An autobiography entitled “Better Than Sex” perhaps came as no surprise to those who really knew Mick Fitzgerald; a title from an answer to a question he provided in the immediate aftermath of his 1996 Grand National win and a soundbite that became one of the most famous in sporting history.
Born in 1970, County Cork, Ireland, Fitzgerald, like quite a few of his contemporaries, grew up around horses, though didn’t have any family ties to the sport of horse racing. However, he soon developed an interest, starting on the pony racing circuit in Ireland, while he also had experience in show jumping.
His entry into professional horse racing as a 16-year-old apprentice saw him riding out for a local flat trainer, John Hassett, however, due to his height and weight, he had to make the switch to jumps.
Move To Britain
In 1988, Fitzgerald would move to Britain, under the guidance and watchful eye of trainer Jackie Retter who put him through his paces. Despite initially struggling and facing the typical “hard knocks” of a young jockey in a foreign country, Fitzgerald began to show promise.
Indeed, the moment that essentially changed his life involved a horse called Raymylette and in early 1992, Fitzgerald delivered a masterclass while in his saddle at Kempton, right under the nose of esteemed trainer Nicky Henderson who was on the lookout for a jockey with both “silk and steel”.
Fitzgerald never looked back. Henderon’s stable jockey at Seven Barrows; the great Richard Dunwoody was leaving to join David Nicholson and instead of an established star, Henderson wanted someone young and hungry who he could mold.
In what was essentially an audition, Henderson invited Fitzgerald to Seven Barrows where he put a few of the horses through their paces, with the trainer reportedly impressed by the young jockey’s eloquence. While other jockeys would simply praise the horse for its performance, Fitzgerald could explain elements of a horse’s performance such as why it jumped left or how it responded to pressure.
Flourishing Partnership With Henderson
By appointing Fitzgerald, it was a considerable gamble by Henderson, though on which would pay off. Henderson developed his style from the aggressive approach he had adopted in the West Country to a more subtle and nuanced tactical methodology. He learned to settle a nervous horse, while understanding when to make that one, difference-making, perfectly timed challenge.
His first major highlight came in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in 1993 with Remittance Man; a win that proved he could handle the pressure of a “banker” favourite for Henderson.
He became a favourite at the festival, while in 1996, he added the aforementioned Grand National on Rough Quest. Fitzgerald also entered a special club, becoming one of only a handful of jockeys who won the Grand National and Cheltenham Gold Cup double after steering See More Business (trained by Paul Nicholls) to victory in 1999.
In the 16 years together for the duo, there was considerable success, including the 2000 Arkle Trophy with Tiutchev, the 2004 Stayer’s Hurdle on Iris’s Gift in addition to Fondmort in the 2006 Ryanair Chase.
His later years were somewhat plagued by injuries and following his retirement in 2007, Fitzgerald moved into broadcasting; his technical knowledge of the sport making him an ideal candidate for Channel 4 Racing and ITV Racing before moving to Sky Sports Racing. During his career, he rode over 1300 winners (the majority for Henderson) and his name is firmly in the history books.