Mick Fitzgerald

Mick Fitzgerald (born 10 May 1970) is a retired Irish National Hunt jockey and current television racing presenter. Mick rode for the majority of his career in Great Britain and less often Ireland.

Mick Fitzgerald's career lasted for over 15 years. After experience on the Pony racing circuit in Ireland he began riding out for Richard Lister, a local flat trainer in County Wexford, at the age of 16. This was followed by a move to the Curragh to ride out for John Hayden. Once he had left school at 18, a growth spurt led to an increase in weight forcing a switch to National Hunt racing. Fitzgerald's first National Hunt yards were in South West England with John Jenkins and Richard Tucker. His first two winners came during this association at the end of 1988, the first being a horse called Lover's Secret at Ludlow on the 11th of December. However it took until 1991/2 National Hunt season for Fitzgerald to obtain regular rides and winners. This was with Jackie Retter before he struck up a partnership with Ray Callow's Duncan Idaho allowing him to showcase his skills. Looking back on the years between 1988 and 1991 he has confessed to almost giving up and moving to Australia.

After proving himself with regular rides he was given a retainer to Lambourn trainer Nicky Henderson. This was to become long standing job as the main stable jockey lasting until the end of his career. Fitzgerald's big winners included the Grand National, on Rough Quest in 1996, and the Cheltenham Gold Cup on See More Business in 1999. He was leading jockey at the Cheltenham Festival in 1999 and 2000. This reflected a relationship with Paul Nicholls alongside his retainer who at the time was an up-and-coming trainer. Later in his career, Fitzgerald came back from injury to win the 2005 Hennessy Gold Cup on Trabolgan at Newbury for Nicky Henderson. The winner was special for all as Fitzgerald had returned from injury inspired by the horse, and as the Newbury racecourse is close to Lambourn the race is extra-special for the Lambourn racing community.

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