai in the ultra-competitive Galway Hurdle being the highlight. Paddy only got the ride when intended rider Barry Geraghty suffered an injury in the very first race that afternoon, but he proved a more than capable substitute as he made virtually all the running on this smart performer. This fine victory was followed by an amazing four-timer at Kilbeggan the following weekend, with Paddy steering Former Senator, Tiermana Lady, Premount and Sharp Doctor to success on an unforgettable evening.
More success followed with Paddy the Frank McGuinness-trained Blazing Sky to success in the Listed Grabel Mares Hurdle at Punchestown in October 2006, a win that the pair repeated 12 months later. He gained another notable success when Grangeclare Lark obliged under Paddy in the Grade 3 Scarvagh House Stud Mares Novice Hurdle at Down Royal in November. He ended the campaign with a very respectable tally of 38 winners which helped him to finish in seventh place in the Jockeys Championship.
2007/8 was another successful campaign for Flood. He made a strong start to the campaign during the summer months, but his victory on the Eric McNamara-trained Ponmeoath in the Guinness Kerry National was his most important victory in 2007. Later in the season, he also struck up a fine partnership with the Mouse Morris-trained Venalmar , with him winning the Grade 2 Slaney Novice Hurdle at Naas in January before narrowly failing to give him an initial success at the Cheltenham Festival when the pair were denied close home by Fiveforthree in the Ballymore Properties Novice Hurdle. However, that agonizing defeat must have been well forgotten a few weeks later as he rode the Mouse Morris-trained Hear The Echo to a surprise success in the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse.
A Remarkable Season
2008/9 would prove to be a remarkable season for Flood. He rode exceptionally well from the outset and continued that momentum through the whole campaign, resulting in him registering much-increased tallies of winners and prize money. The highlight of the first half of the season was his second consecutive win in the Kerry National on the Eric McNamara-trained Ponmeoath. Better still was to come in November, with him winning his first-ever Grade 1 race on the legendary Hardy Eustace in the Maplewood Developments Hurdle at Punchestown. It proved to be the final success of the great horse’s career and it will be a win that Flood will forever treasure. He continued his momentum through the busy Christmas period and in January, he rode the Dessie Hughes-trained Schindlers Hunt to a valuable success in the Leopardstown Handicap Chase. The Graded successes continued into March and Flood went into the Cheltenham Festival brimming with confidence. Riding the Tom Taaffe-trained Ninetieth Minute in the Coral Cup, Flood gave him a polished ride to run out the 1½ lengths winner, giving Flood a momentous first win at the greatest of all racing festivals. Schindler’s Hunt also gave Flood a memorable ride at Cheltenham, finishing a close third in the Ryanair Chase. Indeed, Flood would also ride that horse to finish in the money in Grade 1 contests at the Aintree and Punchestown Festivals as well. What had been an incredibly successful season for Flood was capped by his second Grade 1 win, riding the Dessie Hughes-trained Rare Bob to success in the Boylesports.com Champion Novice Chase at the Punchestown Festival. All told, he rode a total of 56 winners that season, by far his best-ever tally.
Consolidating Success
While it was always going to be very hard for Flood to match that season’s performance in 2009/10, he succeeded in riding his second-best tally of winners (39) despite taking over 25% less rides than he had in the previous campaign. His most lucrative partner during the season was the Dessie Hughes-trained Vic Venturi, with him gaining a memorable win over the Aintree Grand National fences in the Becher Chase in November. The following February, Flood rode him to win the Grade 2 Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse. Unfortunately, Flood’s season ended on a notably negative note as he suffered a double disappointment at the Aintree Grand National meeting, suffering a broken collarbone when his old favourite Schindlers Hunt took a fatal fall in the Melling Chase, with that injury ruling him out of riding Vic Venturi in the Aintree Grand National the following day.
Injury Intervenes
While Flood didn’t waste any time returning to the racecourse after that broken collarbone, he was only back a few weeks when he took a heavy fall at Kilbeggan in June, suffering a badly broken collarbone. This time he was off the racecourse for over three months. Back in action since September, Flood has been doing his utmost to make up for lost time. While he has yet to strike in a big race, it is only a matter of time before this highly-talented rider returns to Grade 1-winning form.
Info supplied by Horse Racing Ireland - Updated January 2011
