Pat McCarron

On Monday, February 26, 1968, Pat McCarron guided Astrolin down to the start of the Magpies Handicap Chase at Nottingham.

He was not wearing goggles.

“For the first time in my life, I had left them off,” he recalled. “The going was good and there seemed no danger of flying mud.”

Bad decision.

Jumping the first, he was struck violently in the eye by a small stone and, in no little agony, rode semi-blind for nearly three miles.

Jumping the last, Rutherfords (Pat Buckley) had the advantage, and it says much for McCarron's resilience that, riding a sensational finish, he got Astrolin up on the line to win by a neck.

Patrick Lawrence McCarron was born in Londonderry, Northern Ireland on August 7, 1937. He came to England at the age of 15 in 1952 to be apprenticed to Harry Blackshaw at Middleham. He rode initially on the Flat and achieved his first success on Mary Eleanor at York on May 21, 1953.

He is best remembered for his association with the popular staying chaser Freddie (named after the uncle of the breeder) and for winning the Champion Hurdle on Magic Court.

Pat rode Freddie to beat Vultrix by a short-head in the 1965 Mildmay Memorial Chase at Sandown. The following year they won Great Yorkshire Chase and Sandown’s Gallaher Gold Cup.

However, they were remembered just as much for their seconds - two in the Grand National and one in the 1965 Hennessy when beaten by Arkle.

Pat and Freddie lined up three times in the Grand National at Aintree. In 1965, Freddie was sent off the 7-2 favourite but could not catch the American challenger and 100-6 outsider Jay Trump.

Looking back on that day, Pat reflected. “'Freddie was the bravest horse I ever sat on. Very intelligent. He was carrying 11st 7lb yet it wasn't until half-way that he was beaten.' said McCarron. 'I thought I was going to win but Tommy Smith on Jay Trump stopped riding through sheer tiredness and as soon as he did this, his horse started to run on again.”

The following year they again found one too good in Anglo, who was 50-1.

It was not to be third time lucky as they were caught up in the 23rd fence melee in the notorious ‘Foinavon’ Grand National of 1967, eventually finishing 17th after remounting.

Pat achieved his greatest success when winning the 1964 Champion Hurdle on Magic Court on whom he also won that year’s Princess Royal Hurdle and Cheltenham Trial Hurdle, plus the 1965 Otley Hurdle.

His last assault on the National came in 1972: he fell at Becher's first time round on Swan Shot.

He retired in 1972, bringing to an end a career spanning 20 years and 244 winners. His highest number of winners in a season was 31 in 1970-71.

He took over his father-in-law’s haulage business which he ran for more than 30 years until retiring in 2006.

Pat McCarron died in February 2020, aged 82.

Pat's major wins included:

1964: Champion Hurdle - Magic Court

1964: Princess Royal Hurdle – Magic Court

1964: Champion Trial Hurdle – Magic Court

1965: Otley Hurdle – Magic Court

1965: Mildmay Memorial - Freddie

1965: Great Yorkshire Chase - Freddie

1966: Gallaher Gold Cup – Freddie

1968: Scottish Champion Hurdle – Al-’Alawi

1969: National Hunt Handicap Chase - Chancer

1971: Heinz Chase - Bobby Corbett