Jimmy Fitzgerald
1935 - 2004
1935 - 2004
James Gerard FitzGerald was born on May 22, 1935, in a village in Tipperary called Horse and Jockey, just five miles from Thurles. He was apprenticed to John Oxx in Ireland before arriving in Britain in 1954, aged 18, to work initially for Bobby Renton at Ripon and then for Ted Gifford.
James Gerard FitzGerald was born on May 22, 1935, in a village in Tipperary called Horse and Jockey, just five miles from Thurles. He was apprenticed to John Oxx in Ireland before arriving in Britain in 1954, aged 18, to work initially for Bobby Renton at Ripon and then for Ted Gifford.
It was Gifford who gave him his first ride in England plus his first winner, Robert’s Choice in a selling hurdle at Southwell on March 31, 1956. Jimmy achieved his first big race success on Polished Steel in the 1959 Grand Sefton Chase over the Grand National fences.
It was Gifford who gave him his first ride in England plus his first winner, Robert’s Choice in a selling hurdle at Southwell on March 31, 1956. Jimmy achieved his first big race success on Polished Steel in the 1959 Grand Sefton Chase over the Grand National fences.
The highlight of his time as a jockey came at Ayr when, on Brasher, he won the 1965 Scottish Grand National, the last one to be held at Bogside. Just two weeks later, carrying a 7lb penalty their Bogside triumph, Jimmy and Brasher took on the mighty Arkle in the Whitbread Gold Cup at Sandown. They put up a fine performance, tracking Arkle in second place throughout, then drawing alongside three from home. Arkle outpaced Brasher on the run-on to score by five lengths but it was nonetheless a worthy performance from Brasher, albeit in receipt of 35lb from the great champion.
The highlight of his time as a jockey came at Ayr when, on Brasher, he won the 1965 Scottish Grand National, the last one to be held at Bogside. Just two weeks later, carrying a 7lb penalty their Bogside triumph, Jimmy and Brasher took on the mighty Arkle in the Whitbread Gold Cup at Sandown. They put up a fine performance, tracking Arkle in second place throughout, then drawing alongside three from home. Arkle outpaced Brasher on the run-on to score by five lengths but it was nonetheless a worthy performance from Brasher, albeit in receipt of 35lb from the great champion.
Jimmy rated Brasher one of the two best horses he rode during his career. The other was Magic Court. Although Pat McCarron was his regular rider and was in the saddle for Magic Court’s greatest triumph in the 1964 Champion Hurdle, Jimmy rode him a few times, winning on three occasions.
Jimmy rated Brasher one of the two best horses he rode during his career. The other was Magic Court. Although Pat McCarron was his regular rider and was in the saddle for Magic Court’s greatest triumph in the 1964 Champion Hurdle, Jimmy rode him a few times, winning on three occasions.
Those victories included the 1965 Champion Trial Hurdle at Birmingham and, on November 21, 1964, a highly impressive victory in a valuable sponsored hurdle at Doncaster, the Quality Tools of Sheffield Handicap Hurdle, in which Magic Court defied top weight of 12st 7lb, conceding between 14lb and 35lb to his 19 rivals to win in impressive style. Jimmy also finished second on Magic Court in the Liverpool Handicap Hurdle on Grand National day1965, beaten half a length by future Champion Hurdler Salmon Spray, to whom Magic Court was conceding 7lb.
Those victories included the 1965 Champion Trial Hurdle at Birmingham and, on November 21, 1964, a highly impressive victory in a valuable sponsored hurdle at Doncaster, the Quality Tools of Sheffield Handicap Hurdle, in which Magic Court defied top weight of 12st 7lb, conceding between 14lb and 35lb to his 19 rivals to win in impressive style. Jimmy also finished second on Magic Court in the Liverpool Handicap Hurdle on Grand National day1965, beaten half a length by future Champion Hurdler Salmon Spray, to whom Magic Court was conceding 7lb.
