Racing Certainty 2022

RACING

RACINGCERTAINTY 2022

2022

A S S O C I AT I O N O F I R I S H R A C E H O R S E O W N E R S

CERTAINTY ZHANG

SUCCESS

OVERSEAS INVESTOR IN IRISH RACING

MNA’SOME

2021

THE YEAR OF THE FILLIES

SONNYBOYLISTON A KNOCK-OUT YEAR FOR KILDARE RACING CLUB

MAGAZINE OF THE ASSOCIATION OF IRISH RACEHORSE OWNERS

GOLD CUP GLORY

OWNER BARRY MALONEY LOOKS BACK AT THE ACHIEVEMENT OF A LIFETIME

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| WELCOME |

You are all very welcome to the 2022 AIRO Racing CLG annual publication of ‘Racing Certainty’.

2

The Association of Irish Racehorse Owners (AIRO)

In a year filled with protocols and restrictions, Irish Owners enjoyed a tremendous year on the track.

Irish national hunt racing has never been so strong. We dominated the Cheltenham festival with 23 winners with 20 different owners colours gracing the winners enclosure including 12 Grade 1’s. The Irish Point-to-point fields have now surpassed France as the main source of national hunt prospects and the current insurance issue in the point to point scene is extremely concerning and we hope it’s rectified soon. Our Flat horses have excelled all over the world with wins from Dundalk to Doha and Belmont to Ballinrobe. In the sixteen classics in Ireland, France and the UK, Irish horses won ten, this is a testament to the skills and horsemanship that is synonymous with Irish Racing and Breeding. This is an industry where Ireland are global leaders, we are the benchmark that other countries struggle to attain and we should walk tall and be very proud of our achievements. There are certain elements in society who criticise the amount received in the Racehorse & Greyhound fund each year, these people should be reminded that for every euro invested, the Government receive €30 back, that is a very fruitful investment in any man’s language.

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

David Hyland Acting Chairman

021 will be long remembered as a tough one for Irish Racing as it had to deal with many negative press stories that cast a shadow on us all. For the first six months, owners were once again side-lined and forced to watch their horses run from home and eventually got back to the track in early June. Jennifer Pugh, her team in IHRB together with HRI deserve tremendous credit for putting all the protocols in place and keeping racing going. Their most notable success was during the Cheltenham and Aintree festivals, where the place to be was the ‘Green Corner’ and all operations were carried out to the highest possible levels and made to look seamless.

We need to acknowledge the racecourses who have endured yet another extremely difficult year but still managed to keep the show on the road despite all the restrictions. The Owners however, have been the saving grace for this industry during this pandemic. Their resilience and constant support has ensured that the lives and livelihoods of over 4,500 people who depend directly on their investment for survival, continued over the year. The number of people who are indirectly affected by their investment is phenomenal and owners’ on-going contribution is paramount to the future of the whole industry.

Closer to home, AIRO have worked and will continue to work tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure that Owners needs and wants are constantly to the forefront. We had an EGM in June to ratify and approve our constitution, which was passed with an over-whelming 91% majority. We had our first AGM as a company limited by guarantee in August, two directors stood down and we thank them for their contribution over the years and four new directors were elected, Regina will cover those meetings in more detail in the AIRO section of the magazine. As you are all aware, we are a board who give of our time voluntarily to ensure the interests of all owners, big and small are heard.

Should you have any queries, constructive ideas or suggestions, Regina will be more than happy to take your call.

Finally, I wish to thank you all again for all you do for Irish Racing and we look forward to celebrating with you during 2022. We wish you a healthy and prosperous new year.

Acting Chairman

THE ASSOCIATION OF IRISH RACEHORSE OWNERS | 1 |

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2022 MAJOR FESTIVALS LEOPARDSTOWN Dublin Racing Festival 5th – 6th February

GALWAY Summer Festival 25th – 31st July

CORK Easter Festival 16th – 18th April

TRAMORE August Festival 11th – 14th August

FAIRYHOUSE Easter Festival 16th – 18th April

KILLARNEY August Festival 18th – 20th August

PUNCHESTOWN National Hunt Festival 26th – 30th April

LEOPARDSTOWN & CURRAGH Longines Irish Champions Weekend 10th – 11th September

KILLARNEY Spring Festival 15th – 17th May

LISTOWEL Harvest Festival 18th – 24th September

CURRAGH Guineas Festival 20th – 22nd May

GALWAY October Festival 29th – 31st October

DOWN ROYAL Ulster Derby 17th – 18th June

DOWN ROYAL Festival of Racing 4th – 5th November

CURRAGH Irish Derby Festival 24th – 26th June

PUNCHESTOWN November Winter Racing 19th – 20th November

BELLEWSTOWN Summer Festival 30th June – 2nd July

FAIRYHOUSE Winter Festival 3rd – 4th December

KILLARNEY July Festival 11th – 15th July

LEOPARDSTOWN Christmas Festival 26th – 29th December

CURRAGH Irish Oaks Weekend 16th – 17th July

LIMERICK Christmas Festival 26th – 29th December

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| CONTENTS |

COVER STORY 04 NEWS BITES AIRO updates & news

HORSES THAT CRACKLED AT CHRISTMAS A look at 2021’s festive winners

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DESTINATION – THOROUGHBRED COUNTRY! David Mongey introduces the new equine tourism initiative Thoroughbred Country

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SONNYBOYLISTON Classic success for the Kildare Racing Club

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MEET SUZANNE EADE New HRI CEO reveals her 2022 racing priorities

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SET IN STONE Lissa Oliver discovers fair play for owners was carved in first century stone

28

COLREEVY This special mare retires unbeaten over fences

35

THANK YOU TO IRISH OWNERS Amber O’Grady with updates from racing HQ

48 SKYACE The £600 bargain for the Birdinthehand syndicate

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HEALING POWERS Simon Hennessy with first aid tips

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NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK We highlight some new faces in Irish Racing

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THE HORSES MOUTH Stephen Laird discusses the importance of good oral health in racehorses

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LIVING THE DREAM Flat & National Hunt horses who had their owners dreaming with their eyes wide open

44 HAPPY HUNTING GROUND Irish point to points play a significant role in sourcing National Hunt champions

53

OVERSEAS SUCCESS More Irish expats and foreign owners who have excelled on Irish racecourses in 2021

MOVING ON Remembering those who retired during the year

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SYNDICATES We meet some successful syndicates

54

EX-RACEHORSES Following the success stories of horses after racing

55

WELFARE MATTERS The racehorse retirement options available for owners in Ireland

56

SPORT HORSE PRINICIPLES Sue Shortt on maximising a horses potential

65

AIRO MEMBERS BENEFITS Company Structure along with an overview of membership benefits and free race days

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FAMILIAR FACES Caren Walsh catches up with some much-loved TV racing pundits

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AWARD WINNERS AIRO Award Winners and Irish overseas success stories

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PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST Meet Jason O’Ceannobháin the Kildare artist commissioned to create our AIRO awards

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SPONSORSHIP Irish EBF contributed €2.6m in sponsorship to Irish racing last year

Zhang

TEAM

A big year for this overseas owners

Editors: Regina Byrne, Caren Walsh Sub Editor: Lissa Oliver Art Director: Laura Kenny Editorial Contributors: Regina Byrne, Donn McClean, Rachel McMahon, David Mongey, Amber O’Grady, Breandán Ó hUallacháin, Lissa Oliver, Eogháin Ward Front Cover Photography: Healy Racing Ltd Photography: Healy Racing Ltd, Regina Byrne iStock, Sportsfile Production Executive: Nicole Ennis Managing Director: Gerry Tynan Chairman: Diarmaid Lennon Published by: Unit 55, Park West Road, Park West, D 12 Tel: +353 1 432 2200 Email: info@ashville.com Web: www.ashville.com On behalf of: Association of Irish Racehorse Owners, Greenhills, Kill, Co Kildare Tel: +353 (0)45 878 173 Mobile: +353 (0)87 1515119 Email: info@irishracehorseowners.com Web: www.irishracehorseowners.com All articles © Ashville Media Group 2022. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission from the publisher. Opinion and comments expressed herein are not necessarily those of Ashville Media or the Association of Irish Racehorse Owners.

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41 SOME MNÁ’

Lissa Oliver looks back at the phenomenal success enjoyed by our leading ladies throughout 2021

Minella Indo

SUCCESS Barry Maloney sees his lifetime’s ambition realised with Minella Indo’s Cheltenham Gold Cup win in March 2021

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

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08 IRISH TRAINED OVERSEAS WINNERS Horses that flew the flag in Group and Grade 1’s all over the world

80 JUMPING THE FENCE David Mullins on moving from jockey to bloodstock agent THE ASSOCIATION OF IRISH RACEHORSE OWNERS | 3 |

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| NEWS |

GRAND NATIONAL SUCCESSES The first five horses home in the Randox Grand National were trained in Ireland. Rachael Blackmore once again made history being the first lady jockey to win the race, the 173rd running, by expertly guiding Minella Times to victory, owned by John P. McManus and trained by Henry de Bromhead.

150/1 Freewheelin Dylan led from pillar to post to win the Irish Grand National for his delighted owner Sheila Mangan and local trainer Dermot McLoughlin and jockey Ricky Doyle.

DUNDALK WINTER SERIES AWARDS WINNERS SPONSORED BY AIRO | MAGAZINE 2022 |

Horse with the most wins – Togoville made history for owner Patrick Joseph McCann by recording his 10th win at Dundalk, three of them in 2020/21.

