Jessica Harrington

Address: Commonstown Stables, Moone, Co. Kildare  

Principal Jockeys: Robert Power, Andrew Leigh, Barry Geraghty, Fran Berry

http://www.jessicaharringtonracing.com/or www.facebook.com/jessicaharringtonracing

Big Race Wins:

  • RSA Chase (Bostons Angel 2011)Jessica Harrington
  • Flyingbolt Novice Chase (Saludos 2011)
  • Deloitte Novice Hurdle (Oscars Well 2011)
  • Dr. P.J. Moriarty Novice Chase (Bostons Angel 2011, Carrigeen Victor 2005)
  • Fort Leney Novice Chase (Bostons Angel 2010)
  • Navan Novice Hurdle (Oscars Well 2010)
  • WKD Core Hurdle (Gimli’s Rock 2010)
  • National Stakes (Pathfork 2010)
  • Futurity Stakes (Pathfork 2010)
  • Debutante Stakes (Laughing Lashes 2010)
  • Motivatechallenge.com Novice Handicap Chase (Chasing Cars 2010)
  • Johnstown Novice Hurdle (Coole River 2010)
  • Synergy Security Services Novice Hurdle (Coole River 2010, Roberto Goldback 2009)
  • MCR Novice Chase (Roberto Goldback 2010)
  • Goffs Land Rover Bumper (Imperial Cascade 2009)
  • Synergy Security Services Novice Hurdle (Knight Legend 2008)
  • betchronicle.com Spring Juvenile Hurdle (Personal Column 2008)
  • Dan Moore Memorial Handicap Chase (Gemini Lucy 2007)
  • Champion Bumper at Cheltenham (Cork All Star 2007)
  • Royal Bond Novice Hurdle (Hide The Evidence 2006, Moscow Flyer 1999)
  • ACC Bank Champion Hurdle (Macs Joy 2006, Moscow Flyer 2000)
  • Red Mills Trial Hurdle (Macs Joy 2006), Pierse Hurdle (Studmaster 2006, Dance Beat 1996)
  • Mumm Melling Chase (Moscow Flyer 2005 + 2004)
  • Queen Mother Champion Chase (Moscow Flyer 2005 + 2003)
  • AIG Europe Champion Hurdle (Macs Joy 2005)
  • Irish Arkle Trophy (Ulaan Bataar 2005, Bust Out 2003)
  • December Festival Hurdle (Macs Joy 2004)
  • Tingle Creek Chase (Moscow Flyer 2004 + 2003)
  • Fortria Chase (Moscow Flyer 2004 + 2003)
  • C.L. Weld Park Stakes (Jazz Princess 2004)
  • BETDAQ.com Champion Chase (Moscow Flyer 2004)
  • Menolly Homes Handicap Hurdle (Macs Joy 2004)
  • Midlands Grand National (Intelligent 2003, Miss Orchestra 1998)
  • County Hurdle (Spirit Leader 2003)
  • Tote Gold Trophy (Spirit Leader 2003)
  • William Hill Handicap Hurdle (Spirit Leader 2002)
  • Swordlestown Cup (Moscow Flyer 2002)
  • Arkle Trophy Chase (Moscow Flyer 2002)
  • Denny Gold Medal Novice Chase (Moscow Flyer 2001)
  • Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown (Moscow Flyer 2001, Dance Beat 1996)
  • Kinloch Brae Chase (Slaney Native 2001)
  • Morgiana Hurdle (Moscow Flyer 2000)
  • Grand Annual Handicap Chase (Space Trucker 1999)
  • Galway Hurdle (Oh So Grumpy 1994)

In the last decade, Jessica Harrington has established herself as one of the leading National Hunt trainers in the country and in more recent seasons, she has also shown that she can more than hold her own against the countries best trainers on the Flat. She will forever be associated with the great Moscow Flyer, but over the years she has consistently had high-class performers in her care. 

Early Successes & Moving Up The Ranks

One of Jessica’s most notable early successes came when Oh So Grumpy gained the most high profile of his eight career victories when prevailing in the 1994 renewal of the always competitive Galway Hurdle under Mark Dwyer. This win helped raise the profile of the yard and it wasn’t long before the quality of horses in her care increased.

Space Trucker was the first high-class inmate in the Harrington yard, winning no less than 15 races between 1995 and 2002. His most memorable victory came when landing a substantial gamble in the Grand Annual Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in 1999. He also finished third in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in 1997.

