Although jumps-based horse racing is largely overlooked in favor of action on the flat in the United States, meetings like the Steeplechase of Charleston are helping to keep this noble tradition alive.
One benefactor of that has been Harrison Beswick, the jockey who has claimed victory at Charleston and some of America’s other premier steeplechases inside the past year.
And now he has his sights set on taking his success across the Atlantic, as the UK prepares for the culmination of its National Hunt season.
Top Rides
The Cheltenham Festival is one of the biggest steeplechasing meetings in the world, attracting the best horses and their connections from the UK and Ireland, Europe and overseas.
The Cheltenham betting markets show favoritism to horses from Ireland – such is the quality of the training and breeding program in the Emerald Isle, while the Cheltenham top jockey odds favor the likes of Paul Townend (-250), Jack Kennedy (+400) and Mark Walsh (+1000); a trio of Irishmen taking the plum rides.
You won’t find Harrison Beswick in the listings – he won’t have enough rides to get close to the top jockey honors, but he may yet pick up one or two gigs for the Cheltenham Festival in March as his name – and Stateside exploits – circulate.
His father John owns a couple of horses, and Beswick Jr rode one of them on UK soil in February – unfortunately, he was forced to pull up the idling Pebbly New Moon before the finish line.
But the 28-year-old is simply happy to be back in the saddle after suffering potentially career-threatening injuries in a fall in the United States – resulting in fractures to his neck and back, plus a ruptured ACL.
Beswick has been rehabbing at the famous Lambourn facility in the UK, where his ability to network with top trainers and owners – not least the legendary Nicky Henderson – could yet secure him a plum ride or two for Cheltenham.
A Very Good Year
To describe Beswick’s 2023 as a successful year would be a gross understatement.
He rode 19 winners, finished second in the U.S. top jockeys’ standings, and picked up a whopping $660,000 in prize money for the connections that he rides for.
One of those victories came at the Steeplechase of Charleston meeting in November, where he partnered Prophets Voice to the win in the opening race of the card for trainer Ricky Hendriks.
More glory could have followed in the Alston Cup – the most prestigious race on the card, but Beswick could not quite cajole Kyogo beyond third place.
That success came just a month after what is undoubtedly the best moment of Beswick’s career to date – winning the American Grand National aboard Noah And The Ark.
It was a tight race heading into the final straight at Far Hills, but Beswick was able to just find another gear from his mount, who stayed on comfortably to land the $250,000 major and spark celebrations amongst underdog backers, who had taken Noah And The Ark at lengthy odds of +4000.
Before the horse had even crossed the finishing line, Beswick stood up in his stirrups and punched the air in delight – a clear display of how much the win meant to him. How often will we be seeing similar celebrations on both sides of the Atlantic in 2024?