Horse with most points – Sunset Nova for Men of Forty Syndicate trained by Andrew Slattery.

NINA CARBERRY DANCING WITH THE STARS It was announced in December that Nina Carberry will swop her saddle for her dancing shoes and battle it out with a host of celebrities in the TV hit show Dancing with the Stars..

■ Owner: John P. McManus ■ Trainer: Willie Mullins ■ Jockey: Paul Townend ■ Conditional Jockey: Simon Torrens ■ Lady Amateur Jockey: Jody Townend ■ Amateur Jockey: Patrick Mullins

FLAT CHAMPIONS 2021 ■ Owner: Mrs Sue Magnier ■ Trainer: Aidan O’Brien ■ Jockey: Colin Keane ■ Apprentice Jockey: Dylan Browne McMonagle

COVID TESTING CENTRES Cork, Leopardstown, Punchestown and Fairyhouse racecourses used for Covid testing.

Bites NEWS

NATIONAL HUNT CHAMPIONS 2020/21

FRANKIE DETTORI COMES TO TOWN ...

Frankie and his UK Weigh room colleagues Jamie Spencer, Tom Queally and Shane Kelly came to Bellewstown Races for the Direct Aid for Africa Barney Curley Memorial Race in September. Dettori duly won the race on the Johnny Murtagh trained Trueba much to the delight of the huge crowd gathered for the flying dismount.

| 4 | THE ASSOCIATION OF IRISH RACEHORSE OWNERS

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ONE OF THE WORLD’S LEADING SIRES

LOPE DE VEGA. Chesnut | 2007 | 16.0 hh (1.62m) | To Stud 2011

Sire of 13 individual Gr.1 winners and 149 career Black Type horses FEE

€125,000

CLASSIC WINNER, CLASSIC SIRE

MAKE BELIEVE. Bay | 2012 | 16.1 hh (1.65m) | To Stud 2016

Sire of Gr.1 Classic winning World Champion MISHRIFF FEE

€17,500

FIRST SEASON SENSATION

NEW BAY.

Chesnut | 2012 | 16.0 hh (1.62m) | To Stud 2017 Gr.1 sire and the LEADING sire in Europe by winners to runners FEE

€37,500

THE BEST GALILEO SINCE FRANKEL

WALDGEIST.

Chesnut | 2014 | 16.0½ hh (1.64m) | To Stud 2020 4-time Group 1 winner of a vintage Arc and Timeform Rated 132 First foals made up to €180,000 and averaged €55,000 FEE

€15,000

BALLYLINCH STUD

Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny, Ireland

Te l : + 3 5 3 ( 0 ) 5 6 7 7 2 4 2 1 7 • i n f o @ b a l l y l i n c h s t u d . i e • w w w. b a l l y l i n c h s t u d . c o m

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| NEWS |

Gordon Elliott creates history at Navan winning seven from the eight races on the card. What a day for the Co. Meath handler, his owners and staff.

CHELTENHAM 2021 Irish trained horses dominated the 2021 Cheltenham Festival with 23 winners, 20 different owners, 10 trainers and 13 different jockeys.

Rachael Blackmore made history by becoming the first lady jockey to win the Leading Jockey title and Willie Mullins won the Trainers award.

Henry deBromhead created history as the first trainer to win the three major races, the Champion Hurdle, Queen Mother

Flat season Best Turned-Out League sponsored by the Irish Thoroughbred Welfare Council, each yard won €3,000.

Category A: Jim Bolger Coolcullen Stables, 83 wins from 318 runners.

Category B: Michael Halford Copper Beech Stables, 55 from 168 runners.

Category C: Kevin Prendergast Friarstown Stables, 21 from 57 runners.

Dream team Honeysuckle, Kenny Alexander, Rachael Blackmore and Henry de Bromhead win their 13th race on the track.

Chase and the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

LEADING OWNER – IRISH EBF CONNOLLY’S RED MILLS AUCTION SERIES AIRO supports the Irish EBF Connolly’s Red Mills Auction Series. A trophy will be presented at the Punchestown Festival 2022 to the leading owner of the series.

141 WINNERS Colin Keane sets new record for Flat winners ridden in a season.

NEW MANAGERS FOR NAVAN & LIMERICK RACECOURSES Ex HRI Ownership Manager Aidan McGarry took the reigns at Navan Racecourse during 2021 while former General Manager of Sedgefield Racecourse Emma White has just started her new position in Limerick Racecourse this January.

TREO EILE HOST FIRST THOROUGHBRED SHOWJUMPING CLASSIC Celebrating 100 years n Navan and Ballinrobe racecourses. n HRH The Aga Khan Studs in Ireland

In December, all the stars past and present came out to support the TREO EILE Pro/Celeb Showjumping classic which was held at Jag Equestrian. Jockeys David Russell, Patrick Mullins, Danny Mullins, Rory Cleary, Colin Keane, Bryan Cooper and exjockeys Joseph O’Brien Katie Walsh, Paul Carberry and David Mullins joined eventers and young riders in 10 teams of four vying for the silverware. We’re looking forward to next year’s event already.

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

GORDON ELLIOTT RECORDS 7-TIMER AT NAVAN

RACHAEL BLACKMORE CLEAN SWEEP OF AWARDS FOR 2021 Pat Smullen Jockey’s Room unveiled at The Curragh Racecourse.

PAT SMULLEN – CANCER TRIALS

The Charity Cancer Trials Ireland are still being very well supported in memory of Pat Smullen. €145.000 was raised in September when over 330 people took part in the Coast to Curragh charity cycle ride from Laytown to The Curragh over 155km. Declan McDonogh, Donagh O’Connor and colleagues from the weighing room paid an emotional tribute to Pat by singing with the Newbridge Gospel Choir the well-known song Stand By Me to mark his one year anniversary.

2021 was an epic year for Rachael Blackmore and the Irish Racing industry.

Her achievements on and off the track were outstanding and she received due recognition at all the awards ceremonies

this year. n RTE’s Sportsperson of the Year n BBC World Sports Personality of the Year n Irish Times Sportswoman of the Year n HRI Racing Hero

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| OWNERS |

| MAGAZINE 2022 | | 8 | THE ASSOCIATION OF IRISH RACEHORSE OWNERS

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| OWNERS |

IRISH TRAINED OVERSEAS WINNERS HORSES THAT ARE FLYING THE FLYING THE FLAG IN GROUP AND GRADE 1’S ALL OVER THE WORLD

I

n 2021, we have witnessed a truly astonishing run of success and a wonderful tribute to the ability and expertise of our trainers which hopefully will be well recognised and acknowledged by the powers in government. Words are not sufficient to portray the magnitude of what has been achieved this year, we had multiple successes at all levels and here we show horses that campaigned at the highest level of all.

USA Santa Barbara Bolshoi Ballet State of Rest

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

FRANCE St Mark’s Basilica Joan of Arc Broome Laws of Indices Mother Earth A Case of You

UNITED KINGDOM

AUSTRALIA State of Rest

Appreciate It Allaho Abacadabras Honeysuckle Black Tears Bob Olinger Monkfish Put the Kettle On Sir Gerhard Flooring Porter Minella Indo Quilixios

Vanillier Belfast Banter Fakir d’Oudairies Tornado Flyer Poetic Flare Mother Earth Snowfall Love St Mark’s Basilica Tenebrism Luxembourg

THE ASSOCIATION OF IRISH RACEHORSE OWNERS | 9 |

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Serving the Irish Equine Industry for the past 20 years

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| FESTIVE WINNERS | Royal Kahala won for owners Winning Ways Starlet Syndicate L-R: Paddy Kennedy & son Eoin, Jack Kennedy with Ginto, Charlotte Crozier (groom) Bernie & Shay Morris and Gordon Elliott.

Paddy & Deirdre Corkery, Sarah Kinsella & Ian Power after Master McShee won

Howyabud and Jack Foley with owner Charlie Carter and trainer Mary Ellen Doyle

Galvin winning jockey Davy Russell and owner Ronnie Bartlett

RACING AT CHRISTMAS IS ALWAYS TOP CLASS AND SHOWCASES ALL THAT IS FANTASTIC ABOUT NATIONAL HUNT RACING. THE FESTIVE BELLIES ARE FULL, THE SUPERSTARS ARE ALL LINED UP AND ALTHOUGH CROWDS WERE RESTRICTED FOR THE 2021 FESTIVALS, REGINA BYRNE TAKES A LOOK AT OWNERS WHO HAD PLENTY TO SHOUT ABOUT ON THE RACETRACK.

T

ried and Tested

Leading owner last season JP McManus enjoyed nine festive winners with Bridge Street, Broomfield Burg, Epatante, Fighting Fit, Glens of Antrim, Icare Allen, Priory Park, School Boy Hours and Womalko all carrying the green and gold silks to victory. Joe and Marie Donnelly’s Shishkin continued his winning streak at Kempton, while Haut De Couleurs and Al Boum Photo kept their flag flying here at home. Cheveley Park Stud enjoyed two Gr1 successes with Ferny Hollow and Envoi Allen at Leopardstown. The performance of Sir Gerhard in his maiden hurdle was far too impressive to ignore and En Beton rounded off another successful year for connections at Punchestown. Slimmed down Gigginstown Stud still managed to land the spoils on three occasions with Eric Bloodaxe, Daly Tiger and Gr1 winner Fury Road all gracing the winner’s enclosure. Leopardstown maestro Sharjah provided owners Rich and Susannah Ricci with his sixth Gr1, his fourth consecutive one at the Christmas Festival, while Allegories De Vassey’s winning Irish debut was definitely one worth

noting. Teaupoo’s valiant performance in the Gr2 Limerick Hurdle secured owners Robcour’s third win over Christmas, while Simon Munir & Isaac Souede enjoyed seven festive successes.

owners Michael & Ruth Foley with success at Limerick with Montiep, and Youralwaysdreamin took another festive bumper for trainer Patrick Foley and owner-breeder Michael O’Dowd.

