O’Regan’s wait for Hereford winner continues

Simon Milham
January 4, 2023 5:38 pm

Jockey seeking full house at British and Irish tracks.

Denis O’Regan will have to wait at least another two weeks before having a chance at making a little history, after his three mounts at Hereford were beaten on Wednesday.

The veteran jockey has ridden a winner at every other track in Britain and Ireland and needs just a win at the venue, which briefly closed between the end of 2012 and 2016, to complete the set.

O’Regan has had a great career on both sides of the Irish Sea and has raised his profile since Ansar won the Galway Plate 17 years ago, but the wait to make it a full house will have to continue for a while yet.

Before Christmas, Gordon Elliott sent horses to Hereford in a bid to get the elusive winner for his good friend, but is was not to be.

Denis O'Regan has — Denis O’Regan has “unfinished business” at Hereford (David Davies/PA)

O’Regan’s quest to complete the feat by the end of 2022 was then scuppered by the frost, when he flew over form Ireland, only to see the meeting called off at the last minute.

And on Wednesday, despite having a decent book of rides on paper, he was again out of luck.

Diego’s Way, trained by Cain Collins, had to play second fiddle to Post Chaise in the Jackson Property Handicap Chase, Presenting Doyen (Lucy Wadham) was fourth to Fairy Gem in the Follow Vickers.Bet On Facebook Mares’ Maiden Hurdle, and his final mount, Skinflint (Henry Oliver), was third to Not Sure in the Black Mountain Botanicals Handicap Chase.

Despite the setback, O’Regan was all smiles afterwards.

He said: “Second, third and fourth I suppose, but it was not what I was hoping.

“All three horses ran well. Diego’s Way definitely comes back again. The filly in the maiden hurdle (Presenting Doyen), it actually looked a better race than we probably thought than it looked on paper. It rode like an OK sort of race and I’d expect improvement from her.

“And the last one, Skinflint, he ran a blinder off top weight. He’s an 11-year-old who hasn’t run in while.

“We were hoping, but it didn’t quite come off. This is just my second meeting of the season at Hereford. I was here for two rides and then flew over when the meeting was called off.

“There is now unfinished business. I will have to keep going now. The pressure is on. The Irish trainers are going to run out of horses to bring over for me!”