Tony Martin would be one of the least likely candidates from whom you would expect to see a public display of emotion but this was different.
Here he was, in the atmospheric winners’ enclosure at Cheltenham, listening to the applause and well-wishers from racegoers after Hamsiyann, the progressive four-year-old he trains, had landed the Paddy Power Intermediate Handicap Hurdle.
It wouldn’t get close to the top 10 achievements in Martin’s career but this success felt different. He was shaking as he surveyed the scene, almost close to tears; his sister, Cathy O’Leary, certainly cried as she led Hamsiyann around in circles to cool down.
The emotion was understandable. This was the first winner to come from Martin’s County Meath stables since he regained licence at the beginning of November, having served a six-month suspension for breaching anti-doping rules.
Martin, initially, had been banned for three months but that punishment was doubled after he contravened the sanctions that had been imposed on him, entering the winner’s enclosure at Newcastle in June following a victory of Alphonse Le Grande.
He accepted the punishment but never spoke about the toll it took. Now, however, was his opportunity. Hamsiyann, the 2/1 favourite, could have had another stone on his back and he would still have won so it felt symbolic that he lifted a weight from his trainer’s shoulders.
Hamsiyann won the Paddy Power Intermediate Handicap Hurdle as a 2/1 favourite on the day
Trainer Tony Martin was emotional after his first win since a six-month anti-doping suspension
‘I’ve had a s*** year,’ said Martin. ‘I lost the licence and had all that hassle. The authorities have their job to do, the IHRB at home and the BHA here, but the likes of today makes up for it. How did I deal with it? What can you do?
‘I have a great team and I have a sister there in Cathy who looked after the whole job when I was away. She was like a mother to me. I was just so fortunate to have such great people around me but, most importantly, I had a great bunch of owners, who are loyal.
‘It’s like everything in life, lads. Everybody asks what’s the best day of your life. Most people will say the day they married their sweetheart, but sporting occasions bring out something different in us – it’s like Wembley or Twickenham or wherever.
‘Even now, at 60 years of age, I get a fair buzz out of having a winner around here. As Mick Fitzgerald (the former jockey) said one time (after winning the Grand National in 1996), it’s better than whatever! It’s that emotion and that joy!’
There was a serious side to this, however. Martin wasn’t looking for sympathy but it was clear from his actions and body language how much stress he had been under through his enforced absence; perhaps Hamsiyann’s surge under jockey Daniel King was the change he needed.
‘I’m just so happy for the people involved,’ Martin continued. ‘A fella called Pete Davies owns him, who I met two and a half years ago here at the festival through Henry de Bromhead, who I have to thank for doing that. He’s a great man to deal with. No hassle, no nothing.
‘I gave a good bit of money for the horse a couple of years ago, but he’s only coming for his milk now. That was sweet. It really was sweet. I thought when the filly (Young Lucy) missed the last yesterday in the opener and got beaten, nothing was going to go right this weekend.
‘All I wanted was for this horse to come back safe, it didn’t matter whether he won or not. I was hoping he would avoid bad luck and have a bit of luck on his side. He was lucky that the horse who fell three out didn’t bring him down.’
Daniel King and Hamsiyann (right) raced clear of Sean Bowen and Long Draw in second (left)
Cheltenham was in one of its gift-giving rhythms, stories popping after every conceivable term. From an Irish perspective, the day had started with Patrick Mullins giving a peach of a ride – does he do anything else? – to Transmission in the amateur jockeys handicap.
Il Ridoto was a brilliant winner of the Paddy Power Gold Cup, crowning a glorious 24 hours for Sir Alex Ferguson and his pals that capped victories for Potters Charm and L’Eau Du Su here and Spirit Dancer in the Bahrain International Trophy.
If that wasn’t enough, then came Billy Lee – a Classic winning rider on the Flat – producing Seo Linn, trained in Tipperary by Paddy Twomey, as smoothly in the concluding bumper as you would expect him to deliver a challenge at the Curragh or Leopardstown.
‘Paddy asked a couple of weeks ago if I wanted to come to Cheltenham and I said definitely,’ Lee beamed. ‘It’s always nice to come here – especially when you’re not facing hurdles! It was my fourth ride here, I had a few over hurdles many years ago but she’s my first winner.
‘Watching the Festival here as a kid, it’s a dream to have a winner. I don’t think Paddy has any more bumper horses though so that will be it.’
