Andy Robertson Celebrates First Victory as Sole Owner with Walk On Harry

Andy Robertson has won plenty on the pitch. On Friday evening at Cork, he finally had one all to himself on the racecourse.

The Tottenham and Scotland defender celebrated his first success as a sole owner when Walk On Harry burst clear in the 5f maiden, landing not only the race but a €50,000 Goffs bonus in the process.

Robertson is no tourist in the sport. He was part of the Mr McCann syndicate alongside former Liverpool teammates Jordan Henderson, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Adam Lallana, and he already has his name on the ownership line of Hugo Palmer-trained Wait Geordie. That one made a bright start, winning by a length and a half under David Probert on debut at Bath, but has drawn a blank in five runs since.

This felt different. This was Robertson alone on the ticket, and Walk On Harry made it count.

Trained by Henry de Bromhead and ridden by Ronan Whelan, the son of Earthlight had shaped well when third over the same course and distance on his previous start. This time, at the third attempt, he put it all together.

"We learned a lot about him the last day and we thought dropping back to five furlongs we could be good and positive on him, but he's actually a horse that wants to travel," Whelan told Racing TV. "He's got a lovely pedigree and he's a lovely physical horse to go with it, so hopefully he's only going to keep on progressing. He's got a beautiful mind to go with it, so he could have a bright future."

The race unfolded perfectly for him. Walk On Harry tracked the action prominently on the far side, sitting just behind favourite Southern Boulevard. When Whelan asked the question inside the final furlong, the response was sharp and decisive. He quickened past and drew away to score by a length and a quarter, looking every inch a youngster on the up.

Bought for €32,000 at last year’s Goffs Orby Book 2 sale, Walk On Harry qualified for the sales company’s lucrative €50,000 bonus scheme. His victory triggered that payout and leaves just one such bonus still up for grabs in Ireland this year.

There was satisfaction, too, for tipster Graeme Rodway, who had flagged Walk On Harry at 11-2. His call was spot on, and he has four more selections lined up for Saturday’s action.

For Robertson, though, this was about more than prices and bonuses. It was the first time a horse running solely in his name had gone to the start. It will not be the last time he dreams of where Walk On Harry might take him next.