Wirral based Tom McPhail backs champion jockey Paul Hannagan

Dec 8 2010 by Our Correspondent, Birkenhead News

TOM McPHAIL was delighted to have backed a winner when Paul Hanagan landed the Flat Jockey’s Championship last month.

Like many across the region and in the north as a whole, the chairman and managing director of M53 Ford revelled in the success of the Warrington jockey.

The 30-year-old rider become only the third northern-based rider – after Elijah Wheatley (1905) and Kevin Darley (2000) – to win the jockey’s title in 105 years when holding off the challenge of Richard Hughes.

Hanagan clocked up 191 winners in his best season in the saddle to land the coveted crown. And he was put on the road to success by McPhail and M53 Ford – based in Birkenhead and Ellesmere Port – who have sponsored and provided a car for the jockey for the past eight years.

McPhail has a passion for racing and has been involved in the sport as an owner with his wife Carol for almost two decades. Their horses have included Just Rory, Ambidextrous, Nomore Mr Niceguy, Marcomir, Never Ending Story and Hurdante trained by Eric Alston, Toby Balding and Dandy Nicholls. That involvement in racing helped him link up with Hanagan in 2002 when the young rider first shot to prominence when he claimed the apprentice jockey’s title.

McPhail is delighted to have shared in the joy of watching Hanagan reach the pinnacle of his sport and also to have been able to help him achieve his ambitions. Hanagan also partnered a McPhail-owned horse, Sands Of Dee, to win at Hamilton last year for trainer Richard Fahey.

And McPhail said: “My wife and I have been involved in racehorse ownership for around 18 years and in 2002 I was introduced to Paul who at the time had just won that year’s apprentice jockey championship.

“As a result of that success and being a fairly local lad he was interviewed about his success and what it took to achieve it on the then Century Radio by Elton Welsby. Paul explained how much travelling was involved during his interview and Elton established that he had a 13-year-old fairly unreliable car which was costing a fair bit to keep roadworthy.

“Through our sons being school friends Elton knew of Carol’s and my interest in racing and after interviewing Paul rang me to see if I would agree to meet Paul with a view to in some way improving Paul’s transport situation.

“That was eight years ago and we have provided Paul with an M53 Ford-sponsored vehicle ever since.

“In addition we have a Jockey Club agreement in place sponsoring Paul as a jockey that allows us to advertise our brand on his racing breeches and roll collar vest that is worn beneath the racing silks.”

McPhail believes the success that has come Hanagan’s way – which also included a second Royal Ascot winner aboard Marine Commando and a first Group One success on the exciting juvenile Wootton Bassett at Longchamp in October – is richly deserved.

He added: “Paul is one of the most unassuming, genuine yet humble individuals you could ever wish to meet but has a steely determination to win at everything he does. He doesn’t like getting beat.

“His success in winning the 2010 flat jockey’s championship was testament to his commitment and dedication to his sport and M53 Ford were delighted to provide him with the ‘additional horsepower’ needed to help him achieve his well deserved success.”

Hanagan is currently taking a well-earned break. But he will be back on the road and the racecourse in the New Year ahead of the defence of his title starting at Doncaster in March, where a four-timer on the opening day this year started his championship charge.