Chris Hayes© Photo Healy Racing
It has been a good week for me at the Harvest Festival in Listowel and it could get even better if Madhmoon can win the Qipco Irish Champion Stakes tomorrow. And sure you’re always greedy in this game and I will be trying hard to add to my classic CV, and win a second Irish St Leger with Search For a Song on Sunday
Wednesday was particularly memorable as I rode a double on what would have been my mum’s birthday. I have no doubt she was giving me a helping hand. We lost her last November to cancer so it was nice to have those winners on that day.
There has been a huge reaction to my tweet announcing that I was giving up my riding fees from Irish Champions Weekend for Cancer Trials Ireland, to support Pat Smullen’s massive fundraising drive.
There are some unbelievable lots up for auction for the fundraising. I was going through it and I said to my girlfriend that I needed to do something and wanted to do something but unfortunately I couldn’t afford to keep bidding on some of the items so I was trying to think outside the box on what I could do.
So I just thought, if I was able to give up my riding fees, it would help a little bit. I didn’t see the huge deal about it and plenty of the lads agreed to do it as well. I was just trying to raise awareness.
Let’s call a spade a spade, Pat should have been riding Shekhem, who was my first winner on Wednesday. It’s a cruel world we live in at times. As I said, I lost Mum in November so it cuts deep. We’re trying to raise as much awareness as we can and the feedback has been unbelievable.
But there’s still time to keep donating on cancertrials.ie. Even a euro will make a huge difference. Pat is very appreciative of the support but anyone who has been touched by cancer or had cancer darken their door, they appreciate it as well.
The Irish Champion Stakes is meant to be the biggest race of the weekend but I think the Pat Smullen Champions Race for CancerTrials Ireland is the one everyone is looking forward to. It’s unfortunate that Pat can’t ride in it but hopefully he’ll be able to come and spearhead the whole thing. It would be great to see him there.
It’s going to draw a huge crowd. For the younger generation to get to see some of these legends, it could be their last chance so to come and support it would be good. I was lucky to ride against some of them and I can’t wait to see them out on the track as well.
That said, I am looking forward so much to Irish Champion Stakes. I have been harping on since March that Madhmoon is a 10-furlong horse so I’ve no excuses left now! He’s getting his right trip. It’s in the lap of the gods what the weather is going to do but it looks like he’s going to get his ground.
He had a beautiful comeback run and did everything he was supposed to do. Mentally, I’ve never felt him in a better place. Physically, he looks unbelievably well. Headman is coming over, Elarqam has been supplemented and Aidan O’Brien has Magical but if you offered me any of them in the field I wouldn’t swap them. I’m delighted with him and I think we’re going to make a very bold bid for honours.
