Anyone who believes that youth dictates the parameters of modern life should have been listening to that doyen of political correctness John McCririck last Saturday. Ciel De Brion was the television pundit's fancy for the Aintree National, but his worry was whether the horse's 18-year-old rider, Thierry Doumen, was up to the job.
Doumen confounded the doubters and it's odds on that another 18-year-old will be more than up to the job of riding the likely favourite in Monday's Jameson Irish Grand National. The thing about Barry Geraghty is that no one makes anything of his youth. His height maybe, but not his youth. Doumen shouldn't feel too agrieved, however. It's just different circumstances.
Like Geraghty, young Thierry is a trainer's son and grew up with horses, but whereas the French man played the genteel game of polo for kicks, Geraghty was charging around Ireland in a flap.
Pony racing has been the schooling ground for some of this country's finest riding talent, including Charlie Swan and Norman Williamson. Geraghty's graduation to the big races could come on Miss Orchestra at Fairyhouse on Monday.
Just three years ago, Geraghty started on the pony circuit, mainly in the west and north of the country and became a champion. And a champion in the flaps needs guts, nerve and the ability to make split-second decisions. Pony racing may have boys for jockeys, but it has men for punters. Mistakes are mercilessly pointed out and rarely forgiven. It's a hard school for a kid, but the education subsequently brought to the racecourse proper is invaluable. And Geraghty was always going to the racecourse.
"That was never even a question," he grins easily. Growing up in Drumree, Co Meath, his parents trained a few horses and ran a riding school, but his father was also good friends with Noel Meade and it was to Meade that Geraghty went two years ago to accelerate progress to the track.
"I've known him since he was a kid and it was obvious when he came here that he had a lot of natural talent. He still has a lot to learn, but he has come a very long way in a short time and I'm hopeful he can go right to the top," Meade says.
Fifteen months ago, Geraghty rode his first winner when Stagalier won at Down Royal and there have been 28 more since. Along with that success, he has also displayed admirably neat horsemanship in the saddle and a cool nerve. He has faced some questions about how his height - he describes himself as just under 5ft 9ins - will ultimately affect his weight. Geraghty is 9st 9lbs and is comfortable riding at that weight. Oh, that we all had that "problem."
"I know he is tall, but he minds himself and I don't think weight will be a problem for him. For some reason, he appears to be very light-boned," Meade says. "Skinny," is how Geraghty describes himself, but he does have to watch his weight and the past week, with no racing, makes it harder.
"A day's racing, with all the activity, can knock a few pounds off in itself. With a lot of racing, it's not a problem and I'll probably come out of Easter weighing 8st 7lb or something!" he smiles. The comparative lack of racing during the winter in Ireland means that Geraghty hasn't ruled out moving to Britain to pursue his career if "things are not bouncing my way." In the short term, however, the career graph is chugging satisfactorily upwards and in Miss Orchestra, he already has an animal that has helped him make his mark.
The Midlands Grand National at Uttoxeter is a four-mile-plus marathon that uncovers any stamina chinks in both horse and rider and on the Saturday after Cheltenham, Miss Orchestra and Geraghty turned it into a veritable procession, exhibiting many of the qualities likely to be needed at Fairyhouse on Monday.
It had been Geraghty's first ride in Britain and the Jessica Harrington-trained mare was well written up in the trade papers to have an outstanding chance. Nothing was made of her jockey's age either, which was right considering Geraghty's attitude to such headlines.
"I knew she'd run well and when I saw the headlines, it didn't mean any extra pressure. It sort of gave me confidence and I went out just hoping they were right," he recalls.
Ultimately, they were as Miss Orchestra pulled clear from two out to win with Geraghty sitting up. Stamina will also be at a premium at Fairyhouse where Miss Orchestra and Geraghty had a frustrating experience earlier this season in the National Trial. "I fell off at the last with the race won. She jumped it well, stumbled, got back up, then stumbled again and that's what got me. "It wasn't like her because normally she's a sound jumper, a sensible little thing and not stupid, which is what you want in a tight race like the National. She must have a good chance now. With The Grey Monk not running, it's left it more open and although Bob Treacy must be a big danger and Time For A Run too, I'm pretty hopeful," he says.
Geraghty has only had three winners over fences from 60 rides in total, is only 18 and faces a pressure ride in the most valuable jump race of the year in Ireland. In John McCririck's eyes, that would be more than enough to be getting on with it. It's testament to Barry Geraghty's burgeoning talent that such doubts will enter very few other minds.