Jimmy scored his only Cheltenham Festival success as a jockey aboard Harvest Gold in the 1966 George Duller Hurdle. However, his riding days came to an abrupt end later that year when taking a bad fall in a selling hurdle at Doncaster on November 18, 1966. His mount, the Ted Gifford-trained You Can, fell at the third flight. Jimmy fractured his skull – for a second time – which left him deaf in his left ear. After a year of convalescence he was advised not to ride again.
Jimmy scored his only Cheltenham Festival success as a jockey aboard Harvest Gold in the 1966 George Duller Hurdle. However, his riding days came to an abrupt end later that year when taking a bad fall in a selling hurdle at Doncaster on November 18, 1966. His mount, the Ted Gifford-trained You Can, fell at the third flight. Jimmy fractured his skull – for a second time – which left him deaf in his left ear. After a year of convalescence he was advised not to ride again.
He was granted a training licence in 1969 and, based at Malton, scored with only his second horse, Archer, at Market Rasen on August 2 of that year. Over the following 33 years he sent out more than 1,200 winners from his Norton, Malton stable including Forgive ’N Forget, winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
He was granted a training licence in 1969 and, based at Malton, scored with only his second horse, Archer, at Market Rasen on August 2 of that year. Over the following 33 years he sent out more than 1,200 winners from his Norton, Malton stable including Forgive ’N Forget, winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Forgive ’N Forget’s triumph in the 1985 Cheltenham Gold Cup undoubtedly provided FitzGerald with the biggest success of his career. Ridden by Mark Dwyer, the horse had previously landed a huge gamble when winning the Coral Golden Handicap Hurdle at the Festival in 1983.
Forgive ’N Forget’s triumph in the 1985 Cheltenham Gold Cup undoubtedly provided FitzGerald with the biggest success of his career. Ridden by Mark Dwyer, the horse had previously landed a huge gamble when winning the Coral Golden Handicap Hurdle at the Festival in 1983.
Sent off a heavily-backed 5-2 favourite for the chasing showpiece two seasons later, the eight-year-old just got the better of Righthand Man. It was revealed later that the winning trophy was used by the FitzGerald clan at daughter Kirsty's christening.
Sent off a heavily-backed 5-2 favourite for the chasing showpiece two seasons later, the eight-year-old just got the better of Righthand Man. It was revealed later that the winning trophy was used by the FitzGerald clan at daughter Kirsty's christening.
Forgive ’N Forget was third behind Dawn Run in the Gold Cup the following year, and his death in the 1988 renewal was described by Jimmy as the lowest point of his career.
Forgive ’N Forget was third behind Dawn Run in the Gold Cup the following year, and his death in the 1988 renewal was described by Jimmy as the lowest point of his career.
His other Festival winners included Danish Flight, Uncle Ernie and Canny Danny. Jimmy also won a Hennessy Gold Cup with Galway Blaze and back-to-back Scottish Nationals with Androma in 1984 and 1985, thus becoming only the second man to have ridden and trained a winner of the great race.
His other Festival winners included Danish Flight, Uncle Ernie and Canny Danny. Jimmy also won a Hennessy Gold Cup with Galway Blaze and back-to-back Scottish Nationals with Androma in 1984 and 1985, thus becoming only the second man to have ridden and trained a winner of the great race.
He was also responsible for the prolific Sybillin, who excelled over two miles, with wins in the Tingle Creek Trophy and the Victor Chandler Chase.
He was also responsible for the prolific Sybillin, who excelled over two miles, with wins in the Tingle Creek Trophy and the Victor Chandler Chase.
The Malton trainer enjoyed notable success on the Flat too, with Sapience providing Yorkshire with a hugely popular win in the 1989 Ebor Handicap under Pat Eddery.
The Malton trainer enjoyed notable success on the Flat too, with Sapience providing Yorkshire with a hugely popular win in the 1989 Ebor Handicap under Pat Eddery.
The three-year-old was then runner-up to Michelozzo in the 1989 St Leger, run at Ayr that year, before achieving glory in Group company in the Princess Of Wales’s Stakes at Newmarket the following season.