New Kids on the Block

Christmas Crackers

Bective Stud’s growing empire of top-class horses was stamped with Gr1 glory when Ginto won the Lawlor’s of Naas Hurdle and Fakir D’Alene’s win in Down Royal on St. Stephen’s Day was also eye-catching. Caldwell Construction Ltd seem to have hit the ground running with three Christmas successes including Gr1 winner Mighty Potter, Gr2 Fil Dor and rounding off the year with Pied Piper’s win at Punchestown.

Danny and Willie Mullins landed the spoils at Kempton in the Gr1 King George with Tornado Flyer (T F P Partnership) and followed that up with victory in the Relkeel Hurdle Gr2 with Stormy Ireland (FB Racing Club) at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day. Galopin De Champs (Mrs Audrey Turley), Klassical Dream (Mrs Joanne Coleman) and Galvin (R A Bartlett) were very impressive winners and this Christmas there were 14 syndicate winners, including Gr3 winner Royal Kahala for Winning Ways Starlet Syndicate. Former Kilkenny great Charlie Carter provided Mary Ellen Doyle with her first winner on the track with Howyabud in Leopardstown. Master McShee’s Gr1 win in Limerick was sensational for owner-trainer Pat Corkery, while 125/1 shot An Forghas provided owner-trainer-breeder James Conheady with the ultimate Christmas present.

Bumpers Co Carlow trainers seem to have found the Midas touch when training bumper horses.

Willie Mullins saddled four, Embassy Gardens (Sean and Bernadine Mulryan), Facile Vega (Hammer & Trowel Syndicate), The Nice Guy (Malcolm Denmark) and Redemption for Tim O’Driscoll who enjoyed a double over the Festive season. Barry Fitzgerald provided

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

HORSES THAT CRACKLED AT CHRISTMAS

Healy racing

James Conheady

Sharjah and Patrick Mullins with trainer & Dad Willie

THE ASSOCIATION OF IRISH RACEHORSE OWNERS | 11 |

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| OWNERS |

DESTINATION –

Thoroughbred Country!

DAVID MONGEY, CHAIRMAN OF KILDARE FAILTE AND MEMBER OF THE STEERING GROUP, INTRODUCES US TO THOROUGHBRED COUNTRY, AN EXCITING NEW CONCEPT TO PROMOTE OUR INDUSTRY.

H | MAGAZINE 2022 |

orses have been an integral part of Ireland’s culture for 2,000 years, at the heart of the Irish Story, from mythical figures to modern day thoroughbred champions and an acclaimed global equine industry. It’s a story that needs to be told, experienced and shouted from the roof tops. Thoroughbred Country does just that.

The Destination Experience Development Plan will bring to life the thoroughbred horse tradition, world-renowned horse people, their crafts and the breeding heritage. Like the ‘Wild Atlantic Way’ with stunning coastlines, we offer awe-inspiring stud farms, racecourses and characters like nowhere else!

The five-year Plan is a collaboration of Failte Ireland, Kildare and Tipperary County Councils, and the Thoroughbred Country Steering Group, chaired by Cathal Beal, CEO National Stud, which comprises representatives from Horse Racing Ireland, The Curragh Racecourse, Punchestown Racecourse, Coolmore Stud, Kildare Village, Hotel Minella, Into Kildare and Tipperary Tourism and is coordinated by Laura Magee, formerly of Punchestown Racecourse.

Ireland’s global reputation will be central to the plan, which will create a dynamic destination to attract domestic and international visitors and establish the region as the world’s leading thoroughbred experience.

The innovative and ambitious Plan includes the new International Thoroughbred Trail, the Irish National Stud Premium Experience, Fethard Horse Country Experience, Coolmore Experience, and the Racing Royalty Experience, which includes a morning at Ballydoyle followed by a fully guided tour of Coolmore Stud, private driver and a stunning hospitality experience at The Cashel Palace.

There will also be a Mingle With The Stars Stallion Trail, The Curragh Behind The Scenes

Thoroughbred Country Steering Group members

Tour, trainers’ yards visits, the Hidden History Museum of Tipperary, with live demonstration from a third-generation blacksmith, and the Punchestown National Hunt Experience.

Thoroughbred Country will also target the M.I.C.E markets – Meetings, Incentive Trips, Conferences and Events – offering quality hospitality along with that behind the scenes, privileged access feel. It is a marriage of the tourism and thoroughbred Industries and will give the customer an inside view of the life

of a racehorse, from foaling through to the cut-and-thrust of the racecourse, to secure, well-deserved retirement.

Traditional Irish hospitality will welcome visitors at every port of call and packages can be booked to suit all pockets and timelines.

You can witness mares giving birth, going through the sales ring, into training stables and onto the racecourse itself. Other experiences will include the thoroughbred in retirement or re-training, and the Racing Academy and Centre of Education, where our next generation of jockeys and stable staff are coached, involving around 40 retired racehorses and also some retired jockeys!

I believe this may attract new owners to the industry, but more importantly it will present to the wider world the very special place the thoroughbred has in the heart of the Irish people.

Thoroughbred Country website will be live in spring 2022 but for further information contact Laura Magee on info@thoroughbredcountry.ie

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45625_ProvenGr1Sires_AIROMagazine_2022.qxp_45625_ProvenGr1Sires_AIROMagazine_2022 08/12/2021 14:12 Page 1

AUSTRALIA

BROOME MARE AUSTRALIS

CAMELOT

LUXEMBOURG SANTA BARBARA SIR DRAGONET

CARAVAGGIO TENEBRISM

All Group 1 sires in 2021 1st Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud-Gr.1 1st Prix Ganay-Gr.1 1st 1st 1st 1st

Vertem Futurity Trophy Stakes-Gr.1 Belmont Oaks Inv. Stakes-Gr.1 Beverly D Stakes-Gr.1 H.E. Tancred Stakes-Gr.1

1st Cheveley Park Stakes-Gr.1

FASTNET ROCK PIZZA BIANCA

1st Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf-Gr.1

FOOTSTEPSINTHESAND MARIANAFOOT

GALILEO

BOLSHOI BALLET EMPRESS JOSEPHINE JOAN OF ARC LOVE

GLENEAGLES

LOVING DREAM

Luxembourg (Camelot)

1st Prix Maurice de Gheest-Gr.1

1st 1st 1st 1st

Belmont Derby Inv. Stakes-Gr.1 Irish 1000 Guineas-Gr.1 Prix de Diane-Gr.1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes-Gr.1

Loving Dream (Gleneagles)

1st Prix de Royallieu-Gr.1

HOLY ROMAN EMPEROR ROCKEMPEROR

1st Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes-Gr.1

MASTERCRAFTSMAN DISCOVERIES

NO NAY NEVER ALCOHOL FREE

1st Moyglare Stud Stakes-Gr.1 1st Coronation Stakes-Gr.1 1st Sussex Stakes-Gr.1

Zellie (Wootton Bassett)

STARSPANGLEDBANNER STATE OF REST

1st Saratoga Derby Inv. Stakes-Gr.1 1st Cox Plate-Gr.1

WOOTTON BASSETT INCARVILLE ZELLIE

ZOFFANY

MOTHER EARTH

1st Prix Saint-Alary-Gr.1 1st Prix Marcel Boussac-Gr.1 1st 1000 Guineas-Gr.1 1st Prix Rothschild-Gr.1

Christy Grassick, David O’Loughlin, Eddie Fitzpatrick, Maurice Moloney, Gerry Aherne, Hermine Bastide, Jason Walsh, Tom Miller, Neil Magee or Mark Byrne. Tel: +353-52-6131298.

David Magnier, Tom Gaffney, Joe Hernon, Paddy Fleming or Cathal Murphy. Tel: 353-25-31966/31689. Kevin Buckley (UK Rep.) T: +44-7827-795156.

E: sales@coolmore.ie W: www.coolmore.com

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| FLAT OWNER | Sonnyboyliston and Ben Coen win the Comer Group International Irish St. Leger (Group 1) at The Curragh

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

Kildare Racing Club-owned

SONNYBOYLISTON delivers a knockout punch

ONE OF THE COUNTRY’S OLDEST RACING CLUB’S ACHIEVED CLASSIC SUCCESS LAST SEASON. ITS FOUNDER AND MANAGER LIAM CLARKE CHATS TO BREANDÁN Ó hUALLACHÁIN ABOUT SONNYBOYLISTON’S CAREER TO DATE AND FUTURE PLANS.

Healy Racing

F

ounded over 35 years ago by Liam Clarke and his friend Fran O’Sullivan, Kildare Racing Club had arguably its best season to date last year when Sonnyboyliston took both the Sky Bet Ebor and the Comer Group International Irish St Leger.

