Eddie Harty

Eddie Harty was born into a family with strong ties to equestrian sport. His father, Captain Cyril Hardy was a captain in the Irish Army at the formation of the Free State, a founding member of the Irish show jumping team, a brilliant amateur jockey and later, the trainer of the winning horse in the 1944 Irish Grand National. Four of Eddie’s uncles, his grandfather and great-grandfather were professional jockeys.

Unsurprisingly Eddie followed in their footsteps and combined being a jockey with show jumping and eventing. He was Ireland’s leading rider at the 1960 Games, placing 9th individually and leading his team to the sixth position. Following the Games, he began to concentrate more on his career as a jockey and forfeited his Olympic eligibility by following it as a professional career. He rode for some of the foremost trainers in England and Ireland, but his biggest win came as a late replacement. Highland Wedding had contested for the win at The Grand National Steeplechase in 1966 and 1967 but had lost his regular jockey for 1969 due to a broken elbow. Hardy took the ride on the twelve-year-old, hit the front halfway round the second circuit and romped clear to win by twelve lengths.

He suffered a bad fall at a meeting at Cheltenham in 1971, where he suffered badly damaged nerve in his right arm. After failing to recover from the injury, he started a long and successful career as a trainer before his son, Eddie Jr, took over the running of the stable. His grandson, Patrick, joined as a partner in 2021.

His brother John Harty followed an almost identical career path, appearing at the 1964 Olympics in eventing before turning professional as a jockey. The highlight of his career coming when he rode the winner of the 1980 Irish Grand National. Another brother, Cyril Jr, also had a good career as jockey and trainer while another of Eddie’s sons, Eoin, relocated to Kentucky to train and has had successes in American racing including a win at the Breeders Cup.