Fran Berry speaks to Senior Irish Flat Handicapper Gary O'Gorman about the resumption of racing

Gary, you’ve been the Senior Handicapper in Irish Flat racing for 18 years now and while there have been plenty of changes during that time, I can’t imagine you’ve seen anything quite like what the sport is facing currently…

No. I’ve been the Senior Handicapper for 18 years but having spent three years working as Assistant Flat Handicapper before then, I was working when the Foot and Mouth disease shut racing down for six or seven weeks. I suppose that’s the only comparison I can make with this and what I do recall from that is that when we did resume, we resumed with a vengeance. We went from 0-100 very quickly and with so much catching up to do, I’d fully expect that to be the case when we get back racing this time.

Looking at the programme and the difference between restarting Irish racing in Phase Two or Phrase Three, is it fair to say that those three weeks would have had a big impact on the domestic season and real ramifications for the end of the season?

I think if we had have ended up restarting at the end of June, we really would have been boxed in. June 29 would have only been around 11 weeks from Champions Weekend and while I imagine that crucially important fixture would always stay where it is – the culmination of all the best races in Ireland in mid-September – you’d have had to slot in maybe three big weekends in relatively quick succession beforehand. There would have been very little scope do otherwise but June 8 gives us some extra time which is really welcome in the circumstances.

And looking ahead, will some of the best Group races still be able to keep their status, even with the possibility of the races being restricted to domestic runners only?

There are many industries currently throwing some long-established rules of practice out of the window and I can see similar things happening in racing this year. It might be a bit of a write off in terms of some of the usual quality control rules being applied by the European Pattern Committee and a lot will depend on when foreign horses will be allowed to travel. At the moment there is either an outright ban in place (France and Germany) or State ordained quarantine rules (Ireland) in place making it problematic and unattractive for people travelling with horses – the trainers, stable staff and jockeys – which may discourage foreign participation in Group races. It’s far from guaranteed that these issues will be resolved in the short-term though I would be very hopeful that by the time of Irish Champions Weekend things would be on an even keel. It’s not a given that that will happen though, and I think we should cater for both eventualities in planning.

In terms of possibly extending the season, and I know John Oxx has said he is in favour of racing into December - do you think that is a realistic option?

If tracks are up for it, then yes. I think it’s definitely an option for mainstay racing and in terms of the Group races, some of the Listed and Group Three races that were lost earlier in the year could be pushed back into mid/late October. Our Group One races usually finish in mid-September and that will not change but I can see a case for the turf season being extended with the possibility of also staging some extra races at Dundalk. The track surface change has been overdue at Dundalk but it’s especially timely given what has transpired recently. It’s a great source of solace in the current circumstances.

Another option that might possibly cut down on the amount of runners and alleviate some pressure would be to handicap horses after two starts as oppose to the normal three. Is that something you might consider this year if you were satisfied you'd seen enough to make a fair assessment of the horse?

I did see a mention of that in the BHA context and I wouldn't have a problem in principle in changing rules along those lines. Indeed, I proposed to the Stewards many years ago that I would be willing to handicap horses if they were placed (first four) after their first and second starts in maiden company but that was turned down at the time. I'm all in favour of innovation but if there are lots of horses queuing up to qualify for handicaps, more maidens would be the solution for me. There will be programming challenges caused by a backlog of horses looking to run but I'm not convinced, as a priority, that changing the rules of handicapping would be the way to go.

Shifting gears a little, I’m keen to ask you about Claiming races which have really become fashionable again in recent years, especially with certain trainers.

I think there’s definitely a place for them. For many years Claimers were not well supported but there have been some practical changes made and it’s been noteworthy in the last couple of years how much more popular they’ve become and how much more support they are getting now. The culture has really taken root. There is a place for them in the programme now and that’s been a welcome development.

I know you’re a big supporter of Sectional Times and it’s something I would definitely be all for. Do you think we might see them on Irish tracks anytime soon?

