Paul Hanagan gives thumbs up for rehabilitation centre site (From Gazette & Herald)

Paul Hanagan gives thumbs up for rehabilitation centre site

4:06pm Wednesday 18th January 2012 in Sport By Tom O'Ryan

CHAMPION jockey Paul Hanagan has given a giant thumbs up to the news that a site has finally been found for the planned Injured Jockeys’ Fund facility in Malton, which will offer an ultra-modern rehabilitation centre for injured riders in the north of England.

Set to be styled in a similar mould to the £5 million Oaksey House, which was opened in 2009 by Princess Anne, a patron of the IJF, near Lambourn in Berkshire and which has since been widely acclaimed, ‘Jack Berry House’ will be the completed dream of the former trainer, who has worked endlessly, along with a team of people, to build a facility in North Yorkshire of which the northern fraternity, and particularly those within Ryedale, can be truly proud.

Berry, vice-president of the Injured Jockeys’ Fund, has been raising funds and awareness of the project for some considerable time under the umbrella of the ‘House That Jack Built’.

Hanagan has long supported the project. In 2010, when he became only the third northern jockey in more than 100 years to win the Flat championship – a title he retained last year – he donated all his earnings in the last couple of weeks of the season to two carefully-chosen charities.

One of those he selected was the ‘House That Jack Built,” which has now taken another significant step to fruition.

“It’s brilliant that a site has been found near Malton Rugby Club. It looks a perfect place,” says Hanagan.

“For this area to have a facility like this would be invaluable. Oaksey House has been a huge success in the south, and for us in the north to have something similar would be fantastic. It promises to be one of the best things that’s happened to Malton since I came here as a 16-year-old apprentice.”

Although planning permission has still to be granted, John Fairley, a trustee of the Injured Jockeys’ Fund, is delighted that the centre, which will include accommodation and facilities, including specialist physiotherapy, medical consultations and a rehabilitation gym, would be built in Malton.

He said: “It will be absolutely state-of-the-art for the rehabilitation of jockeys, with people coming here from across the north of England. As well as creating jobs, the centre will bring people to spend money in the area.”

If the facility had already been up and running, George Chaloner would have been able to take full advantage. The up-and-coming Ryedale apprentice fractured his knee last month in a riding-out accident while working for his boss, Richard Fahey, and is on the slow road to recovery.

“I’ve currently got a brace on my leg, but I am hoping that will be replaced by a different one before the month is out to allow me a little more movement,” he explained. “Once I am able to bear weight on the leg, I am booked to go and spend two weeks for intensive physio at Oaksey House, which will be great.”

He added: “But it would have been even better if ‘Jack Berry House’ had already been opened as I could have gone there, on my doorstep, instead.”

Racing is the lifeblood of the Malton and Ryedale area. It has taken more than a year to find a suitable site for ‘Jack Berry House’. It will be a day of absolute relief when the first bricks are laid – and a day of celebration when the centre finally opens its doors.

“It can’t happen soon enough,” said Hanagan. “A lot of people have worked very hard on this project and for it to be in Malton, rather than somewhere else in the north of England, is great news for the town.”

• PAUL HANAGAN’S flying visit to Dubai last week to ride two horses for Richard Fahey failed to produce a winner. Both Sir Reginald, owned by Channel 4 racing pundit Jim McGrath, and Glen’s Diamond, winner of four of his six races in Britain, ran creditably but finished unplaced in their respective races at the fabulous Meydan racecourse.

Paul Midgley had plenty to be pleased about. His sole Dubai raider, Internationaldebut, ridden by Ryedale jockey Freddie Tylicki, finished second to Addictive Dream, trained by David Nicholls, to complete a one-two for North Yorkshire in the six-furlong handicap, in which Sir Reginald finished unplaced.

• RARELY does a week go by without Brian Ellison figuring among the winners, and Hada Men and Dontpaytheferryman were his latest contributors on the Flat and over hurdles.

Barry McHugh enjoyed an armchair ride on Hada Men – now two-from-two since joining Ellison after being bought for a measly £4,000 out of a claimer at Wetherby in November – while Kyle James made all to score on Dontpaytheferryman, pictured left, at Musselburgh.

• MALCOLM JEFFERSON may have been scuppered by the weather when Wetherby fell foul of frost last Saturday and cost his recent course winner Mac Aeda the chance of following up, but the Norton trainer had plenty to smile about at Doncaster earlier in the week.

Jefferson saddled Hi George to win the bumper in thrilling style in a photo-finish.

The trainer thinks enough about the son of Doyen to have already pencilled in a big date for him.

“He’ll have another run and will then be aimed at the championship bumper at Aintree,” said Jefferson, who is aiming to campaign Hi George on the Flat in the upcoming season.

• PETER NIVEN has a ‘Posh Bird’ to thank for notching a notable Grand National success, writes Tom O’Ryan.

Based at Barton-le-Street on the outskirts of Malton, Niven won the £13,200 North Yorkshire Grand National at Catterick last week with Posh Bird, who belied her 8-1 odds to score by a decisive five lengths.

It was only the nine-year-old mare’s second outing for Niven, who said: “She used to be with Ian Ferguson in Ireland and came over to the sales, but didn’t sell, so her owner David Bamber sent her to me as he thought there would be more opportunities for her over here.”

Posh Bird was ridden to success by Graham Lee, who had recorded his 1,000th winner at Newcastle the previous Saturday, but who remains six winners short of reaching that magical total over jumps in Britain.

He explained: “I had five winners in Ireland and I’ve won a couple of National Hunt jockeys’ Flat races at Hamilton.”

It was fitting that Posh Bird, trained by Niven, should help Lee on his way to his milestone. Former jockey Niven is one of only a handful of people to be members of the 1,000-club over jumps in Britain.

“Graham and I worked together at Mary Reveley’s and I’m delighted for him,” said Niven.

• SHANE B KELLY, who has switched Ryedale yards since the end of last season, has made a flying start to 2012.

The talented 5lb claimer, previously attached to the John Quinn yard, is now with Richard Fahey and rode a winner and a third for his new boss when returning to the fray with two mounts at Southwell last week.

Having finished third on Sunny Side Up on his comeback ride, Kelly scooped the major honours on Podgies Boy in the concluding handicap.

“I couldn’t have asked for anything more, it was a brilliant start,” said the 20-year-old Irishman, after taking his career tally to 30 winners.

No fewer than 21 of those successes were recorded last season when Kelly took a major step forward, his talents attracting the attention of numerous trainers. Indeed, every one of his winners were posted for ‘outside’ yards.

“I had two years with Mr Quinn and learned plenty while I was there,” said Kelly. “Last year went very well for me and, hopefully, this year will go equally well, if not better.”