Tributes after death of Richard Fahey's horse Utmost Respect

Utmost Respect, one of the leading sprinters in Europe, died on Sunday night after contracting peritonitis.

Winner of eight of his 16 races, which included four Pattern-race triumphs, the ultra-popular Utmost Respect earned prize money of more than £240,000 for his owners, the Rumpole Partnership, with the promise of much more to come this season and the years ahead.

“He was the best horse I’ve ever trained and everybody here is devastated that he’s gone. We all thought the world of him,” said Fahey from his Musley Bank yard at Malton, where he has more than 100 horses under his care, and who is, numerically, in the top three trainers in Britain this year.

Utmost Respect had made a major contribution to that tally. In May, he won the Group 2 Duke Of York Stakes on Knavesmire and followed up in the Group 3 Greenlands Stakes at the Curragh, his only two outings of the term.

Recently, he had fallen foul of a foot problem, which required surgery. And, although that went well, he picked-up a secondary infection that was diagnosed as peritonitis, which is a swelling of the membrane which lines the stomach, and is a life-threatening illness. Tragically, he lost his battle after a brave fight.

“We had great hopes for him,” said Fahey. “His record this season proved that he was still improving and we were confident that, this year, he’d win a Group 1 race – he’d been placed at that level last season – which he richly deserved. Now, sadly, he won’t get the chance.”

Paul Hanagan, who rode Utmost Respect to all but one of his wins, and who visited his old pal on the day he died, fearing, but not wishing to even think, that the five-year-old would not pull through, was left close to tears by the loss.

“I still can’t believe it,” he said. “I’m shocked. He wasn’t only a great horse, he was the most lovely character, a gentleman. Everybody, myself included, who had anything to do with him is going to miss him terribly.”

That list includes Con Foley, a vastly-experienced stableman, who looked after Utmost Respect and rode him out regularly at home. “He was a one-off, a smashing horse,” he said. “It’s not going to seem the same without him.”

Fahey will have nothing but fond memories of the star sprinter, who landed an almighty gamble when winning the 2007 Ayr Silver Cup and who never looked back afterwards. Last season, he won Group 3 events in Britain and France and failed by little more than half-a-length, when finishing third to African Rose, in the Group 1 Ladbrokes Sprint Cup at Doncaster in September.

“He was the easiest horse to train, but then the majority of good ones are – and he was a very good one,” said a very sad Richard Fahey.

Ryedale jockey, Jamie Moriarty, who gained his biggest success when winning the 2007 John Smith’s Cup at York on Charlie Tokyo, is quitting the saddle and is returning to his native Ireland to undertake further education.

A constant battle with his weight and a long-standing back problem are contributing factors to Moriarty, 24, reaching a life-changing decision, which has been more than six months in the making.

“I discussed it with my family when I was at home over Christmas and decided to see how the season went. To be fair, things have gone pretty well, but I still feel that the time is right now to move on, to look ahead and to think about my future,” he said.

Moriarty, who is forced to wage a daily battle with the scales, had two discs removed from his spine four years ago. “I’ve always had to work hard with my weight, but I don’t want to make myself out to be a martyr, because there are plenty of jockeys, who are in that position. But it doesn’t help, especially with the problems I’ve had with my back, which has been niggling away at me again recently.”

Originally apprenticed to John Oxx on the Curragh, Moriarty moved to Malton as a 5lb claimer in the autumn of 2006 to join Richard Fahey and quickly established himself among the top flight of apprentices in Britain.

His success on Charlie Tokyo in the John Smith’s Cup the following year was just one of several notable highlights.

“Charlie did me proud that day at York,” he said. “Knot In Wood was great for me as well, winning two Scottish Stewards’ Cups on him at Hamilton, and I got a great thrill out of returning to the Curragh to win a premier handicap on Fonthill Road; that was a huge thrill.”

Moriarty, who has ridden 90 winners in Britain, has nothing but gratitude for what the sport, and certain indidividuals, have given him. “It’s been great. I’m going to look back on it with fond memories, and I’ve been very lucky in that in Mr Oxx and Mr Fahey, although as different as chalk and cheese as characters, I’ve had two great bosses, the best,” he said.

He has also received support from other local trainers, including Tim Walford, for whom he rode a double as recently as last Friday night, Paul Midgley, for whom he has ridden a whole host of winners, John Quinn and Brian Ellison.

“People have been very good. I’m very grateful for the support I’ve had,” he added.

Moriarty has enrolled at the National University of Ireland at Maynooth in County Kildare. “It was always a regret of mine that I didn’t complete my education. I went to the Irish Racing School just after my 15th birthday and then went straight from there to join Mr Oxx as an apprentice and never went back to school, so where I am education-wise, I don’t really know. I will, though, soon know a bit more,” he explained, referring to the year-long course he is starting on September 1 in business, finance and economics.

Moriarty, who is hoping that his studies allow him to ride-out on the Curragh some mornings, is aiming to bring his career to a close on July 30 at Musselburgh.

“That will be my last day,” he said. “All good things must come to an end, but now I’ve made this decision, I’m happy. It’s going to be a big change, but the one thing racing teaches you is dedication and I’ll be applying the same principles in future.”

PAUL Pickard reached a milestone in his career at Ripon last Saturday when he gained his 20th success and so reduced his apprentices’ allowance to 5lb.

Pickard, who has made giant strides since joining Paul Midgley’s Westow yard at the begining of the year, is enjoying a tremendous season and his latest success – his 19th of the term – came on Drumpellier, trained by his boss, who dead-heated in the juvenile seller.

Pickard is among several Ryedale apprentices doing extra-well this season. Freddie Tylicki, leading the way, was seen to excellent effect when scoring on Dream Lodge at Doncaster last week, while Jamie Kyne added another winner to his rising tally at Ayr on Monday on Arriva La Diva for his boss, John Quinn. Lance Betts did likewise at Beverley’s Monday evening meeting, coming from last-to-first on Strikemaster, trained by Brian Ellison.

Flaxton trainer Noel Wilson has the Portland Handicap and the Ayr Gold Cup as pencilled-in targets for his upwardly mobile sprinter Pavershooz, who won his third big handicap of the season at Ayr on Monday.

The four-year-old scooped a first prize of more than £25,000 when prevailing in the Giles Insurance Heritage Handicap under Duran Fentiman, who had also ridden him to victory in Newcastle’s Gosforth Park Cup and the Scottish Sprint Cup at Musselburgh.

“He’s unbelievable,” said Wilson. “He’s still a big baby, still only learning, and that’s three big prizes he’s won this season, which is great for a small yard like ours. You just wouldn’t know where he’d end up in another year. But he wants looking after, not abusing, so we’ll give him a little break now and then look at the Portland Handicap at Doncaster in September and then, perhaps, the Ayr Gold Cup, and that would be it for this year.”

Referring to the immaturity of Pavershooz, both physically and mentally, Wilson joked: “He still doesn’t really know what he’s doing. If he ever grows into his head, he’ll be some horse.”

Vicki Fahey, who had ridden one winner as an amateur rider, ended a six-year wait for her second at Beverley last week when The Last Alzao justified her position as favourite by scoring in determined style.

Wife of trainer, Richard Fahey, Vicki said: “I rode a winner, on my first ride, at Brighton six years ago, but since then I’ve had my daughter, Niamh.”

Mrs Fahey will be out and about in seach of winner number three this weekend. She is set to partner Castles In The Air in the prestigious Longines Ladies’ Handicap at Ascot on Saturday.