Former Tottenham, West Ham, and Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp has lavished praise on the bravery of top jockeys ahead of the Cheltenham Gold Cup, declaring them far tougher than contemporary footballers. The football manager-turned-racehorse owner is aiming for glory this Friday as one of his horses, The Jukebox Man, competes in the prestigious jump racing event.
Redknapp's High Stakes at Cheltenham
Redknapp, who owns at least a share in 26 horses, is pinning his hopes on The Jukebox Man, an eight-year-old gelding he owns outright. The horse is currently the 4-1 third favourite for the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup and will be ridden by Welsh jockey Ben Jones. This partnership previously secured victory in the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase at Kempton Park on Boxing Day.
"They're Not Like Footballers"
In a new documentary titled 'Harry's Horses' on BBC iPlayer, which follows Redknapp for a day at Cheltenham Racecourse, he expressed admiration for jump jockeys. "I think they're amazing," Redknapp stated. "They get injured these jump jockeys and then they're back three weeks later. They're not like footballers are they? They're incredible."
Redknapp also drew parallels between horse trainer Ben Pauling and football management. Pauling, who trains The Jukebox Man from his yard in Naunton near Cheltenham, was likened to a football manager for his role in acquiring talent. "Ben's like a football manager," Redknapp explained. "He's got to go and sign good horses - if you're a football manager you've got to sign good players or you've got no chance. Ben's a top trainer and he's a good communicator. He's one of those guys who always answers the phone when you ring up and has a chat."
Dream Horse and Public Fascination
Redknapp, 78, described The Jukebox Man as a dream horse, emphasizing that he would not sell it at any price. "I've had an awful lot of horses, still got an awful lot, but this one has taken us to places that you only dream about as a racehorse owner," he said. "He's my dream, he's not for sale and he wouldn't be for sale at any price."
He added a note of cautious optimism about the Gold Cup: "I'm not saying we're going to win it we've got a serious horse, it's an open race and I think we've got as good a chance as anything."
Redknapp noted that public interest has shifted from football to his equine ventures. "People ask me about The Jukebox Man more than football," he revealed. "I've been to those theatres for Q&As and they all come up to me afterwards. They've not actually come to see me, they've just come to ask me about The Jukebox Man! When I was at Cheltenham I wasn't interested in talking about football or whatever."
Additional Racing Action
Beyond the Gold Cup, Redknapp has another horse, Taurus Bay, running in the Turners Novices' Hurdle on Wednesday. This adds to the excitement surrounding his involvement in the Cheltenham Festival, highlighting his transition from football management to a passionate racehorse owner.
