Steve McCormack
Irish National Hunt jockey Steve McCormack, a talented 5lb claimer, died following a fall at Fairyhouse in 1981.
Irish National Hunt jockey Steve McCormack, a talented 5lb claimer, died following a fall at Fairyhouse in 1981.
He rode for Arthur Moore’s stable at Naas and was just beginning to make his mark. He’d lost his 7lb claim when riding Moore’s Regal Dawn to victory at Punchestown on December 30, 1980, then began 1981 in the best possible way by winning the first race at Fairyhouse on New Year’s Day, the First Crack Hurdle, aboard another Moore-trained horse, Minusmurray.
He rode for Arthur Moore’s stable at Naas and was just beginning to make his mark. He’d lost his 7lb claim when riding Moore’s Regal Dawn to victory at Punchestown on December 30, 1980, then began 1981 in the best possible way by winning the first race at Fairyhouse on New Year’s Day, the First Crack Hurdle, aboard another Moore-trained horse, Minusmurray.
He won twice on Moore’s handicap hurdler Man of the Moment, scoring at Naas in February and Navan in March. That latter success would be his last.
He won twice on Moore’s handicap hurdler Man of the Moment, scoring at Naas in February and Navan in March. That latter success would be his last.
On a sun-baked Easter Monday afternoon at Fairyhouse in 1981, an hour after Luska had given trainer Paddy Mullins his fourth victory in the Irish Grand National, Steve McCormack set out to ride 33-1 outsider Man of the Moment in the 23-runner Dunshaughlin Handicap Hurdle over two miles and six furlongs.
On a sun-baked Easter Monday afternoon at Fairyhouse in 1981, an hour after Luska had given trainer Paddy Mullins his fourth victory in the Irish Grand National, Steve McCormack set out to ride 33-1 outsider Man of the Moment in the 23-runner Dunshaughlin Handicap Hurdle over two miles and six furlongs.
He was a horse Steve knew well. Besides those two wins at Naas and Navan, he’d ridden him in all his seven previous starts that season. This time, however, Man of the Moment fell and Steve suffered serious head and neck injuries.
He was a horse Steve knew well. Besides those two wins at Naas and Navan, he’d ridden him in all his seven previous starts that season. This time, however, Man of the Moment fell and Steve suffered serious head and neck injuries.
He was taken to Dublin’s Richmond Hospital where he died on the Wednesday night, April 22, 1981, two days after his fateful fall. He was just 20 years old.
He was taken to Dublin’s Richmond Hospital where he died on the Wednesday night, April 22, 1981, two days after his fateful fall. He was just 20 years old.