Former jockey Darren Beadman finds fan at heart of Godolphin racing empire

DARREN Beadman was “sweating bullets” when he went to shake the hand of Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in the middle of last year. But a Princess came to his rescue.

Darren Beadman leads Hartnell after early morning trackwork. Picture: Mark Evans

DARREN Beadman turned up at Royal Ascot to meet the Sheik but he was the one shaking.

The champion former jockey and Godolphin assistant trainer was “sweating bullets” when he went to shake the hand of Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in the middle of last year.

Beadman had mixed with everyone from paupers to princes but never someone so powerful as the Sheik, one of the world’s richest men, who is not only boss of racing empire Godolphin but also the Emir of Dubai and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates.

Now an assistant trainer in Australia for Godolphin, Beadman did not take long to feel at ease.

He discovered he had a big fan right in the heart of the mighty Godolphin empire.

“I met his Highness and his wife Princess Haya and it was quite embarrassing because she told me she used to follow my riding career very, very closely,” Beadman says.

“She had competed in show jumping in the Sydney Olympics and she knew a lot about horses. And she seemed to know a lot about me.

“I was sweating bullets before I met the Sheik, but Princess Haya really helped to put me at ease.”

Darren Beadman (far right) with (from left) leading Godolphin trainer John O’Shea, former assistant Tom Ward and track rider Alex Ferguson. Picture: Gregg Porteous

Hall Of Fame jockey Beadman has savoured countless big-race wins and linked with greats of the turf such as Saintly, Octagonal, Lonhro and Super Impose.

But it all literally came crashing down in 2012 when the superstar of the saddle suffered shocking injuries in a barrier trial fall in Hong Kong.

In a long and painful recovery, Beadman was troubled by his balance, speech and brain function but his health gradually improved to the point where he was approached by trainer John O’Shea to join his team.

Beadman says his job description since joining racing’s “blue army” is to be the “eyes and ears” on the ground for O’Shea and the powerful Godolphin organisation, providing advice on the training of racehorses as well as on jockeys and trackwork.

Sheik Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and Princess Haya bint Al Hussein. Picture: Getty Images

So is Beadman a tough taskmaster to jockeys, given his vast experience in the saddle? Or is he a soft touch?

“Jockeys can’t pull the wool over my eyes, I’ve been there and done that,” he chuckles.

“I actually wrote the book on jockeys giving excuses (for poor rides).

“I had a situation recently where a certain jockey was riding a horse in a provincial race and he got going on it too early and it got narrowly beaten near the line.

“The jockey turned up to trackwork the next day and I walked up to him with my hand held out.

“He was delighted because he thought I was putting my hand out to give him a sling.

“But he was pretty confused when I had a tube of papaw ointment in my hand.

“I told him he had better put some of the ointment on his backside because he must have an itchy arse to be taking off on horses too soon in races.”

Darren Beadman celebrates a win aboard Octagonal.

Beadman, 50, knows nothing will replace the intoxicating feeling of the adrenaline coursing through his body when he rode in big races.

But he is just happy to be alive after his race fall and reckons he has got the perfect job working for O’Shea and Godolphin.

“When my riding career ended, I couldn’t comprehend how my future would look and I was so badly injured I couldn’t even do much to start with,” Beadman says.

“But once I got better I was keen to be involved in racing.

“My job is pretty full-on and it involves everything from clocking horses, to programming, to race-day activities, to trial days.

“Basically, I am everything to everyone at Godolphin.

“I don’t think anything will match that feeling of riding, when your mind is pumping and you are totally focused, but this job is a pretty good substitute.

“When I was a jockey, I was pretty isolated out there on the track and with what I am doing now I am part of a big team. There is a lot of blood, sweat and tears that go into it and I am only a little spoke on a big wheel. But it gives me a lot of satisfaction and I feel very blessed.”

Darren Beadman salutes the crowd after urging Saintly to his 1996 Melbourne Cup win. Picture: Andrew Tauber

Beadman, who says he has no desire or ambition to be a trainer in his own right, picked up plenty of tips from greats such as Bart Cummings and John Hawkes. But he reckons he learnt just as much from great Australian boxing trainer Johnny Lewis. Beadman trained with Lewis when he wanted to return to the saddle, after famously quitting riding to study to become a minister of religion in 1997.

“When I had some time off racing I had to lose 18kg to come back and I learnt a lot off Johnny Lewis in that time,” Beadman says.

“I discovered that training humans can be a lot like training horses. A lot like humans, you have to be able to assess horses to pick up little signs they are not coping or you need to change their routine.”

Godolphin is well set to finally enjoy a win in this year’s Melbourne Cup, with favourite Hartnell joined by Qewy, Secret Number, Beautiful Romance and Oceanographer.

But Beadman says any joy on Tuesday will struggle to match his famous wins in the saddle. While he refuses to single out his favourite horse, he admits a special place in his heart for the great Octagonal, who recently died aged 24.

“I was in public when I got told ‘Occy’ had passed on, and there was certainly a tear in my eye,” Beadman says.

“He gave us all such special moments.”

Originally published as Former jockey Darren Beadman finds fan at heart of Godolphin racing empire