Page 48 - The Hunt - Spring 2024

Graham Watters continued from page 10 back home how wonderful it is here,”
he says. “Both Rosie and I fell in love with it. If you work hard in America, you get rewarded, which is not always the case in Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom.”
Watters made the trip back across the pond to get married at a hotel owned by
his bride’s parents in her native Scotland after their original wedding date was delayed by COVID. From the get-go, their wish was to be part of the racing community in the United States.
These days, the horse bringing him the most fame is Snap Decision, trained by Hall of Famer Jack Fisher for owner Bruton Street-US. The 10-year-old Kentucky-bred bay gelding was sired by Hard Spun, who finished second in the 2007 Kentucky Derby. Last year, he broke $1 million in earnings as Watters rode him to victory at Saratoga in the Jonathan Sheppard Hurdle, named for the renowned British-born trainer who lived and worked in Chester County. The first time Watters took the reins, the horse had won nine races in a
“
WATTERS IS WELL AWARE OF THE DANGERS OF THE SPORT. HIS INJURIES INCLUDE A BROKEN WRIST SUFFERED DURING A RACE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM.
row. “I didn’t want to be the one who got him beat,” he says.
When Snap Decision crossed the finish line for his 10th consecutive win, Watters knew it was the beginning of a beautiful partnership. “He’s played such a big part
in the making of my career,” he says.
“He’s an absolute dream, with breeding and attitude. He’s good and he knows it. Such confidence—a superstar.”
At 32, with two NSA championships under his belt, Watters is approaching superstar status himself. He’s a disciplined professional, maintaining his weight at
142-145 pounds year-round. He keeps calories in check by abstaining from alcohol and exercising regularly. When he retires from riding, he plans to stay in the game, perhaps as a trainer. “I will always be working with horses,” he says.
He’s well aware of the dangers of the sport. His injuries include a broken wrist suffered during a race in the United Kingdom. In 2017, when five-time NSA champion jockey Paddy Young was badly hurt in a fall at Radnor Hunt, Young’s wife, trainer Leslie Young, tasked Watters with filling in for her husband. Watters quickly dressed and won both races.
When May rolls around, he looks forward to returning to the racecourse. “Radnor is a nice, sharp track that suits a frontrunner,” he says. “And I love the timbers.”
With throngs of cheering spectators lining the course, jockeys feel an extra surge of adrenalin. “As riders, we love when there are big crowds. When we’re galloping around, we can hear the roaring and shouting, people calling out for us. It’s a great atmosphere, a great thrill,” he says. SL
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