Bust Out had a short racing career for the Jessica Harrington due to leg problems, running just 12 times in just under three years. Over hurdles, he came within a head of taking the scalp of the great Istabraq in the December Festival Hurdle and over fences he won the Grade 1 Baileys Arkle Challenge Cup. Following that latter win, he was expected to feature prominently in the Arkle Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, but that win at Leopardstown would prove to be his final racecourse outing as his leg problems soon resurfaced.

Spirit Leader proved to a lucrative performer for the yard, completing a notable treble of big handicap hurdle successes in Britain when winning the William Hill Handicap Hurdle at Sandown, the Tote Gold Trophy at Newbury and the County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival during the 2002/3 season. She went on to be Grade 1-placed in the December Festival Hurdle the following season.

In the seasons that followed, the Harrington yard sent out many significant winners including Studmaster in the Pierse Hurdle in 2006, Hide The Evidence in the Royal Bond Novice Hurdle in 2006 and Cork All Star in the Cheltenham Champion Bumper in 2007, but the two flag bearers for the yard have unquestionably been Macs Joy and the incomparable Moscow Flyer.

Macs Joy Comes To The Fore

In common with Space Trucker and Spirit Leader before him, Macs Joy showed immense improvement in handicap hurdles, beginning his career off a mark of 111 when finishing second to Dromlease Express in the 2004 Pierse Handicap Hurdle. He went on to lose a Fairyhouse handicap hurdle in the steward’s room before gaining impressive successes in the Menolly Homes Handicap Hurdle at Fairyhouse and the Swinton Handicap Hurdle at Haydock later that season. The following season he successfully made the transition from handicap hurdles into Grade 1 company when taking the scalp of Brave Inca on no less than three occasions including in the Grade 1 December Festival Hurdle and the Grade 1 AIG Champion Hurdle. 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.

In 2005/6, Harrington opted to bring Macs Joy along gradually, coming down the field in his first two starts of the season before finishing a promising second to 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. 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. Unfortunately, Macs Joy tragically broke a hind leg and had to be humanely destroyed in the Boylesports International Hurdle at Cheltenham in December 2007, bringing a tragic end to a tremendous career.

The Incomparable Moscow Flyer

Undoubtedly the most talented horse that Harrington has ever had in her care is the great Moscow Flyer. He is best remembered for his exploits over fences, but many people forget the fact that he mixed it with the very best of his generation over hurdles as well. He twice won at Grade 1 level as a novice hurdler, but it was during his second season over the smaller obstacles that he really shot to prominence. He ran a total of seven times during the 2000/1 season, winning the Morgiana Hurdle, the December Festival Hurdle and the Shell Champion Hurdle. The two latter wins were unquestionably overshadowed by the falls of Istabraq, but the following season Moscow Flyer would prove that he was up there with the very best when he was sent over the larger obstacles.

The chasing career of Moscow Flyer began somewhat inauspiciously with a fall at Fairyhouse, but he won his next three starts in great style including the Grade 1 Denny Gold Medal Novice Chase, before once again hitting the deck in the Grade 1 Bailey’s Irish Arkle. However, he more than compensated his connections for that mishap when winning the Arkle Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. Six weeks later he supplemented that win with an easy success in the Grade 1 Swordlestown Cup Novice Chase at the Punchestown Festival.

At the beginning of the 2002/3 season, many people considered Moscow Flyer to be the heir apparent to the Queen Mother Champion Chase crown and his 20 lengths win on his seasonal reappearance at Down Royal did little to discourage this train of thought. He unluckily unseated his rider in the Tingle Creek Chase on his next start before recording two easy successes at long odds-on back in Ireland and then his sights were once again set firmly on Prestbury Park. He was sent off the strongly backed 7/4 favourite and he cruised clear in the straight to record an easy seven lengths success before being greeted in rapturous fashion by the Cheltenham crowd.

Moscow Flyer began the 2003/4 season as a strong favourite to retain his Champion Chase crown the following March and he consolidated his position at the head of the market with a victory over the young pretender to his crown, Azertyuiop, in the Tingle Creek Chase. An easy win at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting followed and he was once again sent off the red-hot favourite for the Champion Chase. However his occasional jumping frailties were exposed as he blundered at the fourth last fence and unseated Barry Geraghty, allowing Azertyuiop to gallop to an impressive nice lengths success. However, that would prove to be the only time that Azertyuiop would get the better of Jessie Harrington’s charge during the course of their careers. Electric wins at Aintree and Punchestown followed for Moscow Flyer and his supporters were adamant that he would avenge his Champion Chase defeat the following season.

