Paddy Harnett: “I’ve had my best ever season and if you said at the start I’d ride 21 winners I wouldn’t have believed you”

PADDY HARNETT, currently battling it out in the Irish apprentice title race against his close friend, has enjoyed a tremendous season so far in the saddle.

Another winner for the 24-year-old Abbeyfeale rider at Dundalk last Friday - Numantia in the 1m2f maiden for his boss Donnacha O'Brien — and victory about Navajo Point trained by Martin Hassett at Gowran the following day, saw him draw level with Sam Coen, but not for long.

“I tied with Sam but only for half-an-hour or so on Saturday,” laughs Harnett who saw his good pal renew a slender lead (22-21) when winning aboard Chipsrdown (Andy Slattery) in the next.

Harnett is a close friend of Sam Coen. “We only live over the road from each other and get on well. It's good fun as well and while I know it's very competitive we all try to enjoy it. It's more than a two-horse race mind as Reese Holohan is flying as well so he must come into it.”

Holohan ended the week on the 18-winner mark for the season, four adrift of leader Coen who must sit out September 25 and 26 due to suspension.

A lot has happened Harnett with suspensions this month. His hopes of landing a first title have been lessened somewhat with an eight-day whip ban incurred at Cork on September 9 aboard third-placed Zoar which starts this Friday (Sept 25).

Last Wednesday in a 1m1f handicap at Clonmel, Harnett was adjudged to have ridden improperly and in breach of Rule 214 on Ochtar Againn after Shane Foley on Mare Crisium got the upperhand up the inner to defeat the frontrunner.

Harnett was suspended for another nine days starting on October 4th which effectively could rule him out of contention but he's appealing that ban, the hearing set for this Thursday (Sept 24).

“I was baffled (with the nine-day ban) leaving the racecourse, to be honest” says Harnett. “I couldn't believe it when I read the stewards report that night. Around the weighroom a number of trainers have spoken to me since (about the severity) and an amount of people texted me about it, so that hearing is this Thursday morning.”

Harnett recalls some better days in his riding career when he rode against his current boss at Galway in 2019, his first ride there, before he got off the mark weeks later on Rule The Sea for Tracey Collins at Tipperary.

“When I was a 10lb claimer I rode Magnetic North for Sheila Lavery and we finished third in the Ahonoora' Handicap, a place in front of Donnacha who partnered Turnberry Isle for his father Aidan.

“The day of my first winner I was in school that morning and I remember I couldn't eat much. Dad took me out of school and brought me up to Tipperary and it was brilliant to win for Tracey. She was very good to put me up and that was a great day.”

Another highlight was the night Harnett rode his first double at Dundalk in January 2023.

“I rode a winner for Luke Comer (John Alexander) and then won on Teutates for Donnacha. He (Teutates) went to Hong Kong later that year and won a race, his name now is Ka Ying Generation.”

Harnett started riding out at Tom Cooper's yard in Tralee.

“I started out with Tom first while I was in school and mum and dad used to bring me down there, whenever I could.

“From there I went up Andy Slattery's after meeting them at the pony racing and I spent three years there. After that, I ended up in Donnacha's and I've been there since, nearly four seasons.

During his time riding out for the Coopers, Tom's son Bryan was a jockey Harnett followed closely.

“He was a big influence on me when I was starting out.

“I always remember him winning the Triumph Hurdle (2013) on Our Conor in Cheltenham — he was probably my favourite horse at that time.”

Harnett is a frequent visitor to Ballydoyle, “I'm down there every second Sunday, it's some place and a privilege to ride out there on real good ones.”

Having worked the likes of Comanche Brave, a dual Group 1 winner this season, and Porta Fortuna whose eight-race haul for his boss included four Group 1s, Harnett knows what a good one feels like.

“The difference is unreal when you sit up on them, a great feeling I must say.”

Like so many of Ireland's top riders Harnett started off on the pony circuit. “I rode ten winners and competed against the likes of Mikey and Danny Sheehy, Shane Crosse, Andrew Slattery, Dylan Brown McMonagle and Joey Sheridan. It was all very competitive.”

Next year will be Harnett's last in the apprentice ranks. “I'm 25 in April next year so next season will be my last as an apprentice. If I don't ride my claim out after that, I'll be a claiming professional.”

Whatever happens over the coming weeks, both on and off the track, Harnett realises he's had a good run.

“I've had my best ever season and if you said at the start I'd ride 21 winners I wouldn't have believed you.”

Getting advice in the weighroom is something Harnett is not afraid to seek and singles out several big names who he looks up to.

“The likes of Ryan Moore and Oisin Murphy are right up there and to be honest everybody in the weighroom in Ireland is really approachable especially Chris Hayes, Colin (Keane), Billy (Lee), Wayne Lordan and Seamie Heffernan.

“All of them are helpful and I try and take a bit of advice from anybody really. I'm not too scared to approach any jockey for a bit of advice and I'd always ring them or whatever. I could ring anybody, and they'd be happy to help me.”

Keeping ones weight in trim is part and parcel of a jockeys life and Harnett is no exception.

“We all have to make a lot of sacrifices but I've learned how to deal with it better than ever. The season before I was pretty heavy so I visited a couple of dieticians both here and in Liverpool and got plans off both and ever since things have been pretty good. I could do 8st 9lbs but I try to avoid doing that because I would have to sweat a lot.”

So what is Harnett's food intake most days?

“I always have porridge in the morning, no matter what. And whether I can't eat anymore for the rest of the day if I have a couple of pounds to lose, no matter what, I always have porridge. I like chocolate which I suppose isn't ideal!”

A winter in Dubai riding out for John Hyde who pre trains for Shadwell has given Harnett the travel bug and he has an eye on a possible trip to Australia to gain more experience. “It's something I'd love to do sometime and you'd never know, we might get down there someday.”

In the immediate future though, Harnett will be hoping he can continue to boot home more winners to keep his friend Sam Coen honest.