Fresh from winning the Derby at Epsom, Limerick jockey Emmet McNamara joined Monday's Off The Ball to talk about his big win on Serpentine.
The win was a record eighth for trainer Aidan O'Brien for whom McNamara rides out every morning at Ballydoyle if not all that regularly on the track.
But O'Brien stuck with the man he sees on a daily basis for Epsom's showpiece.
"It's a commentary I'll never get sick of hearing and a replay I'll never get sick of watching"
Derby-winning jockey @emmet_mac on OTB this evening @HRIRacing #everyracingmoment pic.twitter.com/fSjMnYUdjc— Off The Ball (@offtheball) July 6, 2020
"It's a commentary I'll never get sick of hearing and a replay I'll never get sick of watching," said McNamara of the Derby, "I'm delighted to be part of the history of such a prestigious race."
The win on the regally bred Serpentine, was a shade unexpected given the horse was returned at 25/1. The pair jumped out of the stalls and made every yard winning by five lengths, the ride drew high praise.
"Ruby Walsh made the comment on Saturday that even though people were saying I did it the hard way, he made the point that it's actually the easiest way to do it.
"You can set your own pace and you can do your own thing and you're not worried about anyone else getting you tight for room at any point.
"Unfortunately, you don’t always have the horse underneath you to do it, but I did on Saturday so it's fantastic that it worked out so well."
Derby Pedigree
Serpentine is by super-sire Galileo and his dam also placed in the Oaks at Epsom, the Derby is on his pedigree page but given the horse's inexperience, the jockey didn't have huge confidence in the horse until he spoke to the trainer.
"I was as impressed as anyone when I saw Serpentine win at the Curragh. I suppose I didn't have a huge amount of confidence until I spoke to Aidan on Tuesday and further on into Wednesday and Thursday and later on in the week when we finally discussed the race on Saturday morning.
"As the time got closer he seemed to be more confident that the horse had come out of the Curragh well and if we could get into a nice rhythm, for the first half of the race and get things right. The second half, when I filled him up he'd stay galloping and thank God he did."
McNamara thinks there are a few good reasons why the win was deemed to be a shock in many quarters.
"I suppose he had only won a maiden and it's such a huge step up. It's been a crazy year," says the Limerick jockey. "In a normal year, he'd have run in a group race and you'd have a slightly better idea.
"Even though he had such a fantastic pedigree, even though he was trained by Aidan O'Brien, you couldn't have him at any shorter than 25/1 having come out of a maiden, and I suppose the fact that Emmet Mcnamara was riding him then as well.
"People were thinking Aidan O'Brien is well able to train one of these winners, John Magnier is well able to own them and all the Coolmore team, Mr. Tabor and Mr. Smith but maybe Emmet McNamara is not able to win a Derby riding him so maybe that had something to do with it too."
This year's Derby was held behind closed doors, the lack of spectators didn't diminish the experience for McNamara.
"I didn't see a horse until we pulled so it was deathly quiet but it didn't take a massive amount away from the occasion. I was still aware when I was going by that winning post on my left-hand side at the line as how important it was."