Club founder and manager, Liam Clarke, a compiler of pedigrees for over quarter of a century, explains how the club came about: “Fran O’Sullivan and I compiled all the

pedigrees for the sales companies. We bought a horse between us and decided to set up a racing club. We had a bit of luck with the horse and from that we bought another two horses, Music Interpreter and My Alanna. Both were trained by Tony Redmond and won five races each. It just gradually grew from a couple of friends and then a few people further afield wanted to get involved and we’ve kept it going ever since then.”

Kildare Racing Club is different to many other clubs according to its lead man as the

number of people involved in each horse is limited and owners “have a proper share.” Unlike major racing clubs in Britain which might have hundreds or thousands of members, Kildare Racing Club operates in a different manner: “We try to keep it to a maximum of ten people in a horse. Sometimes we might have only four or five who own the horse, but they are all members of the racing club; they’re all separately formed syndicates within the club. A lot of the lads are involved in two or three horses.”

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| FLAT OWNER |

HE PROBABLY WAS NEVER AS WELL AS THE DAY HE WON THE IRISH ST LEGER

Sonnyboyliston and Ben Coen with groom Pablo Keneebo after winning the Comer Group International Irish St. Leger (Group 1)

When joining any racing club, Liam Clarke believes it’s important to explain to people what’s involved – it isn’t a quick way to make money, as some might think.

“We buy some horses at the sales and we syndicate for the price they’re coming out of the sales. There’s no one making money out of it.

“We have new people wanting to get involved all the time. I get a lot of emails from people who get on to HRI. Word of mouth goes around and that’s how we get our new people each year. I try to get a few new people into some of the horses each year. We’ve people from all over the country – they’re not just local people.”

Obviously due to its high profile successes in recent times, many people enquire about joining Kildare Racing Club. If you are lucky enough to join, what should you expect?

“You have to have an interest to get involved,” Liam says. “If we buy a horse for €20,000, that money is essentially gone straight away. If the horse does something, that’s great, but if you get some money back that’s a bonus. We don’t run a horse for the sake of running him. If we can’t get anywhere after a few runs and being well handicapped, I’d say to the members maybe we should cut our losses and sell him on. People usually agree and say ‘right, we can go again when we find something else,’ the bloodstock agent added.

Sonnyboyliston is Kildare Racing Club’s

headline maker at present. The gelding was named after the famous heavyweight boxer Sonny Liston by one of the club members whose father was a boxing fan.

Though the club took Sonnyboyliston to the sales as a yearling, the €35,000 to €40,000 range was not met with a bid, meaning the team bought him back and placed him with trainer Johnny Murtagh.

“We’ve been with Johnny really since he

in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF “Northfields” Handicap (Premier Handicap) on Longines Irish Champions Weekend at The Curragh.

The logic for refusing such a large sum of money was that some members also owned the dam (Miss Macnamara) and wanted to get black type for the mare.

“We knew barring any accidents he was guaranteed to get black type,” says the bloodstock consultant, “but we certainly didn’t expect him to be a Group 1 winner. We knew he’d get black type – he was listed placed and Group placed but when he won the St Leger it was a huge bonus.”

Last season began with Kildare Racing Club

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

started,” states Clarke. He’s been very fair to us.

He’s very straight, he tells it as it is. When I take a horse to him all I ask is that he’s straight with me, whether the horse is good or bad. If he thinks a horse will win, he’s never been very far off the mark, and has mostly been right. I like a trainer to be honest and straight with me.”

As a three-year-old the racing club took the brave step of turning down half a million euro for the son of Power following his win

Kildare Racing Club members in Parade Ring post race

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| FLAT OWNER |

Presentation of the Comer Group International Irish St. Leger (Group 1) won by Sonnyboyliston & Ben Coen

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

hoping to achieve that much sought-after black type according to Liam Clarke: “The first thing we had in mind was to get black type. We went to the Ormonde Stakes at Chester earlier in the year to gauge where he stood. We thought it would be a good race to go to and he ran a cracker, finishing third behind two genuine Group 1 horses in Japan and Trueshan. We then knew he was decent. It was a Group 3 and we were delighted we got some small black type. Then we said we wanted to try and win a Stakes race to get large black type.

We picked the Listed Limerick race (Martin Moloney Stakes) and really thought he couldn’t be beaten there, and he duly won.”

Liam Clarke had intimated to trainer Johnny Murtagh as far back as September 2020 that he believed the Sky Bet Ebor at York would suit Sonnyboyliston: “The mare (Miss Macnamara) won over two miles on the flat and two miles one so I felt Sonnyboyliston would stay. She also won two hurdle races over three and three and a quarter miles. Being a pedigree guy – I’ve been doing pedigrees for 25 years – I put it all down to the mare’s side, that’s why the pedigree is done on the female side now. I thought this horse would stay, and he does stay. We picked out the Ebor early in

the year. We were confident on the day and before it Johnny more or less said ‘what beats him, will win’ and he didn’t expect him to be out of the first three which was a big call in a race like that. We thought that if he was in the first three or four in the Ebor we might go for the Irish St Leger.”

The 10/1 shot was ultimately a head winner of the Sky Bet Ebor Handicap (Heritage Handicap) at York on 21 August 2020, leaving only weeks to prepare for a tilt at the Comer Group International Irish St Leger.

The tight battle on the Knavesmire took its toll on Sonnyboyliston, however, with Clarke admitting to being surprised when seeing the horse the following day.

“I saw him in Johnny’s the Sunday after the Ebor and I thought he looked a tired horse. He’d lost a bit of weight, of condition, and I saw him the following week and he had his head down. He wasn’t as bright as usual and I thought the Leger might come too soon. In fairness to Johnny, he freshened him up. He had only four weeks and he probably was never as well as the day he won the Irish St Leger – he was in good form.”

Team Sonnyboyliston has an exciting 2022 provisional programme planned out for their star, as Liam Clarke explains: “We have a race picked in Saudi; it’s a Group 3

over a mile and five. There’s a Group 2 in Dubai at the end of March over a mile and 6 furlongs.

They’ll be his two early targets all going well.

We’ll have a look after that and might consider something like the Goodwood Cup over a mile and six during the summer. I’d like to think his main target would be the Irish St Leger again; it’s a great race with great prize-money. We think a mile and six is the perfect trip for him but I still think he’ll stay two miles. He has that little bit of toe as well as staying well.”

Turning down that €500,000 offer now seems a smart move by Kildare Racing Club considering that the Sky Bet Ebor victory was worth £300,000 and the win in the Comer Group International Irish St Leger was worth €285,000 to the winner.

“The money we were getting he’s won more than that,” says a delighted Liam Clarke. “By winning the Ebor and the Irish St Leger in the same season made up the money for not selling him. It was a bonus that we got all the black type we wanted, and now he’s a Group 1 winner.”

Would any amount of money now tempt the members of Kildare Racing Club to sell Sonnyboyliston?

“We’d always be open to offers,” concedes the club’s manager, “if a million or a million plus euro came in for him, we certainly would consider it.”

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THE SHAMARDAL INHERITANCE

The highest-priced foal by a first-crop sire?

Blue Point’s 300,000gns filly at Tatts — hotly followed by his ¤215,000 colt at Goffs.

SHAMARDAL’S ROYAL ASCOT RECORD-BREAKER.

¤40,000 Oct 1, SLF Kildangan Stud, Co Kildare

Breeding the future

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| NATIONAL HUNT OWNER |

MINELLA INDO bids for

MORE GOLD CUP SUCCESS

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

BARRY MALONEY ACHIEVED A LIFE’S AMBITION LAST MARCH WITH THE VICTORY OF MINELLA INDO IN THE CHELTENHAM GOLD CUP, THE BUSINESSMAN AND LEADING OWNER SPOKE TO BREANDÁN Ó hUALLACHÁIN ABOUT HIS INVOLVEMENT IN NATIONAL HUNT RACING.

T

echnology investor Barry Maloney “got the bug” as he describes it from an early age.

His interest in racing stems from his father, “a huge National Hunt fan” bringing him to race meetings.

“We’re not really Flat racing people at all.

National Hunt has always been our interest.

We’ve always focused on it and my Dad was that way, and I guess it’s been that way for all of us ever since.”

His first experience of racehorse ownership came while a student in college. Maloney, a UCD student at the time, was part of a syndicate of around 20 people that won at the Galway Festival.

“We were leasing a horse at the time and it won down in Galway at about 20/1 and the race was on a Thursday or a Friday. I think it was Saturday or Sunday by the time we got back to Dublin. There was a stewards’ inquiry after the race and I remember standing in the ring for about 10 or 15 minutes waiting for the final result and when we got it, the relief was great. I had the buzz then and it has stayed ever since.”

His successful relationship with Knockeen, Co. Waterford trainer Henry de Bromhead goes back to when Henry assisted his late father, Harry, as Barry Maloney explains:

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| NATIONAL HUNT OWNER |

“One of the earlier horses we leased at the time was from Henry when he was starting off himself as trainer – in fact he was probably still with his Dad at the time. That was when we really came into contact with each other; it’s that far back.”

That relationship with de Bromhead has continued right up to the present day, with Maloney now having “six or seven with Henry.”

Despite spending much of his time in the US, the former CEO of ESAT Digifone returns to Ireland as often as he can to see his stars running. When we spoke last December, Maloney had been to three Irish race meetings in the space of two weeks.

“I try to get to as many as I can,” he explained.

“I’m based in the US a fair amount at the moment so I try and get back. I try to get to as

many of them as I can when I’m here.”

