a day ago
Poignant scenes as Irish jockey wins race named in memory of late brother
It's over 20 years since jockey Seán Cleary tragically died following a fall at Galway but his memory lives on thanks to his brother Rory, and indeed his son Seán junior.
Cleary was just 22 and one of the country's most promising young riders, but sadly passed away in November 2003 a week after he suffered severe head injuries from a fall off the Paddy Mullins-trained All Heart.
In a tragic turn of events, Cleary's young girlfriend Maggie Farrell gave birth to their baby boy just days before he passed away in hospital.
Incredibly his now 21-year-old son, Seán Cleary-Farrell, is now an apprentice jockey with Willie Mullins and has been catching the eye by riding a handful of winners for Closutton this season.
The Cleary family are from Athlone and on Tuesday night at nearby Roscommon the annual Seán Cleary Memorial Handicap took place and resulted in a very poignant winner.
Rory Cleary was just 16 when his older brother Seán died but has gone on to become a very successful jockey, famously winning the Irish 2,000 Guineas in 2021 on Mac Swiney.
On Tuesday morning he had no ride in the race he had won twice before but with Jamie Powell stood down following a fall he came in for the winning ride on Thatwilldoso.
Cleary punched the air after crossing the line first on the four-year-old filly in a victory that clearly meant an awful lot to the 37-year-old.
'It's my third time to win this race. Trainers next year should be looking for me!,' joked Cleary.
'It's a nice spare to get, especially for that race. It was nice and felt very special.
'It's great and fair play to Roscommon racecourse for holding his memorial handicap in my brother's name. It's our local track and it's a very special place to win for me and with all our family and friends able to come here.
'Out of the back straight I didn't think I'd be the firing line at all but when I got into the home straight and got a bit of light she rallied home really well.
'It's been a while since I won the race and I wouldn't mind winning it again.'
Rory was just 16 when the accident involving his brother happened and in an interview with the Irish Daily Star in 2019 said: 'I was in Italy the day it happened. I was riding in an international challenge over there.
'I only found out about Seán's accident when Michael Halford met me at the airport. I thought I was after doing something wrong in the race when I saw the boss there to pick me up. He brought me to the hospital and that's when I knew about it first.'
Cleary's biggest came in the Covid-hit Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh in 2021 when famously partnering Mac Swiney to win for veteran trainer Jim Bolger, with who Cleary has been associated with for many years.