The three-year-old was then runner-up to Michelozzo in the 1989 St Leger, run at Ayr that year, before achieving glory in Group company in the Princess Of Wales’s Stakes at Newmarket the following season.
Jimmy also twice took the Cesarewitch, the Northumberland Plate and the Lincoln Handicap. He won the former with Trainglot in 1990 and went on to win the Coral Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival with the horse six years later. The gelding carried the colours of the Marquesa de Moratalla, who, along with Tim Kilroe, Tony Budge and BBC racing commentator Sir Peter O’Sullevan were amongst a core of his long-time owners.
Jimmy also twice took the Cesarewitch, the Northumberland Plate and the Lincoln Handicap. He won the former with Trainglot in 1990 and went on to win the Coral Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival with the horse six years later. The gelding carried the colours of the Marquesa de Moratalla, who, along with Tim Kilroe, Tony Budge and BBC racing commentator Sir Peter O’Sullevan were amongst a core of his long-time owners.
Jimmy provided O'Sullevan with an appropriately-named winner in Sounds Fyne on the latter’s final day in the commentary box at Newbury in 1997.
Jimmy provided O'Sullevan with an appropriately-named winner in Sounds Fyne on the latter’s final day in the commentary box at Newbury in 1997.
His training career was not without controversy though, and he was embroiled in the infamous Panorama programme on racing in 2002, although he brushed aside claims of holding a ‘no-lose’ betting account with a bookmaker and protested his innocence. His outstanding reputation remained intact.
His training career was not without controversy though, and he was embroiled in the infamous Panorama programme on racing in 2002, although he brushed aside claims of holding a ‘no-lose’ betting account with a bookmaker and protested his innocence. His outstanding reputation remained intact.
His legacy remains, as the likes of Kieren Fallon, Richard Fahey and Peter Niven all came under his tutelage at various stages of their careers.
His legacy remains, as the likes of Kieren Fallon, Richard Fahey and Peter Niven all came under his tutelage at various stages of their careers.
But his more immediate legacy was that of his son, Tim, who inherited the licence when Jimmy quit training in the spring of 2003. However, Jimmy remained actively involved in the day-to-day running of the yard, as well as devoting more time to farming and his favourite pastime, shooting.
But his more immediate legacy was that of his son, Tim, who inherited the licence when Jimmy quit training in the spring of 2003. However, Jimmy remained actively involved in the day-to-day running of the yard, as well as devoting more time to farming and his favourite pastime, shooting.
Jimmy FitzGerald died the following year, on October 6, 2004, aged 69.
Jimmy FitzGerald died the following year, on October 6, 2004, aged 69.
Sir Peter O’Sullevan, a close friend, said: “Fitzy was a first-class trainer with that rare gift of being able to assess a horse’s ability. He was also a very good jockey, very sympathetic. He loved horses. And he hated summer jumping.
Sir Peter O’Sullevan, a close friend, said: “Fitzy was a first-class trainer with that rare gift of being able to assess a horse’s ability. He was also a very good jockey, very sympathetic. He loved horses. And he hated summer jumping.
“As a person, he was a really good friend, a very kind man. He was also a fun man who liked his tot. He got the best out of life,” he added.
“As a person, he was a really good friend, a very kind man. He was also a fun man who liked his tot. He got the best out of life,” he added.
He left three children, Tim and Siobhan from his first marriage, and Kirsty from his second marriage to Jane, who predeceased him.
He left three children, Tim and Siobhan from his first marriage, and Kirsty from his second marriage to Jane, who predeceased him.
Biggest wins as a jockey
Biggest wins as a jockey
Scottish Grand National on 1965 on Brasher
Scottish Grand National on 1965 on Brasher
Grand Sefton Chase in 1959 on Polished Steel
Grand Sefton Chase in 1959 on Polished Steel
City Trial Hurdle in 1965 on Magic Court
City Trial Hurdle in 1965 on Magic Court
George Duller Handicap Hurdle in 1966 on Harvest Gold
George Duller Handicap Hurdle in 1966 on Harvest Gold