His greatest day as an owner came last March at Cheltenham when Minella Indo successfully carried his colours to success in the Gold Cup. Sadly, due to the Covid-19 restrictions in place at the time, the Maloney family was unable to attend in person and instead headed to the family’s hotel, the Mount Falcon Resort near Ballina, from where they watched the race.

When asked how Minella Indo came into his ownership, the Cheltenham Gold Cupwinning owner explains: “We saw him win that Point-to-Point race (2018 in Dromahane) and that’s what sparked our interest. When we looked at the breeding we quite liked it. We went after him, approached the owner, and were lucky enough to get the deal done, so the rest is history.”

When pressed as to what exactly appealed about Minella Indo, Maloney clarifies: “He was exactly the type we were looking for – the Gold Cup type. Cheltenham is our Mecca and it always has been. The Gold Cup is the top of that pinnacle, so that is the kind of horse we’re after – a three mile chaser. He just met that profile the way he won that race, the scope of him, the attitude. He ticked an awful lot of boxes for us so when we saw him win the race and got to check out his pedigree and background, we decided to have a go, so that’s how it happened.”

March 2021 wasn’t the first time however that Minella Indo crossed that famous Cheltenham finishing line in front. Previous trips to England had shown that the son of Beat Hollow likes the Gloucestershire circuit. He won the 2019 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at 50/1, a win many

Healy Racing

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

Minella Indo and Jack Kennedy win for owner Barry Maloney and trainer Henry de Bromhead at Cheltenham with groom Cathal Carmody.

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| NATIONAL HUNT OWNER |

Minella Indo and Rachael Blackmore won for owner Barry Maloney (centre) and his brother Mike at Punchestown

Healy Racing

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

described as “a flash in the pan” according to his owner. The following year, he was runner-up to Champ in the RSA Insurance Novices’ Chase.

“He came back to the Irish Daily Mirror Novice Hurdle at Punchestown in 2019 and won the big race there four or five weeks after Cheltenham. He beat Allaho in both the Albert Bartlett (with Allaho third) and at Punchestown (with Allaho runner-up). He’s been a great warrior and we think the best is still to come from him.

“We’ve had a fantastic time at Cheltenham with Minella Indo. He likes it over there – there’s no question but he comes alive. He’s a docile kind of horse and he can be quite lazy and be

him last year,” admits Maloney “He fell at Leopardstown at Christmas due to a novice mistake and then he didn’t run great in the Irish Gold Cup in February either. But we never lost faith in what he’d be like when he got to Cheltenham. He just seems to come alive when he gets over there. It was really just to get his jumping confidence back in the Irish Gold Cup. He finished fourth, he was down the field but he got around and that was what we wanted, just to make sure he hadn’t lost any confidence from his earlier fall. Once we got him through that we were fairly confident he would go very close in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. In fact we were a bit bewildered why the market began to lose confidence in him – he was 9/1 at the off.

Obviously we thought it was a great price.

“You can never say (you’re going to win a Gold Cup) as it’s such a competitive race,” says Barry Maloney. “There are so many good horses in it, but we felt we had as good a chance as anybody. I remember Henry ringing me that morning saying that he was very happy with him and that he could see even the horse was excited – he gets a little bit of a buzz when he’s over there. Henry could sense that from the horse so we were VERY FEW PEOPLE DO IT confident he would run well. In JUST THE FIRST TIME. HAVING a Gold Cup so many things have WON IT ONCE, IT’S THE to go right for you but thank God ACHIEVEMENT OF A LIFETIME, they did on the day.

SO THAT BOX IS TICKED. “Henry had an unbelievable week but he had a couple of runners in the Gold Cup and we hard to get fit, as Henry will attest to. We say to weren’t sure which one was going to be the Henry our priority is Cheltenham so his whole one, so we were thrilled when it was our one. training regime is fixed on having him in peak In fairness to Jack Kennedy he gave him a fitness for Cheltenham, not October. We build a fantastic ride for someone who had to step in. programme to have him at his maximum fitness We were thrilled with the result.” in March. He’s good enough to train and he’ll eat Now as Minella Indo aims to complete backyou out of house and home if you don’t keep an to-back wins in the Cheltenham showpiece, his eye on him. They have a bit of a challenge trying proud owner is philosophical about his chances to keep him on the straight and narrow, getting of a repeat victory: a good balance between his feeding and exercise “Very few people do it just the first time. to get him at that peak fitness.”

Having won it once, it’s the achievement of a Rewinding back to Christmas 2020 though, lifetime, so that box is ticked. As the horse is the signs to the racing public may not have now coming into his peak at nine years of age, been great ith the much-hyped Minella Indo how do you follow last year’s Gold Cup win? If falling in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown. the horse is fit and well in March, why wouldn’t Though he could only manage fourth next we go for it again? As somebody said to me time out in the five-runner Paddy Power Irish after we won it last year ‘congratulations but Gold Cup back at the South County Dublin there’s only one way you can go from here and venue during the Dublin Racing Festival, his that’s down’ and I guess having thought a little connections didn’t lose hope. about that we said ‘look he’s still young enough “I suppose we never lost confidence in so why wouldn’t we be going for it again?’”

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THE AGA KHAN STUDS Success Breeds Success

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€140,000

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€25,000

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| INDUSTRY |

NEW HRI CEO

SUZANNE EADE SUZANNE EADE REVEALS HER 2022 RACING PRIORITIES TO BREANDÁN Ó hUALLACHÁIN

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ithout the investment of owners we simply would not have the industry that we do.” Suzanne Eade was appointed to the role of Chief Executive Officer of Horse Racing Ireland in 2021, replacing Brian Kavanagh, who is the new CEO at The Curragh Racecourse.

Eade served as Group Chief Financial Officer of HRI since she joined the semi-state body in October 2015. Prior to her entry into racing, she held senior roles in the retail industry including Finance Director for Boots Retail Ireland Ltd and Group Finance Manager, Procter & Gamble. Ms Eade spent time working in London with Gillette before moving to Geneva for a few years prior to returning to Ireland.

When asked by Racing Certainty about her racing pedigree, Suzanne Eade admitted: “My interest in horse racing initially was purely as a social event and in the UK particularly where I got to many racecourses including Ascot, York and Goodwood. When I took up the role as Chief Financial Officer with HRI, I really began to appreciate what the sport and wider industry was all about. I never really understood the magic until I got closer to it and just understood the quality, commitment of those working in the industry and the incredible horses bred in Ireland. My interest in the industry is far more than a job for me.”

What are her plans and ambitions now for Irish racing?

“We have seen through all of the key performance indicators in 2021 that, despite the Covid pandemic and Brexit challenges, the Irish racing and breeding industry continues to perform very strongly. We know we have wonderful people and horses behind this success and the role of HRI is to help the industry continue to grow and prosper and ensure we have the right structures and assistances in place. Racing, as a leisure pastime, faces the same challenges that most leisure pursuits face: how do we attract people back to the racecourse after two years of restrictions and a long period of consuming

our product at home? Owners absolutely fall into that bracket too in lots of cases, so the racecourse experience is a priority for HRI in 2022. It would be remiss of me not to acknowledge the difficult year that 2021 was in terms of how some events – however isolated – may have shaped the perception of our sport, and education programmes and initiatives in the area of equine welfare will be at the forefront of our priorities this year too.”

Attracting owners back to the racecourse may be one issue, but what about other key concerns for owners such as prize money, costs and race programming?

“Racehorse ownership underpins our industry – without the investment of owners we simply would not have the industry that we do. A prize money structure that recognises that has always been a central plank of HRI policy and that will certainly continue, and related to that are the costs of ownership and the opportunities that are ultimately there for horses on the track so we will continue to work very closely with owners on those issues.”

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| HISTORY |

SET IN STONE

LISSA OLIVER DISCOVERS FAIR PLAY FOR OWNERS WAS CARVED IN FIRST CENTURY STONE!

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

R

acing has always been very much rooted in its past, but that past extends a good deal further back than the known “founding fathers” of the Byerley, Darley and Godolphin Arabians. In 2016, Professor Hasan Bahar excavated from the ruins of an ancient racecourse in BeyÅŸehir, in Anatolia, Turkey, a set of 2,000-year-old Rules of racing. Prior to this, racing’s earliest known rules had been laid down with the foundation of The Jockey Club in Britain in 1750.

There are records of racemeetings taking place in Roman Britain in A.D. 300 and there is evidence that the lands of Queen Boudica and her Iceni tribe, in and around what is now Newmarket, housed stud farms that supplied racehorses to Rome during the first century. Boudica’s stud later became part of the Tudor Royal Studs.

Prof. Bahar unearthed a First Century monument erected in honour of the Roman jockey Lukuyanus, who died at an early age in Asia Minor. Impressive Roman monuments to jockeys and charioteers are not unusual, as they were accorded a status only reserved for the MGM-era Hollywood icons of the modern age. Diocles, for example, retired in A.D. 150 a multi-millionaire in modern currency.

Portraits of the great horses and popular charioteers hung in every Roman home and it is said they could do no wrong, a blind eye turned to any public misdemeanour.

What set the monument to Lukuyanus apart, however, was a stone tablet set within it, detailing the rules of racing. “I’ve never seen a similar tablet that contains the rules of sports and the way the race is carried out,” says Prof. Bahar.

“There are sources that mention horseracing, but there weren’t any that described the rules.

Th is tablet is the oldest one describing the rules of horse racing.”

