F EATURE BARRY GERAGHTY
Nick Seddon finds out what Cheltenham means to Barry Geraghty, one of The Festival’s most successful competitors, and what he’ll miss most as a spectator this year Winningways
F ew jockeys have enjoyed success at The called time on his career last July. While Geraghty’s time as a jockey might be over, his association with The Festival certainly isn’t. An ambassador for the four-day spectacular in 2021, he is also the latest star to be welcomed into Cheltenham Racecourse’s legendary Hall of Fame, alongside some iconic names. There’s a saying in sport that the very best retire at their peak. For Barry Geraghty, he knew going into last Festival™ supporting WellChild quite like Barry Geraghty. Having ridden 1,920 winners, 43 of them at Jump racing’s ‘Olympics’, he
year’s Cheltenham Festival that it was to be his last, but had no idea he would be going out on such a high. While the father-of-three was never one to celebrate victories wildly, he admits you can spot the extra meaning attached to each one of his ve 2020 Festival winners if you watch the replays. A Unibet Champion Hurdle – with Epatante – is always special, but Geraghty could never have expected to add victories with Champ, Dame De Compagnie, Sire Du Berlais and Saint Roi on the same stage last March. There is a tradition in the CheltenhamWeighing Room that jockeys write their big Festival winners
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