Padraig Beggy in relaxed mode
The 31 year old Padraig Beggy hardly showed emotion, beyond a broad smile, while standing in the company of royalty on the Investec Derby winner’s podium on Saturday after Wings Of Eagles had stormed to a shock victory.
The man who calls himself a jockey/golfer on his Twitter profile, has had his ups and downs and admitted afterwards that he had come close to throwing in the towel on his career.
He thanked Aidan O’Brien for putting him on Wings Of Eagles.
“It doesn’t matter what price they are when you are riding for Aidan. I’m delighted for the horse and the lads that ride him.
“This means the world. The main thing for me is that my family are home watching this. I’m thrilled, but they will be even more thrilled. I don’t get to sit on many beasts like this at the races, so I’m going to enjoy it.
Aidan O’Brien – sixth Derby success
“I’d nearly given up on the big days, but Aidan O’Brien has made it happen. It’s happy days.”
He went on: “Ryan Moore told me to ride him like that. I don’t think they went too mad, but they went quick. I was on a good horse and he looked a million dollars. A furlong down I said I’m nearly going to win because of the momentum I’d picked up, and I won a shade cosy in the end.
“It’s brilliant. I will go down in history that I have won the Derby and that is good enough. I will be remembered for something.”
The guy nobody seems to have heard of before Saturday graduated from RACE (Racing Academy and Centre of Education) in 2003 and continued his apprenticeship with Kevin Prendergast.
His first winner was aboard Red Venus at Naas on 23 July 2003.
He divided his time between Britain and Ireland in 2006 and 2007, and his best season in Ireland so far came in 2010 when he notched up 22 winners.
He rode 30 winners in Australia, the first of them in July 2013, before being suspended for a year in October 2014 after testing positive for cocaine and giving false evidence relating to the sample.
“I got into a bit of trouble in Australia and made a mistake. It is something that I’ve got to put behind me. I was knocked down then and had to pick myself up and come back fighting, and today I think I’ve proved that.”
Beggy returned to Ireland and started working for Aidan O’Brien in January, 2015.
His career first Group race winner came on Hydrangea in the Gr3 1,000 Guineas Trial at Leopardstown just under two months ago.
