Danny Cook will warm up for his rides at next week’s Cheltenham Festival in an unconventional fashion, with three rounds of boxing at York racecourse on Saturday night. The veteran jockey will take part in one of 12 bouts at the charity night, when the hope is to raise £15,000 for Racing Welfare.
“I did a bit of boxing when I was younger but not much since I was 16,” says Cook, now in his 30s. “It’s a thing I’ve always liked and enjoyed as way of keeping fit. When this came up, I was keen to get involved.”
It’s just possible that Sue Smith, the trainer who makes most use of his services, has her reservations, bearing in mind that she wants her jockey in peak condition for the ride on the classy Midnight Shadow in the Marsh Chase next Thursday. “Sue hasn’t said too much about it,” says Cook, laughing.
Interestingly, Cook suggests there is a parallel between boxing and race-riding, in the need for controlled aggression. “You don’t want to just burn yourself out and you’re a sitting duck. The same as when you’re riding a horse, you’re trying to conserve your energy, and trying to win points and rounds at the same time. It’s knowing how far you can push yourself and still have enough petrol in the tank to keep you going in the later rounds.”
Cook will need to get the tactics right on Saturday as his opponent, Matt Brown, a work-rider with Brian Ellison, is both taller and heavier than him. Also getting involved on Saturday is Adele Mulrennan, a former jockey who now works as a raceday presenter at various tracks. She will be taking on Maiti Stirling, who works at York racecourse.
“I have no boxing experience but I’m a lover of the sport,” Mulrennan says. “I grew up watching Frank Bruno and Mike Tyson with my dad. But this has been a massive eye-opener. I keep myself quite fit but it turns out that boxing requires a different level of fitness. Honestly, it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life.
“You’ve got to be mentally strong as well. When you go into spar and take a punch in the face, it takes your breath away. That’s when you know it’s serious. I work for all the Yorkshire tracks, so I know Maiti and it has been a bit odd. You think, ‘God, I’ve got to go in and punch this girl’ and then we’ll have to be friends again the next day.”
Mulrennan’s husband, Paul, also a jockey, will be in action later on the card, boxing with the name of their 10-year-old daughter, Scarlett, displayed on his trunks. “I have sparred against Paul, he had to take a few shots off me in training,” Mulrennan adds. “Everyone commented on how hard I was hitting him. I was thinking about 2008 when he beat me a short-head at Catterick. I definitely managed to get my own back.”
Racing Welfare aims to support “all of racing’s people” including staff at studs, stables and racetracks, offering a wide range of advice and guidance services. “They’re so good at looking after the racing community,” Cook says. “Anything I can do to help raise funds for them is great.”
Mulrennan adds: “I enjoy the annual Christmas lunch for the retirees, when I get chatting to some of the wives who are now widows and they talk about the old days. You think, they gave up all their lives for racing and now their partners have gone … it’s nice that Racing Welfare is there to support them because sometimes they don’t have any family around.”
Tickets to Saturday night’s boxing are still available through this link.
Cheltenham Festival stat of the day, by Paul Ferguson
All 15 winners of the Albert Bartlett had won or been placed in a Graded novice hurdle, with all bar Unowhatimeanharry contesting a Graded event on their previous start. Proven form should not be overlooked, although it often is, in favour of potential. Of those towards the head of the market this year, Monkfish lacks that crucial Graded experience. In addition, this isn’t a race in which Willie Mullins has a great record, with Penhill his sole winner from 35 runners to date; he has saddled no fewer than 22 runners during the past five years.
The Weatherbys Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide 2020, written by Paul Ferguson, is published this week and available through this link for £15.95.
Thursday’s best bets will appear here by 10am.