Anyone could name the top two in the jump jockeys’ championship. Same as they’ve always been, or so it sometimes seems. But even regular racing followers might have several stabs at the name of the third without coming up with Jason Maguire.
Such anonymity does not trouble him. Maguire, at 29, is no starry-eyed newcomer. This is the best phase of his career “by far”, but he takes nothing for granted. “I would never start thinking I’ve made it and I’m not one to seek publicity,” he said. “There’s always someone waiting to take your place.”
With 58 winners, 13 of them in the past fortnight, Maguire is a respectful distance behind Tony McCoy and Richard Johnson but comfortably clear of the pack. Another dozen would see him equal his previous seasonal best, possibly before Christmas, and he has a maiden century targeted.
Dizzier ambitions, the biggest races and the title itself, are left implicitly unspoken. This is a calm, pragmatic man, feet firmly on the ground. Family history may help, for his uncle is Adrian Maguire, one of the best jockeys never to be champion.
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“Adrian’s busy with his training now but he still rings and texts me. He’s always there for advice but, even when he was riding, he wouldn’t be drilling things into me - he believed it was important to make your own mistakes and learn from them.”
Fifteen years ago, the elder Maguire took an epic championship duel with Richard Dunwoody to the final evening at Market Rasen. His nephew was on the same Lincolnshire course yesterday and, as if to validate his determined realism, he was unseated at the first hurdle on his fancied opening ride.
There would be no recriminations, for the trainer was Donald McCain, whose regard for Maguire knows no bounds. “About time too,” was his reaction to news of this interview. “No one seems to have noticed what Jason has achieved. He’s very gifted but he’s also a great team player - he’ll ring our young lads every night when they’ve had a ride, encouraging and advising them.”
Having lost a similar position with Tom George, Maguire is in his third season as stable jockey at McCain’s burgeoning Cheshire yard. They are living the dream together. “Donald has spent a few pounds and has a better class of horse now,” Maguire said. “Good horses make my job easier - but then so does the relationship we have.
“You have to respect your boss but I get on with him like a friend. I can say things to him that I wouldn’t say to other trainers and know he won’t take offence. If he’s getting wound up before an important runner, I’ll take the mickey out of him and we’ll both end up laughing.”
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Young horses such as Peddlers Cross, Any Given Day, Alegralil and Thumbs Up are punctuating their season and on Sunday, probably at Kelso, comes the return of Cloudy Lane. Maguire has won six races on him already, and partnered him in two successive Grand Nationals. The affection is natural. Maguire said: “He’s been brilliant to me and will always mean a lot. I rode him in his first ever race and he’s still very capable.”
Twice a week, Maguire journeys before dawn from the home in Stroud he shares with his fianc?e, Lauren, to ride out for McCain. His routine also takes him to the yards of Kim Bailey and Jim Old, while the regular raids from Co Meath of his boyhood friend, Gordon Elliott, are a rich source of winners.
“There was a group of us grew up together - Gordon and Barry Geraghty among them,” he recalled. “We used to trick around together after school and Gordon had a showjumper that we’d all get on. I stayed a lot with him and his parents and I’m so pleased he’s flying now as a trainer.”
The reverse sentiment doubtless applies equally, for Elliott is another stated admirer of Maguire’s talent, not to say his dedication in keeping a 5ft 11in frame under control.
“Weight is a big issue and I won’t ride at less than 10st 5lb,” Maguire said. “I’m not one for dieting too much. Maybe that’s my downfall.” It has done him little damage this season. Much more of this, indeed, and he may have to get used to life without a low profile.