Flag Of Honour© Photo Healy Racing
Derby winning jockey Padraig Beggy has ‘endured’ a frustrating 146-day losing run since his Epsom heroics on Wings Of Eagle but bounced back with another big race winner at Leopardstown today in the final Group race of the year, the Group 3 TheTote.com Eyrefield Stakes, on record-breaking trainer Aidan O’Brien’s Flag Of Honour
Trainer O’Brien had earlier broken Bobby Frankel’s record of 25 Group 1 wins in a year with Saxon Warrior’s top level win in the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster and while Beggy had failed to win in 32 rides since his Epsom Derby win, today steered 98 rated Flag Of Honour to a length and a half success over stablemate Giuseppe Garibaldi
The win was just Beggy’s third of the year, with his first success gained in a Group 3 success on Hydrangea, who along with Wings Of Eagles, also later added a Group 1 win to the list of the Ballydoyle maestro’s top level wins.
Ballydoyle work-rider Beggy, who has indicated his willingness to take outside rides, today stated “I ride him (Flag Of Honour) out and he's a nice colt. I thought he won very impressively with Seamie (Heffernan) at Naas and there were one or two little things at Newmarket and maybe the ground was against him.”
He added “Aidan (O’Brien) brought him here today and I was delighted to get the ride on him - it’s a big thanks to Aidan for it.
“It's a great achievement by Aidan to do that (gain a 26th Group 1 win) in a year and wiith a bit of luck might have one or two more still to come.
“I'm part of it with Wing Of Eagles obviously and I've lost count (how many times I've watched the Derby); it's still saved on the tv ‘Planner’!
“Racing, especially in Ireland is a tough, tough game and you just take what you get. Working down in Ballydoyle, whatever comes you're way you grab it.”
Quotes from Gary Carson