The inscription on the tablet reveals that there was a keen sense of fairness in the sport. Prof.

Bahar translates, “It says that if a horse comes in

Prof. Hasan Bahar with the rules of racing

THIS TABLET IS THE OLDEST ONE DESCRIBING THE RULES OF RACING first place in a race it cannot participate in other races at the meeting. A winning owner was also forbidden from entering any other horses into an event’s subsequent races, presumably to give others a chance at glory. This was a beautiful rule, showing that races back then were based on gentlemanly conduct.”

Horseracing was extremely popular and big business throughout the Roman period. The

circus was purpose-built for racing and the racetracks were uniformly long rectangles with rounded ends, over which seven laps of 568m each (just under three furlongs) were run for every race, totalling two and a half miles.

During my own extensive research when penning the biography of keen horseman and racing enthusiast Emperor Nero (A.D. 37-68), I was delighted to learn he introduced legislation for pensions for retired racehorses, having recognised a former racehorse pulling a cart through the city’s streets. Subsequently, racehorses, State-owned during their careers, were allotted a small pension to cover their feed, veterinary and hoof care, enabling them to retire to farms at no fi nancial inconvenience to the farmer.

During the period Lukuyanus raced and the discovered rules covered, there 159 public

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| HISTORY |

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

holidays per year and much of the populace spent their time at the races. Some of the bigger circuses had seating for up to 255,000 racegoers.

Under the first Emperor, Augustus, there were 12 races per day, but Caligula increased this to 24, which became the norm.

A single day’s racing soon changed to meetings lasting seven days, some even extending to 15 days. The populace sought entertainment during the longer Holidays, such as Saturnalia (17th-25th December), the preChristian version of Christmas with the same feasting, family get-togethers and gift-giving traditions. All of which required the traditional escape to the races!

There were ridden races, but chariot racing was more popular, featuring two, three and, more commonly, four-horse teams. Two mares were harnessed to the shaft in the centre, while a stallion, loosely attached by a trace, stood either side of them. Each chariot depended on the strength and handiness of the two outside horses; the off-side stallion swinging out to the right on each turn without giving away valuable ground, while the still more vital near-side stallion acted as a pivot on the tight bends.

The teams lined up according to their allotted draw and the start was meticulously observed.

Only four teams competed per race and these belonged to the Factions, State-owned, to defray the enormous costs of maintaining and training horse and charioteer. The four teams were The Whites, The Reds, The Blues and The Greens and the public aligned themselves strongly to their

Aphrodisias circus Turkey

chosen Faction, much like modern football fans.

The horses were bred in Italy, Greece, Africa, Britain and primarily Spain, and went into training at three, making their first racecourse appearance at five. Their pedigrees and victories were meticulously recorded and studied and their names are known to us through inscriptions on common household pottery or mosaic decorations and paintings. In Pompeii a homeowner collected items depicting Lukuyanus Monument

his favourite horse, the inscriptions stating, “Winner or not, we love you, Polydoxus!”

The “immortal racehorse Tuscus” was credited with 386 wins and Victor 429 wins, which seems a tad high given their probable career length! That pair alone may have been responsible for the coming to pass of the Rule set in stone on Lukuyanus’ monument!

The jockeys and charioteers were generally low-born or former slaves, but rose to fame and wealth, demanding exorbitant retainers.

Lukuyanus had won at least 1,000 races before his early death, Diocles competed 4,257 times and won 1,462 races, Scorpus was the winner of 2,048 races, Pontius Epaphroditus won 1,467, and Pompeius Musclosus was credited with a mighty 3,559 victories. However, Fuscus was killed at the age of 24 after just 57 victories, Crescens at 22 after already amassing the equivalent of €1m and Aurelius Mollicius at 20 after 125 wins.

It was a risky business for punters, too, and Roman satirist Juvenal informs us that “the rich would stake a fortune and the poor their last penny”. Aggrieved Roman punters commonly engraved on bronze sheets curses directed at losing horses, which were consigned “to the vengeance of the infernal gods” to the bottom of tombs and have been amusing the archaeologists unearthing them by the bucket loads ever since.

Let that be a lesson to us as we carelessly cast our own betting slips to posterity.

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TH IS IS A SMALL AD

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| OWNER/BREEDER |

Colreevy and Paul Townend (near) lands over the last from Elimay (Mark Walsh) to win for owner Mrs Niall Flynn and trainer Willie Mullins

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

SPECIAL MARE COLREEVY RETIRED UNBEATEN OVER FENCES COLREEVY SUCCESSFULLY ENDED HER RACING CAREER AT PUNCHESTOWN WITH A FIFTH WIN FROM FIVE OVER FENCES. OWNER AND BREEDER NIALL FLYNN DISCUSSES HIS OWN INTRODUCTION TO RACING WITH BREANDÁN Ó hUALLACHÁIN AND LOOKS BACK OVER THE CAREER OF THE STAR MARE HE UNFORTUNATELY NEVER GOT TO SEE IN THE FLESH WINNING OVER FENCES.

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wner-breeder Niall Flynn enjoyed a purple patch with his mare Colreevy last season, with the mare successfully ending her career in the Grade 1 Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase at the Punchestown Festival.

Dungarvan, Co Waterford-based Niall traces his racing links back to 1973 when his parents purchased a mare from trainer John Kiely’s father, Matt.

“My parents were into racing. They bought a mare from Matt Kiely and it went on from there.

They had a winner in Cheltenham in 1977 when Meladon won the Triumph Hurdle (with Tommy Carberry in the saddle) and it went from there.”

While his four brothers followed their parents into the hospitality industry, Niall went farming when he left school in 1979 and the following year bought some broodmares.

“It started off when my parents bought that mare. She had three or four fillies and we started breeding from them – that was the Shúil family. Since then there were always broodmares here. Liss A Paoraigh would be the best of them,” he confidently says.

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Healy Racing

Liss A Paoraigh is the dam of six-time winner Gusty Rocky Colreevy and and three-time winner Goodbye Paul Townend Someday, while the Liss name was also carried by Liss Na Tintrí, Liss Cróga and Liss Na Síóg.

Mares Flat Race at Punchestown.

Niall, who describes himself as “a dairy Following a third place finish to Gypsy Island farmer with a few broodmares”, has had “quite a in the Listed Irish EBF Total Enjoyment Mares bit of success with them, no doubt.”

INH Flat Race at Fairyhouse, it was decided Another family that Niall Flynn and his wife to run her against the geldings in the Grade 1 Claire have successfully bred from is the line Racing Post App Champion INH Flat Race for that produced his most recent star, Colreevy, a The Conyngham Cup at Punchestown, where mare whose name has a fascinating story. the five-year-old duly beat her rivals.

5 winners on the card for trainer Willie Mullins after Colreevy had won at Punchestown.

“My mother’s ancestors were Colreevys from “It was really by default,” concedes Niall, “as Leitrim. We were at a removal in Leitrim a few I didn’t want to run her against the mares, so years ago and I saw a headstone Colreevy and I she had to run then in the Champion Bumper unreal the progression she made. To win asked ‘where did that come from?’ The family’s and she won that. She beat Abacadabras who that race (at Cheltenham) as a novice was surname was Colreevy but had to change it to was no slouch. We knew then at that stage that unreal and then she went to Punchestown.”

Grey at the time of the Famine as it was too we had a very good mare.”

Explaining the background to what would Irish a name. The British were in charge and you ultimately be her final race, Niall Flynn, states: wouldn’t get land or food with an Irish name “There was no other race for her at like that – that’s where the name came from.”

Punchestown and I thought she would finish Colreevy, by Flemensfirth out of the Saddlers’ third (behind Monkfish and Envoi Allen).

Hall mare, Poetics Girl, was very difficult to I suppose in hindsight she was overlooked a handle when young, as Niall explains: little going into the Punchestown race. She SHE CAME INTO HER “When she was young, when she was a had run there three times before and won all OWN OVER FENCES,” HER yearling she was very difficult to handle so we three, and she was definitely a better mare PROUD OWNER SAYS, decided to break her early. Stephen Keane, who going right-handed. broke her, liked her. He always thought she was “She was covered by Walk In The Park 10 “IT WAS JUST UNREAL THE special. We ran her in a point-to-point to settle days before Punchestown and then she came PROGRESSION SHE MADE. her – she was a lunatic, a real head-banger. She along and won there. Five days later she scanned belonged to me and my brother John. She was in foal. I would say, if she hadn’t been in foal, we with Pat Doyle and ran in a point-to-point (at The 2019-20 season saw the mare take to probably would have stayed racing her. She was Lemonfield) and fell at the last fence. We had obstacles, and broke her maiden at the second in foal so that made up our minds.” numerous enquiries for her and Willie Mullins attempt, at Limerick over the Christmas period.

Reflecting now on Colreevy’s career, her was one of them – he was anxious to buy her.

With a runner-up finish to Minella Melody in appreciative owner-breeder Niall Flynn says: I was anxious to sell her but my brother John the Grade 3 Eco Friendly Cups Solerina Mares “She was an amazing mare, an amazing wasn’t. I came to a financial agreement with Novice Hurdle, the Grade 2 Daylesford Mares’ mare. She won three bumpers, five chases and John and then we decided to keep her. As Willie Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival one hurdle. She really kept us going. She ran Mullins had wanted to buy her, we said we’d soon beckoned with Colreevy taking fifth there, five times over fences and won the five times. give her to him to train. We never had one her final race of that season.

