Jessica Harrington, the most successful female coach at the Cheltenham Festival and one of the top multi-sport coaches, revealed that she is being treated for breast cancer.
Speaking on RTE’s Upfront: The Podcast, the Gold Cup and Classics winning coach spoke about how she was diagnosed last October and is currently undergoing chemotherapy.
She told host Katie Hannon: “I’m currently being treated for cancer. I was diagnosed in October and I’m in the middle of chemotherapy. I’m almost at the end of my treatment. I’ve had it. treatment 12 weeks a week and I have two more to go I see light at the end of the tunnel and it’s amazing.
“I’m very lucky to live in the countryside and every morning when I wake up I see beautiful horses. I don’t go racing because I don’t want to mix with a lot of people in case I get an infection. So far. I have surgery and maybe radiation, so there’s still a bit of work to do, but I can get some hair back—that’s great!”
Harrington, 76, saddle John sizing to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2017, coached the Moscow Flyer to win the Champion Chase in 2003 and 2005, and masterminded jezkiChampion Hurdle’s success in 2014. She is determined to complete the ‘full house’ by landing Stayers’ Hurdle.
The Kildare-based coach was close to achieving that ambition in 2018 when Supasundae second place Peninsulaand she harbored hope that AshdaleBob could come close in the feature race on March 16.
She said: “There’s one race missing – the Remainers’ hurdles – for the ‘full house’. I have a runner-up this year in Ashdale Bob. I’m not sure he will. win, but he can be put in place. If all goes well, he will be able to win, but we’ll have to wait and see.”
One of the most respected coaches in motorsport, Harrington remains defiant and positive following her diagnosis and despite being unable to attend she is still looking forward to the Cheltenham Festival.
She said: “I’m so excited. Cheltenham is the National Hunt’s Olympic race. I will never forget my first winner; it was in the last race of the last millennium in 1999.
“I was told before the treatment started that I wasn’t allowed to travel. I would scream at the television at home during the week. I think the Irish will win enough races, but I don’t think it will at all. so.” whitewashed it has been two years.”
She added: “If you have dark days with cancer, the cancer can be ingrained in it; that’s my point. If you have a mole, then you need to stand up for it. get up and move on, because there’s so much more.” who are much worse than you.”
