Unsung Hero

By Caitriona Fenton

With a starting price of 10/1 it was fair to say that the Aidan O’Brien-trained Misty For Me was not considered a very strong contender for Sunday’s Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh. The daughter of Galileo made the running to come in first by a length and win the Grade 1 race leaving the hot favourite Memory back in a very distant sixth place.

Watching the race and how it unfolded it was clear to see that jockey Seamie Heffernan knows his stuff and takes direction well. And why shouldn’t he? The 38 year old from Kildare has been involved in racing since the tender age of twelve and has been an essential part of the Ballydoyle operation since 1996.

Seamie Heffernan started his career with Arthur Moore and then as an apprentice to Carlow-based Jim Bolger where he was joint Champion Apprentice in 1994. He soon became an established rider with wins such as the Golden Pages Handicap at Leopardstown on Royal Vision in 1994 and in 1995 he won the Joe McGrath Handicap on Ailleacht and the Coolmore Concorde Stakes at Tipperary on Wild Bluebell.

Heffernan joined Ballydoyle as a 24 year old in 1996 in the era of the great Christy Roche. In his first year there he won the Killavullan Stakes at Leopardstown aboard Shell Ginger and also won the Anglesey Stakes at the Curragh on Air Of Distinction. Heffernan had success with other trainers also, among them Pat Flynn and Joanna Morgan. He won successive Savel Beg Stakes in 1997, 1998 with the Pat Flynn trained French Ballerina. However it was not until 2000 that Seamie landed his first Group 1 win.

Being second to so many of the great jockeys certainly has its perks as shown when Heffernan got his first taste of Group 1 success on the 17th September 2000. Heffernan came home victorious in the National Stakes at the Curragh on the 10/1 priced Beckett by three lengths while stable jockey Kinane chose to ride 4/9 favourite Darwin who came in sixth place.

It wasn’t long before Heffernan rose up the ranks and achieved Classic success. 2001 saw him winning the Irish 1,000 Guineas on the O’Brien trained Imagine, again getting the better of stable jockey Kinane who came in third place on Toroca. Heffernan was fast proving he had the talent and drive to join the ranks of the jockeys he had for so long looked up to.

No race however has showcased Heffernan’s talent and hard work as much as the Derrinstown Derby trial at Leopardstown. He has won it no less than four times and on top class horses which proves O’Brien’s faith in him. He first won the important race on Galileo in 2001, High Chaparral in 2002, Dylan Thomas in 2006 and most recently he won it on Fame and Glory in 2009.

Heffernan benefited in 2007 and 2008 from Kieren Fallon’s absence and it was in 2007 that he achieved his first Irish Derby win. Soldier Of Fortune proved very fortunate for Seamie and he followed up this success by winning the Derby again in 2008 on Frozen Fire.

Heffernan has seen many great riders come and go through the hallowed gates of Ballydoyle but he remains on. It is no doubt a great experience to ride work with so many top class jockeys including Mick Kinane, Jamie Spencer and Kieren Fallon. However Heffernan is a top-class jockey in his own right and as second jockey to some many household names over the years it is easy to forget just how successful he has been!

By Caitriona Fenton