It was huge for us.” with Willie Mullins before but thought if Willie November 2020 saw a winning chase wanted her that much, we’d give her to him.” debut for Colreevy in the Ballymore Colreevy won a bumper at Fairyhouse, Group Rated Novice Hurdle at under Patrick Mullins, in December 2017, and Punchestown, before claiming a Grade 1 won at least once every subsequent year during victory over fences a month later in the her racing career.

Matchbook Betting Exchange Faugheen With a third-placing in the Grade 2 Novice Chase at Limerick. With a win in Coolmore N.H. Sires Irish EBF Mares I.N.H. the Grade 2 Coolmore N.H. Sires Kew Flat Race in February 2018, followed by a Gardens Irish EBF Mares Novice Chase seventh place finish behind Relegate in the at Thurles to follow, she returned to Grade 1 Weatherbys Champion Bumper at Prestbury Park and took the scalp of her the Cheltenham Festival, the Flynn-bred mare stable companion Elimay in the Grade 2 was certainly going in the right direction.

Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase.

Colreevy & Danny Mullins jump the last to win the She ended that season by claiming the Grade “She came into her own over fences,” Grade 1 Dooley Insurance Group Champion Steeplechase 3 Weatherbys General Stud Book Irish EBF her proud owner says, “it was just at Punchestown.

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

| OWNER/BREEDER |

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| OVERSEAS OWNER |

ZHANG TEAM

GOES FROM STRENGTH to STRENGTH | MAGAZINE 2022 |

DONN MCCLEAN FINDS OUT WHY 2021 WAS A BIG YEAR FOR OWNER YUESHENG ZHANG, AND THERE COULD BE MORE BIG DAYS AHEAD

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ulong Baoju was the first. Bought for €40,000 at the Goffs Open Yearling Sale in October 2011 and sent to Eddie Lynam. A grey daughter of Acclamation out of the Wild Again mare Masaader, Yulong Baoju won on her racecourse debut. She got home by a head and a neck in a juveniles’ maiden at Dundalk in August 2012 from a colt of Aidan O’Brien’s and a gelding of David Wachman’s. Hit the front at the two-furlong marker and held on gamely in a three-way go to the line.

The form book says that that was the start of Yuesheng Zhang’s association with Irish racing, but actually, the roots go a little deeper.

“I first met Mr Zhang on a trade mission to China organised by Irish Thoroughbred Marketing,” says Michael Donohoe of BBA Ireland, also now racing and breeding manager in the northern hemisphere for Yuesheng Zhang. “I could tell from the beginning that he was passionate about horses, and he had a vision. I met him again when he came over to Ireland later that year. The first horses that I bought for him were actually eventers, at the Go For Gold sale at Goresbridge with my brother (Martin). One of those horses went on

to represent China at the Asian Games. Then we went to the Open Yearling sale at Goffs, we bought five yearlings and it just went from there.”

Yulong Baoju won a five-furlong handicap at The Curragh on Irish Derby weekend the following year as a three-year-old, she finished third in the Rockingham Handicap three weeks later and she won at Dundalk again in September that year. She won at Naas too as a four-year-old in July 2014. She was beaten at Dundalk the following month, but that race was won by Maremmadiavola, another filly of Yuesheng Zhang’s, also trained by Eddie Lynam.

Earlier that month, Yulong Xiongba, trained

by Johnny Murtagh, had won a nursery at the Galway Festival. Momentum was gathering and people were starting to take notice of the green silks with the green and white checked sleeves.

“Mr Zhang is from Inner Mongolia,” says Donohoe. “They race Mongolian ponies, and he grew up riding horses. There is a strong

tradition in horses in Inner Mongolia, it’s an important part of their culture. So it’s not surprising that he’s such a judge of a horse.

It’s great that he has taken such an interest in Ireland, and he gets lots of assistance here from lots of good people, including Kelsey Wang, who is a key part of the operation.”

Other winners followed, Yulong Baozuo for Johnny Murtagh at Dundalk, Yulong Xiongyin for Michael Halford also at Dundalk, Callender also for Halford at Navan. Then Yulong Baobei

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Lucky Vega and Shane Foley win for owner Yuesheng Zhang and trainer Jessica Harrington.

came along and, after easily landing her maiden on her racecourse debut at Dundalk, landed the Listed Excelebration Stakes at Tipperary in July 2016.

As well as becoming more deeply involved with Irish racing, all the while Yuesheng Zhang was building up his bloodstock interests in Australia. A colt who had stallion prospects on both sides of the equator was always going to be an attractive proposition for the owner.

Yulong Gold Fairy won two races as a juvenile for Dermot Weld, including the valuable Foran Equine Irish EBF Final, and went on to win the Listed Corrib Fillies Stakes at Galway and the

Group 3 Coolmore Stud Concorde Stakes the following season, before winning the latter race again as a four-year-old for Jim Bolger. Yulong Gold Fairy had been bought for just €8,000 at the Goffs Sportsmans Sale as a yearling.

Platinum Warrior cost considerably more at the Orby Sale two days earlier but, turns out, it was still money very well spent. Sent into training with Michael Halford, the son of Galileo won his maiden at Dundalk on his third attempt in November 2017, and he won the Group 3 Gallinule Stakes at The Curragh the following May. After that, the Irish Derby was the obvious plan.

“He banged his head in the stalls in the Irish Derby,” says Michael, “which was a shame, because we thought that he would run a big

Healy Racing

SHANE WAS GREAT ON PLATINUM WARRIOR. HE STOLE THE RACE. HE GOT FIRST RUN ON THEM AND HE HAD ENOUGH IN RESERVE TO GET HOME.

race. After that, we sent him to America, to be trained by John Sadler. Michael did a great job with him, but we just thought that the American style of racing would suit him better.”

After a couple of runs in America, Platinum Warrior was targeted at the Grade 2 San Marcos Stakes at Santa Anita in February 2019, and Shane Foley was sent out to ride him.

“Mr Zhang is a huge fan of Shane’s. He loves his riding style, he loves the way that he never gives up. And Shane was great on Platinum Warrior at Santa Anita. He stole the race. He got first run on them and he had enough in reserve to get home by three parts of a length.”

Whitefountainfairy was the first horse that Yuesheng Zhang had with Jessica Harrington.

Bought for €3,000 at the Goffs Sportsman Sale in 2016, she won a maiden at Fairyhouse on her second run, in June 2017, and was sold at the Goffs London Sale to King Power Racing for €300,000 before Royal Ascot that year.

Others followed in Whitefountainfairy’s hoofprints to Commonstown: Yulong Knight, Dandys Ocean, Indigo Balance, Elite Legion, Yulong Voice, Tauran Shaman, Leo De Fury.

Then, in 2020, the owner decided that he would have all his horses in Ireland trained by Jessica Harrington.

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

| OVERSEAS OWNER |

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| OVERSEAS OWNER |

THAT WAS OBVIOUSLY MASSIVE. A FIRST GROUP 1 WIN FOR MR ZHANG, WITH A COLT WHO HAD THE POTENTIAL TO BE A TOP-CLASS STALLION.

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

Three days before Leo De Fury finished fourth in the Group 2 Prix Dollar at Longchamp on Arc de Triomphe weekend, the BBA Ireland and Yulong Investments signed for a Lope De Vega colt at the Goffs Orby Sale.

That colt would be called Lucky Vega, and he would be a game-changer.

“We loved everything about Lucky Vega from the start,” says Michael Donohoe. “His pedigree, his conformation, his attitude. Mr Zhang usually comes to the sales, he loves to look at the horses. He was very keen on this colt. Also, Lucky Vega’s sire Lope De Vega was doing really well in Australia from a relatively small number of runners.”

Sent into training with Jessica Harrington, Lucky Vega won his maiden at Naas on his racecourse debut in June 2020, on the first day back after the Covid-19 lockdown. He finished second in the Group 1 Railway Stakes at The Curragh on his next run in July, before going back to The Curragh the following month and winning the Group 1 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes. That was a big day.

“That was obviously massive,” says Donohoe.

Mr Zhang with Michael Donohoe, BBA Ireland

Kelsey Wang, Yuesheng Zhang and Eimear Mulhern, Chairperson Goffs at the AIRO Awards 2017

“A first Group 1 win for Mr Zhang, with a colt who had the potential to be a top-class stallion. That was a great day. The only pity was that, because of all the restrictions, Mr Zhang couldn’t be at the races to see it live.”

Lucky Vega didn’t win as a three-yearold, but he only raced three times: third in the }2000 Guineas, fourth in the Irish 2000 Guineas, second in the St James’s Palace Stakes. After that, he went to Australia to take up stallion duties at Yulong Investments’ Nagambie Farm in Victoria.

“People were disappointed that he didn’t race on for the rest of the European season, but they understood. The timing was right for Australia.

Mr Zhang has over 300 mares in Australia, and it made sense to send Lucky Vega down there after Royal Ascot. He has done very well there, covering 120 mares.”

Lucky Vega came back to Ireland on 16 December and he is set to stand at the Irish National Stud for the coming season.

“That was an easy decision for Mr Zhang to make. He is a big fan of the Irish National Stud, and of the concept of a national stud in general. Government in China is important to him.”

They were busy too at the sales in 2021, building for the future.

