Mick Fitzgerald

Michael Fitzgerald (born 10 May 1970) is a retired Irish National Hunt jockey and television racing pundit. His most notable victories were in the 1996 Grand National, on Rough Quest, and the 1999 King George VI Chase and Cheltenham Gold Cup on See More Business. Fitzgerald rode for the majority of his career in Great Britain winning over 1250 races.

Career as a jockey After experience on the Pony racing circuit in Ireland, he began riding out for Richard Lister, a local flat trainer in County Wexford, at the age of 16. Fitzgerald's first National Hunt yards were in South West England with John Jenkins and Richard Tucker.

Personal life Mick Fitzgerald lives in the Lambourn area of Berkshire. He has three children Zac, Oscar and Lola. He lives with his wife. Fitzgerald had an earlier marriage, and was at one time brother-in-law to Paul Nicholls by marriage. Fitzgerald is a well known character on the Lambourn racing scene, and is a close friend of Champion Jockey AP McCoy, with the pair playing golf together often. Fitzgerald has become a patron to Alder Hey Charity.

Fitzgerald wrote an autobiography when he finished riding, called "Better Than Sex: my autobiography". The title comes from his famous quote to Des Lynam live on the BBC after winning the 1996 National – "After that, Des, even sex is an anticlimax!".

Cheltenham Festival wins (14)

Cheltenham Gold Cup - (1) See More Business (1999) Queen Mother Champion Chase - (1) Call Equiname (1999) Stayers' Hurdle - (1) Bacchanal (2000) Arkle Challenge Trophy - (1) Tiutchev (2000) RSA Insurance Novices' Chase - (1) Trabolgan (2005) Ryanair Chase - (1) Fondmort (2006) Triumph Hurdle - (1) Katarino (1999) Festival Trophy Handicap Chase - (2) Rough Quest (1995), Marlborough (2000) Coral Cup - (1) Xenophon (2003) Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate Handicap Chase - (1) Non So (2006) Cathcart Challenge Cup - (3) Raymylette (1994), Stormy Fairweather (1999, 2000)

Other major wins

Great Britain

Grand National - (1) Rough Quest (1996) King George VI Chase - (1) See More Business (1999) Tingle Creek Chase - (1) Kauto Star (2005) Christmas Hurdle - (2) Geos (2000), Landing Light (2001) Henry VIII Novices' Chase - (1) Fondmort (2001) Kauto Star Novices' Chase - (3) Fiddling the Facts (1997), Bacchanal (2000), Ungaro (2006) Finale Juvenile Hurdle - (3) Mister Banjo (1999), Blue Shark (2005), Good Bye Simon (2006) Ascot Chase - (1) Tiutchev (2001) Betway Bowl - (1) See More Business (2000) Aintree Hurdle -(1) Bimsey (1997) Mildmay Novices' Chase - (1) Irish Hussar (2003) Sefton Novices' Hurdle - (1) Chief Dan George (2007)

Ireland

Punchestown Champion Chase - (2) Big Matt (1998), Get Real (2000) Ryanair Novice Chase - (1) Tiutchev (2000) Champion Four Year Old Hurdle - (3) Katarino (1999), Quatre Heures (2006), Punjabi (2007) Chanelle Pharma Novice Hurdle - (1) Royal Paradise (2005)