Four years after his first contact with horses, James Paget rides his first race
James Paget second left in cerise and white stripesThis story is about the Greatwood way to beat the odds when they are stacked against a young man: a normal race-day at the Les Landes racecourse in Jersey reveals a very abnormal story of ambition and perseverance - the story of James Paget.
The 4.15pm flat race on Sunday, July 24 was the Animal Health Trust Celebration Mile (Handicap). James Paget is aboard the Jersey-trained twelve-year-old Fast Freddie - one of a field of ten. It was an action-packed race complete with the spectacular unseating of Michelle Hooper and a stewards' enquiry.
James and Fast Freddie, in third and fourth place for much of the race, finished a good sixth. A remarkable achievement for a young man whose first encounter with a horse was a little under four years earlier.
You can watch a recording of the whole race on You Tube.
James attended Greatwood’s Get Going programme during the summer of 2012. He came to the charity from the Amber Foundation (a residential charity that offers a fresh start to homeless unemployed young adults and helps them gain employment and accommodation) via the Princes Trust.
James at Greatwood "I was living in a hostel when I met someone that had been to the Northern Racing College (NRC) when my ears pricked up and I thought that may be something I would like to do. Also when I got talking about racing one of the members of staff at the hostel informed me that he used to be a jockey. Through the Princes Trust I went to Greatwood where they gave me the opportunity to apply to come to the NRC on their 12 week residential foundation course.”
After successfully completing Greatwood's Get Going programme and gaining an accredited qualification in Basic Care of Horses, James was then given a place at the NRC.
“My first week was really interesting and I liked the fact that they had you doing everything from mucking out to riding within the first week. I’m not so keen on the mucking out, but when I rode for the first time it makes the mucking out well worth it!"
"The first 6 weeks have gone so quickly I can’t believe it, I’m looking forward to the next 6 weeks of working hard and getting a placement with a racehorse trainer as I now know it is definitely what I want to do!"
Cheltenham Festival 2015 At the Northern Racing College, James excelled and loved riding out every day and caring for the horses. The qualifications James gained at the Northern Racing College were sufficient to secure full time employment with dual-purpose racehorse trainer, Neil Mullholland, at his yard near Bath.
It was his work at Neil Mulholland's yard that gave James Paget the thrill of a lifetime: at the Cheltenham Festival last year he proudly led Barry Geraghty and The Druids Nephew into the winner’s enclosure at the home of steeple chasing - to the roar of a near capacity crowd - after the eight-year-old bay gelding’s gallant victory in the Ultima Business Solutions Handicap Chase.
James Paget was sent on his way to a career with horse racing by Greatwood: “Before I went to Greatwood I had never had any contact with horses, but as soon as I walked through the gates I knew that I wanted to work with horses for the rest of my life.” The odds on his having a successful racing career just got shorter.
[Jersey photos courtesy www.kandidprints.com and Cheltenham photo courtesy GJMultimedia - their copyright]