PartialLogo
Regulars
premium

Aintree Foxhunters' victory on Balnaslow a fitting memorial for a great lady

The late Peggy Hagan with Derek O'Connor at Punchestown last year
The late Peggy Hagan with Derek O'Connor at Punchestown last yearCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

This time last week I really didn't think I was on the eve of one of the most memorable days of my career.

It was always a big ambition to ride the winner of all three major hunter chases in Britain and Ireland and I'm delighted to have ticked that box now, with the Graham McKeever-trained Balnaslow giving me a first success over the famous fences at Aintree.

It was a fabulous occasion and a fitting memorial to Peggy Hagan, the wonderful lady who owned the horse and got such great pleasure from him right up to the time of her passing at the beginning of last November. It was always a privilege to ride for Peggy and it was special that so many members of her family were present in Liverpool last Thursday.

Read the full story

Read award-winning journalism from the best writers in racing, with exclusive news, interviews, columns, investigations, stable tours and subscriber-only emails.

Subscribe to unlock
  • Racing Post digital newspaper (worth over £100 per month)
  • Award-winning journalism from the best writers in racing
  • Expert tips from the likes of Tom Segal and Paul Kealy
  • Replays and results analysis from all UK and Irish racecourses
  • Form study tools including the Pro Card and Horse Tracker
  • Extensive archive of statistics covering horses, trainers, jockeys, owners, pedigree and sales data
Subscribe

Already a subscriber?Log in

Published on inRegulars

Last updated

iconCopy