I’m like a broken record banging on about this for a long time now but watching racing all around the world during the current lockdown, everywhere I watch, in all the best jurisdictions, they have Sectional Times. They have them in America, Japan, Australia, Hong Kong and even in France this past week and it’s great to be watching races and have your optical analysis of pace corroborated - or not - by hard facts. In terms of reading races, not just for handicappers but for any racing enthusiast, it’s a great source of information and great for judging jockeys as well. It hasn't happened in Ireland yet and it's regrettable.

I want to ask you about the Flying Five Stakes that has been upgraded to Group One status since 2018. Have you been pleased with how that's gone?

I think it was a little disappointing last year. Some of the top-class sprinters were earmarked to come over for it the last two years but they didn't make it in the end - I think the race would have been greatly enhanced if they had. We were just a little unlucky but one thing I would say about Irish racing is that we have some top-class older horses that have been kept in training this year - milers like Romanised and Circus Maximus along with some very good older, 12-furlong horses trained by Aidan O'Brien - but we have no domestic Group One races for milers and 1m4f older horses. That could become an issue if the possibility of Irish horses being unable to travel abroad comes to pass and it could well come back to haunt us - we are very strong in the mile upwards department and not having domestic opportunities for those older horses could be a problem down the line.

On that, would there be any possibility of the Boomerang Stakes being upgraded if there was ever to be a Group One over a mile in Ireland for older horses?

That's interesting but it might be that it's a little too close in timing to the Prix du Moulin in France. These are the practical issues that you face when trying to upgrade races and you could have a case where countries veto the upgrading of certain races on those grounds - the European Pattern are ordinarily very strict on the promoting of races. It's not easily done and there has to be a pressing case. That said, in the current circumstances, we are going to miss those races if foreign travel isn't allowed and there may be more scope for dispensing with normal practices in the current exceptional circumstances

From your own point of view, if you were given a free hand is there anything you'd like to see changed going forward?

The European Panel Committee used to allow races like the Sandringham at Royal Ascot which was a Listed handicap but now there is a bar on handicaps being Black Type races in the European Pattern. Some of the best races in America and Australia are handicaps and while I accept it's wrong that a horse could get Black Type when beating a horse that had to give it 10lb, it does fascinate me when you have handicaps for Group horses. I fully accept that Black Type for handicaps is wrong theoretically, but from a personal point of view I do like high-class handicaps for Group horses where we, as handicappers, can try out some of the theories we have about class factors and weight affecting the results of these types of races.

Talking of ratings - Pinatubo achieved one of 128 in his two-year-old career, making him the highest rated juvenile to run in Ireland in a long time. What did you make of him in the National Stakes?

He didn't excel quite as much in the Dewhurst Stakes but neither did Frankel after he had produced a sensational display in the Royal Lodge previously, but it didn't stop him going onwards and upwards the following year or the year after. There was no fluke about Pinatubo's performance in the National Stakes at the Curragh and I wouldn't hold it against him that he wasn't quite as impressive in the Dewhurst. He was an exceptional two-year-old and he was sensational in the National Stakes.

Looking at the fillies' division, Jessica Harrington looks to hold a strong hand with the likes of Millisle, Cayenne Pepper and Albigna. I guess the trip is the big question for Millisle in terms of the 1000 Guineas...

There's plenty of encouragement in the pedigree to suggest that Millisle could get a mile and being a May foal, she should have plenty of scope. I can certainly see where the trainer is coming from in targeting the 1000 Guineas and I'd be quite sweet on her. I would feel very sorry for Jessica Harrington if she can't travel horses this year because she's got to the Aidan O'Brien situation of having runners for all the Classics - in Ireland, England and France - and it would be unfortunate if she had to run her horses against each other. Like Aidan, she would certainly benefit from the travel restrictions being lifted.

And finally, do you have a horse on your radar that our readers can keep an eye out for this season?

Yes, I like an Aga Khan-owned 3yo filly called Ridenza. She's trained by Micheal Halford and is a Sea The Stars filly, from a very good Aga Khan family, who won her maiden at Leopardstown in impressive fashion last year. I think she would have gone into Black Type company had she not got injured but she's back in training now and I loved the way she did it at Leopardstown. I think she might be one who wouldn't be obvious but could take a big step forward this summer.

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