As someone with a degree in journalism, JJ Slevin knows how glibly words like redemption get flung about. But when the jockey lines up on Banbridge in Friday’s Cheltenham Gold Cup he can be forgiven for feeling there’s a score to settle.
It’s a year since Slevin found himself on Fastorslow, coming to the 16th fence of the Gold Cup, and fancying his chances. Except Fastorslow made a blunder. He got to the other side of the obstacle united with his rider only for gravity to eventually win out.
In jockey vernacular, any exit filed under ‘unseated rider’ is routinely dismissed as ‘fell off’. Sometimes it’s jokey because it’s obvious to anyone that no glue could have kept a rider on. And sometimes it isn’t.
To a lot of grandstand jockeys, it didn’t look obvious at all, and as is the way of the world plenty of opinions about it got expressed. Slevin looked desolate, unable to change what had happened. He could determine his response, though, which has been impressively resolute.
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Within a couple of weeks, he won the Irish Grand National on Intense Raffles. A month later, in 24 hours, he landed Grade One successes at the Punchestown festival on Banbridge and Fastorslow, who once again beat Galopin Des Champs around his favourite track.
Pangs of ‘what might have been’ were inevitable. But no one could deny the resolve at the heart of Slevin’s reaction. Such perseverance has characterised the one-time wannabe journo’s career.
Typical was how a broken bone in his foot sustained in October kept him out of action until Christmas. He made it back for the festive action but commitments at Leopardstown meant he couldn’t ride Banbridge in the King George at Kempton. Paul Townend successfully substituted.
A King George for his cousin, Joseph O’Brien, was a horrible miss. Still limping, Slevin’s response 24 hours later was to win a Grade One at Leopardstown. The following day there was more top-flight success on Home By The Lee.
Further recognition came shortly afterwards when he was announced as replacement for the retired Daryl Jacob as number one rider to the powerhouse ownership operation of Simon Munir and Isaac Soude.
At 32, Slevin is at the top of his game, but a Gold Cup can transform any rider’s career. The prospect of some payback only adds to the motivation.
“That Gold Cup was a very low point and something I try not to think about too much,” he has admitted. “So, to go in with another live shot is very satisfying. Hopefully, everything goes well.”
Banbridge is a very different prospect to Fastorslow, principally in terms of stamina. Winning the King George at three miles is one thing. An extra two and a half furlongs up Cheltenham’s punishing final hill is another. Not to mention a certain Galopin Des Champ to contend with.
“Any horse that wins over two miles and three miles is very good. The big thing about Banbridge is that he’s very uncomplicated. He settles, and you can ride him how you like,” he said. “Hopefully we can put a target on Galopin’s back and try and have one go at him.”
What’s encouraging to his chance is not only how Banbridge is a previous festival winner, but that the Gold Cup is no afterthought. This has been an objective since overturning the two-mile champion Captain Guinness at Punchestown last spring.
Immediately afterwards, owner Ronnie Bartlett floated the idea of a tilt at the King George. It would then be weighed up if a tilt at the Gold Cup was realistic. Nothing has happened to suggest it is anything but a hardheaded option. It’s also rooted in how Banbridge knows how to win.
“Fastorslow, for me, was a machine. I’ve never experienced anything like him. That last day, in the Punchestown Gold Cup, he won that phenomenally easily,” said Slevin.
“Banbridge is probably a bit more deceptive, as he is a lazier racer. He just keeps doing it. Look at his stats: his wins-to-runs strike-rate is pretty high. Maybe you don’t get the same sort of feel from him as you get off Fastorslow, but once they keep winning you can’t knock them either.
“And I’ve always felt Banbridge hasn’t got the credit he deserves. He was winning over two and a half, back to two miles last season at Punchestown, where he beat the Champion Chase winner, and won a King George this year – that’s phenomenal stuff.”
