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Article by Chris Pitt
Article by Chris Pitt
National Hunt jockey Augustine Leahy, sometimes referred to as Austin Leahy during his riding career, was born in Ireland on March 12, 1947. He rode his first winner on Spring Brow in the Muckross Hotel Handicap Hurdle at Killarney on Monday, May 16, 1966.
National Hunt jockey Augustine Leahy, sometimes referred to as Austin Leahy during his riding career, was born in Ireland on March 12, 1947. He rode his first winner on Spring Brow in the Muckross Hotel Handicap Hurdle at Killarney on Monday, May 16, 1966.
He came to Britain in 1968 in search of better opportunities and joined trainer John Edwards, who was then based at Leominster. He rode his first winner in Britain on Edwards’ Maid Of Lorien in a Chepstow maiden hurdle on April 8, 1969, following up at Bangor-on-Dee four days later.
He came to Britain in 1968 in search of better opportunities and joined trainer John Edwards, who was then based at Leominster. He rode his first winner in Britain on Edwards’ Maid Of Lorien in a Chepstow maiden hurdle on April 8, 1969, following up at Bangor-on-Dee four days later.
The mare Maid Of Lorien proved his greatest ally, accounting for three of his five victories in 1969/70, winning three on the bounce within as many weeks at Southwell, Cheltenham and Uttoxeter in the spring of 1970. She also provided four of his five wins the following season, beginning at Sandown on February 5, 1971 and then winning the sponsored Mark Lane Hurdle at Nottingham on February 20, with a third win at Southwell on April 10 and culminating in the Davidson Cup Handicap Hurdle at Uttoxeter on the first day of May. His only other winner that season was Edwards’ novice hurdler Miss India at Hereford on Easter Monday.
The mare Maid Of Lorien proved his greatest ally, accounting for three of his five victories in 1969/70, winning three on the bounce within as many weeks at Southwell, Cheltenham and Uttoxeter in the spring of 1970. She also provided four of his five wins the following season, beginning at Sandown on February 5, 1971 and then winning the sponsored Mark Lane Hurdle at Nottingham on February 20, with a third win at Southwell on April 10 and culminating in the Davidson Cup Handicap Hurdle at Uttoxeter on the first day of May. His only other winner that season was Edwards’ novice hurdler Miss India at Hereford on Easter Monday.
Augustine rode just one winner in each of the next two years, his final season with a jockey’s licence being in 1973/74, during which he rode four winners, the last two of them on Jack Bissill’s novice hurdler Lazy Boy, at Hereford on Easter Monday and at Bangor-on-Dee five days later, April 20, 1974.
Augustine rode just one winner in each of the next two years, his final season with a jockey’s licence being in 1973/74, during which he rode four winners, the last two of them on Jack Bissill’s novice hurdler Lazy Boy, at Hereford on Easter Monday and at Bangor-on-Dee five days later, April 20, 1974.
Altogether he rode a total of 18 winners in Britain, nine of them on Maid Of Lorien, and rated the highlight of his career as being when winning on her at Cheltenham (left) on April 11, 1970.
Altogether he rode a total of 18 winners in Britain, nine of them on Maid Of Lorien, and rated the highlight of his career as being when winning on her at Cheltenham (left) on April 11, 1970.
After quitting the saddle he was assistant trainer to John Edwards for four years. He eventually returned to Ireland, took out a trainer’s licence in January 1981 and has continued to train successfully under both codes. His best horses so far have been Shannon Spray, who won races on the Flat, over hurdles and fences, including the Listed Saval Beg Stakes and the Findus Anniversary Hurdle, both at Leopardstown, in 1988; and Spring Daffodil, winner of the Group 3 Mount Coote Stud Matron Stakes at the Curragh in 1990.
After quitting the saddle he was assistant trainer to John Edwards for four years. He eventually returned to Ireland, took out a trainer’s licence in January 1981 and has continued to train successfully under both codes. His best horses so far have been Shannon Spray, who won races on the Flat, over hurdles and fences, including the Listed Saval Beg Stakes and the Findus Anniversary Hurdle, both at Leopardstown, in 1988; and Spring Daffodil, winner of the Group 3 Mount Coote Stud Matron Stakes at the Curragh in 1990.
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