The 2004 Tingle Creek Chase was an immensely-hyped contest as it saw the third clash of Moscow Flyer and Azertyuiop as well as the introduction of the previous seasons Arkle Chase winner, Well Chief, into the mix. The race lived up to all expectations with the three big guns holding every chance in the closing stages before Moscow Flyer forged clear for a memorable 1½ lengths success. That race set the stage for a mouth-watering rematch between the main protagonists in the Queen Mother Champion Chase the following March. However on that occasion it was the turn of Azertyuiop to make a vital jumping error which effectively ended his bid, allowing Moscow Flyer and Well Chief to fight out the finish with the former grinding out a two lengths success. That win was followed up by an imperious performance in the Melling Chase at Aintree where he cruised home by 16 lengths. To suggest that Moscow Flyer would never win another race after what was one of the most impressive performances of his career would have been considered ridiculous at the time, but that day in Aintree would prove to be the last time the great horse would enter the winner’s enclosure in a Graded race. 

A short-head defeat at the hands of his old rival Rathgar Beau in his next start at the Punchestown Festival was the first indication that his powers were waning and on his seasonal reappearance the following November he suffered a much more comprehensive defeat at the hands of Central House in the Fortria Chase, before again meeting with defeat in the Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase at Leopardstown. Harrington decided to allow Moscow Flyer to take his chance at the Cheltenham Festival and despite a number of his main rivals failing to complete the course, he could only finish fifth to Newmill. It was after this effort that the decision was taken to retire the great horse. In total, he won 26 of the 44 starts including 13 wins at Grade 1 level and just under €1,750,000 in prize money. However, that wasn’t the end of the Moscow Flyer story and he was brought out of retirement to contest the charity race at the Punchestown Festival in 2007 and with Jessica’s daughter, Kate, in the saddle, the old warrior rolled back the years to gain a thrilling victory that received one of the biggest receptions of the week.

Life After The Flyer

There is no doubt that Moscow Flyer’s retirement left a big hole in Harrington’s yard, but it soon became clear that it wouldn’t result in Harrington being out of the limelight for long. Cork All Star gave Harrington near a near immediate return to the hallowed winner’s enclosure at the Cheltenham Festival when winning the Champion Bumper in 2007. As well as him, talented horses as Give It Time, Horner Woods, Roberto Goldback, Knight Legend, Coole River and Chasing Cars all helped ensure that Harrington was still a regular visitor to the big-race winner’s enclosure, but 2010 would see the yard very much return to the forefront and the Irish racing scene.

  

Flat Attack

While Jessica had often enjoyed big-race success on the Flat, with horses such as Jumbajukiba, Long Lashes, Curtain Call and Jazz Princess showcasing her ability to train high-class horses on the level, 2010 would see her take her success on the Flat to an eye new level. Armed with a well-bred crop of juveniles, Jessica soon went about making them earn their keep. She won maidens with the likes of Bible Belt, Bobskier, Cloneylass, Banksters Bonus and Moment Of Weakness, but the star performers of her juvenile crop were unquestionably Laughing Lashes and Pathfork. The former improved with each of her four runs, getting off the mark in the Group 2 Debutante Stakes at the Curragh prior to just finding Misty For Me too good in the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes at the same track. The latter fared even better, going through his juvenile season unbeaten, including impressive wins in the Group 2 Futurity Stakes and the Group 1 National Stakes, both at the Curragh. The latter success was especially notable, as it saw Jessica inducted into the very exclusive club of Irish trainers that have won a domestic Group 1 and it represented a notable career highlight for her.

Further Jumps Success

As if that remarkably successful Flat season wasn’t enough, the 2010/11 National Hunt season has seen Jessica enjoy continued big-race success. The stars of the show have unquestionably been Bostons Angel and Oscars Well, with both enjoying multiple Grade 1 successes. Indeed, the two combined to give Jessica a day to remember at Leopardstown in February, with Bostons Angel winning the Dr. P.J. Moriarty Novice Chase before Oscars Well won the Deloitte Novice Hurdle just an hour later. While Oscars Well made a bad blunder when still holding every chance at the final flight in the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, just 35 minutes later Bostons Angel made no mistake in grinding out a typically game neck success in the RSA Chase, giving Harrington yet another win at the Mecca of National Hunt racing.

With both the spring National Hunt Festivals as well as the Classics on the Flat being just around the corner, Jessica Harrington has an immensely exciting few weeks ahead of her and it would be no surprise to see her add even more big-race wins to her already burgeoning tally.

Updated April 2011.