Let's talk about... Mick Kinane and his career highlights

What are your favourite Mick Kinane rides? Share your thoughts with us via racingfeedback@sportinglife.com and they will appear at the foot of the article.

Fran Berry - Kinane was king

Mick Kinane broke the mould.

In the eighties and early nineties in Ireland it was fashionable to have an Australian jockey, an American jockey, or an English-based jockey, riding for you on a Sunday. John Oxx had Ron Quinton, Kevin Prendergast had Wayne Harris, Vincent O’Brien had Lester Piggott or John Reid or Cash Asmussen, so it was an era of Irish jockeys not being fashionable in Ireland, let alone worldwide.

Mick changed all that.

As a young rider he was a promising apprentice for Liam Browne, a trainer who had a reputation at the time for making jockeys. Mick came from a family steeped in Irish racing history; his father rode Monksfield in the Champion Hurdle and Mick actually won on Monksfield in the Naas November Handicap.

But it was his relationship with Dermot Weld that put him in the limelight, he really came of age then. They went and won the Belmont Stakes with Go And Go, a Triple Crown race, and he became hugely in demand in the UK and Ireland on the back of global success.

The one that springs to mind was Commander In Chief for Henry Cecil and it was a game changer for jockeys in Ireland. It showed that if you can compete with Mick Kinane you could be in the mix for the big days further down the line and Johnny Murtagh was certainly one who benefited from the ground Mick paved the way for Irish riders going forward.

This man was in such demand back in the late 90s that he was able to turn down the Sheikh Mohammed job, the biggest job in racing, to stay with Dermot Weld and ride for the Aga Khan for six months in Ireland, spending the rest of the year in Hong Kong.

We know all about his records. Winning the Melbourne Cup on Vintage Crop. Going on to ride for Ballydoyle and John Oxx. And, of course, his association with the great Sea The Stars.

But, as a rider, he was flawless. Frankie Dettori is riding in his pomp still now, but Mick might’ve been the more complete rider. Monday to Friday – and on a Saturday and Sunday as well. If you got Mick Kinane at Roscommon on a Monday or at York on a Saturday you knew what you’d get.

He was ultra-professional and stylish. A great will to win. Like a chess master tactically - he always had the next move covered, he knew what was coming up. Both on a horse and off a horse he was very adept at positioning himself well to be in the best place possible.

As a young jockey growing up, the weighing room can be a very intimidating place. Mick had a very tough exterior, game face on, in the zone, but as young rider if you wanted to ask him a question, once you broke the ice with him you couldn’t find a more helpful man.

But on the track he had total concentration. And in close finishes there has never been a better jockey.

Here are two of my favourite Mick Kinane rides. Let me know yours!

High Chaparral beats Falbrav, Irish Champion Stakes 2003

This was a ride and a half. Leopardstown is a tricky track at the best of times, it takes a bit of knowing and you can get your traffic problems there. Mick probably wasn’t on the best horse at the trip that day, but he had Falbrav pinned in, and though it was quite controversial afterwards and there was a stewards’ inquiry, Kinane’s tactics and positional sense made all the difference. It was a ride to savour.

Yesterday beats Six Perfections, Irish Guineas 2003

Johnny Murtagh was booked to ride 1/3 favourite Six Perfections, a French-trained superstar, with Mick on Yesterday for Aidan O’Brien. About three and a half furlongs out the pace was quite steady, Johnny was on the rail and Mick was very much aware of the situation. He had him in a pocket on the straight track at the Curragh, Dimitrova sat second under Pat Smullen and Mick was following. When Dimitrova kicked, Mick was in no rush to go after her as he wanted to keep Johnny in a pocket. He waited and waited, kicked on Yesterday at the furlong pole, Six Perfections couldn’t get out in time and Yesterday won by a short head. It was a race that every young rider and race reader should watch. It was a tactical masterclass, one jockey controlling a Classic – and essentially nicking it.

Send us your views

Send in your favourite Mick Kinane rides and other contributions to racingfeedback@sportinglife.com and if you’ve any ideas for more topics you want covering over the coming days and weeks, please let us know.

Feedback from readers

James Kinane: Imposing Time at Down Royal for me and dad, Tommy Kinane - we made the wages. What a wonderful jockey.

Thomas Pinto: Mick Kinane was truly a world class jockey. Great article by Fran Berry, however he failed to acknowledge that it was actually another legendary world class Irish jockey Pat Eddery that first paved the way for Irish jockeys and put them on the global stage. Pat rode for the GOAT Vincent O'Brien for a few seasons and as they say the rest is history. Best regards, Thomas.

Andy Morris: Brilliant to read Fran's thoughts on Mick Kinane's career. Just a brief input from me.

He rode beautifully, was always calm, reassured and never panicked. He was a joy to watch and listen to. Sea The Stars remains one of the most underrated horses ever and Mick rode him beautifully. You could not have wished for a better team than STS, Mick and John Oxx. I feel emotional just thinking about that three-year-old campaign. The 2000 Guineas, the Derby, the Eclipse, the Juddmonte, Irish Champion and the Arc in consecutive months! Wow! His proximity in timing to Frankel has seen him forgotten in his shadow.

Simon from Newark: Royal Ascot 1984. I can't remember the name of the horse: it was one of Guy Harwood's in the mile and a half handicap. Top weight, favourite in the 'getting out stakes'. Kinane kept him at the back of the field for the first 11 furlongs and then moved relentlessly up on the outside, picking them off one by one and got up close home to win, I think by half a length. It was one of those magnificent rides which you just knew would succeed even when there was a host of horses to pass.

Dave Youngman: For me Mick Kinane was one of the finest riders I have seen and a real horseman. Henry Cecil always told me he was more than happy to put him on his horses in big races as he was ice cool. The King George V1 and Queen Elizabeth stakes of 1990 was a memorable day for me as I was on course to see Mick Kinane win the race on BELMEZ for Henry Cecil, stable jockey Steve Cauthen chose OLD VIC to ride in the race for the Cecil yard and was beaten a neck, Belmez was the only three-year-old in the race and but for an injury that prevented him running could very well have won the Derby that year too,. Henry Cecil always told me Belmez and Simply Great, who also missed the Derby through injury, were two unlucky horses as they both would have gone close in the Blue Riband at Epsom had they been able to run. That was a great time for me to be around Warren Place as the Cecil runners were at their pomp in those days. In these troubled times how we need a rising star for everyone to adore, in the unraced filly that we have here at Newmarket named LIGHT REFRAIN owned by the Queen I think we might just have one judged by what Ihave seen of this daughter of Frankel on the gallops here at HQ.

Tony Harbour: A brilliant ride I recall was on AZAMOUR in the king george of 2005. (at which course for 10 points?) I think the talk was if he would stay the trip or not. Held up last with 4 furlongs to go with Eswarah, Doyen, Grey Swallow, Bago and the wonderful Norse Dancer ahead among others he came through to win well. Well done and give yourself 10 points if you said Newbury!

Charlie: Sea The Stars' debut was Mick's worst ride ever. The horse's only defeat. I recall backing horse on breeding. All over the winner but couldn’t get out and didn’t even get placed. Mick acknowledged it in his biography.

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