“We have a nice group of two-year-olds to look forward to now. We bought some nice yearlings at the sales, so it will be exciting to see how they go. And I’m looking forward to seeing Magical Lagoon as a three-year-old, she won the Group 3 Flame Of Tara Stakes at The Curragh in August, and she could develop into an Oaks filly.”

More big days ahead.

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| OWNERSHIP |

IRISH OWNERS AMBER O’GRADY, OWNERSHIP DEPARTMENT MANAGER GIVES US AN UPDATE FROM RACING’S HQ

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eflecting on 2021, I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to all Irish owners.

Throughout the pandemic and all the uncertainty of the past 20 months, owners have been steadfast in their support of Irish racing, and we are extremely grateful. The highlight of 2021 for the Ownership Department was welcoming owners back to our racecourses in June. It was wonderful to see owners back in the parade ring creating the atmosphere and vibrancy that was missing throughout lockdown.

2022 and Beyond As we look to 2022, there are several new initiatives planned. Horse Racing Ireland is committed to maintaining prize money levels and improving the racecourse experience for all owners. Our research in 2021 told us that 62% of owners are in racing for the love of horses and the enjoyment of going racing.

The ownership team look forward to working closely with all racecourses, the AIR and the AIRO to ensure we create a minimum standard and expectation for owners when they go racing.

Over 90% of owners also said they wish to receive more communication from HRI. With this in mind, we intend to create an Owners Club in 2022 to enhance the ownership experience and offer owners additional benefits to compliment what is already offered by AIRO and the Racecourses.

Covid allowing, we also hope to bring back the National Trainers Open Morning in the Spring.

With over 2,000 visitors visiting 27 trainers in 2019 it proved a popular event and something we feel can be expanded in 2022.

A number of new directives will be implemented in 2022 which will see changes to the Multiple Owner set up. All information will be communicated with owners when approved by the HRI Board, however the biggest change will see syndicate numbers increasing from a maximum of 20 to 100 shareholders. This allows us accommodate the changing landscape of syndicates and multiple owner set ups.

It is important we also acknowledge Horse Welfare. A topic foremost on everyone’s minds.

This is an area we all need to collaborate on.

From helping owners rehome horses for their second act, to communicating the positive work being done to the wider public, it is an area we

must collectively take responsibility for. We look forward to working with all stakeholders in this regard throughout 2022 and beyond.

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

THANK YOU TO

Changes to the HRI Ownership Team The ownership team is going through a transition period with some key members leaving to take up new roles in racing.

Aidan McGarry moved to take up the position of Manager for Navan Racecourse and Caroline Townend has recently accepted a position as Operations Manager for Cork Racecourse. I would like to personally thank them for their commitment to the Ownership team over the past few years and wish them all the very best in their new roles. I look forward to introducing you to new members of the team shortly. I would also like to thank the wider HRI/ITM staff and AIRO for their help when owners returned racing.

Many people gave their time over the past few months to help with the IHRB Health Screening both on the help desk and on-course. We are very grateful for their assistance. Finally, I look forward to seeing you racing in 2022.

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| HEALTH |

Healing Powers SIMON HENNESSY, SPECIALIST SURGEON AT ANGLESEY LODGE EQUINE HOSPITAL, TELLS US ABOUT THE PRACTICE AND TALKS US THROUGH SOME HANDY DO’S AND DON’TS OF FIRST AID

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

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nglesey Lodge Equine Hospital was established in 1976 by Ned Gowing, serving the Kildare and West Wicklow area and providing 24-hour service, 365 days of the year. Noreen Madden works in the laboratory and the veterinary team is made up of partners Thomas Austin, Mark MacRedmond and Juan Francisco Perez Olmos, with Ana Moreira specialising in internal medicine and associates Bena Hickey, Helen Webster, Helena Burns, Miguel Rodrigues, Una Boyle and Maria Joao Rosa also providing expert aid. Overseeing the state-of-the-art practice is Manager Catherine McAvinney.

Offering a wide range of routine and highly specialised veterinary care, the ambulatory veterinary surgeons have the equipment and facilities at the clinic to offer specialised medical and surgical care when needed, serving both pleasure and performance horses.

Sports medicine encompasses the structural, physiological, medical and surgical needs of the equine athlete and at Anglesey Lodge we are proud to provide the most up to date diagnostic equipment, allowing us to detect subtle musculoskeletal, upper/lower respiratory tract and cardiac performance-limiting abnormalities. Services include advanced lameness investigation, gastroscopy, digital radiography, digital musculoskeletal ultrasound including 3D, extra corporeal shock wave therapy, over-ground dynamic endoscopy, cardiac ultrasound, exercising and 24-hour telemetric ECG monitoring and cell-based therapies including stem cells, PRP and IRAP. Obviously, when your horse is out of training and at home in your care you would hope never to have to use our services, but a very common issue you will probably have to face at some point is a wound. The type of wound, and importantly where the wound is, varies, so treatment isn’t clear-cut. The first question is whether to apply first aid or call

your vet and if you are at all concerned, you should speak to your vet.

If the wound is full thickness or over a vital structure, your vet is needed. Even a tiny prick in a vulnerable place requires veterinary intervention. If dealt with and stitched, the healing process could be up to two weeks.

If not, repeat treatment will be needed and healing could take up to six weeks. A quick stitch is the most economical option.

If the wound is dirty, lightly wash the area with a weak saline solution. I wouldn’t advise hosing down the wound, as tap water is hypotonic, leeching away the natural healing process. Live cells absorb the water and swell, rather like when we stay in the bath too long and go wrinkly.

I wouldn’t be a fan of iodine, at best it should be a very weak solution of 0.05% and if it looks darker than weak tea, it’s too strong. While it does kill bacteria, it can’t determine harmful bacteria and takes away the good with the bad.

The stages of healing run in sequence and each must complete before the next. The first stage is the clotting process which stops the

bleeding. Next comes the inflammatory phase, which clears out the debris and infected tissue.

Finally, the regeneration and repair of the skin tissue occurs. In a normal situation, this leads to the formation of scar tissue.

Successful wound management can improve the outcome by reducing the length of inflammation, increasing the intensity of the inflammatory response and ensuring that adequate cleansing occurs to reduce bacteria, allowing the final phase to complete.

Honey may be useful for some, but not all wounds. It isn’t sterile, so it will bring in bacteria. Layering on large amounts is not a good idea; it’s best to apply a very light film two or three times a day. It’s one of those situations where more is not better. Manuka honey, and Irish and Scottish Heather honey, have been identified as an excellent source of antimicrobial and antioxidants.

The best tip is to retain the wound surface layer of moisture and allow it to do what it’s meant to; another good reason not to wash the wound. Let the surface layer of the wound heal as nature intends.

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| HEALTH |

You can tell a lot about a HORSE from looking into its MOUTH STEPHEN LAIRD DISCUSSES WITH RACHEL McMAHON WHY KEEPING A RACEHORSE’S ORAL HEALTH UP TO DATE IS VITAL TO MAINTAINING PEAK HEALTH AND PERFORMANCE.

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

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VOLUTION OF EQUINE DENTISTRY There have been major advances in equine dentistry over the last few decades. Equine health care practises have become more predominant than ever, leading to increasing demand for skilled equine dentists. A trade that was previously undertaken by a farrier has evolved into a science, with new techniques and different methods constantly being developed, with more sophisticated technologies replacing traditional methods.

The horse's mouth is the primary point of contact between the horse and rider. If a horse is uncomfortable or suffers from oral pain, it can make the horse difficult to handle and therefore have a negative impact on the

performance of the horse.

Equine Dentistry plays an important role in the upkeep of horse’s health. Dental check-ups take place on a six to twelve-month basis, depending on the age of the horse as well as their dental needs. Having a horse regularly checked over by an equine dentist ensures the horse is getting the maximum benefit from their food, as it helps the horse to thrive and in theory enhance their performance in their discipline.

Stephen Laird highlights the importance of regular examinations in relation to a horse’s performance.

You can tell a great deal about a horse from looking into their mouth. If a horse isn’t comfortable in the mouth, they are not going to be eating their food properly, they are not going to be riding properly. If they’re not eating well, they are not going to be training well so you are not going to be getting the best out of that horse.

Unlike human teeth, horse’s molars are constantly growing. A horse chews in a circular motion, which causes sharp, uneven points to develop on the outside of the molars. These sharp points can cause ulceration of tongue and cheeks which often results in problems with eating and difficulty in handling the horse, as they are in discomfort especially when there is a bit in their mouth.

Most of the bigger yards will do their horses twice a year to keep on top of them.

The teeth will sharpen up in six months.

From yearlings upwards their teeth sharpen up a lot quicker and the horse would be losing a lot of teeth between the ages of 2 and 4. They lose 12 incisors between 2 and 5 years old, they shed like baby teeth. Mostly the teeth fall out independently but sometimes it can cause problems when they are still attached, the teeth can go sideways and could lacerate their tongue or their gums.

Sometimes a dentist has to take them out.

Having initially started out working hands on in racing, establishing a career race riding in Ireland and the UK, Stephen later retrained as an Equine Dentist.

A good friend of mine Gary Waters is a horse dentist and is from South Africa. He was always adamant for me to train as one, so I shadowed him. I watched him in his work and that is where I found the interest. So, I trained up and haven’t looked back since.

I work independently from my base in Wexford but Gary Waters, Stuart Huggan and myself team up together a few times a year to do the bigger yards, we’re quite unique in that way.

The likes of Joseph O’Brien’s or Gordon Elliott’s.

Since they have so many horses there could be three of us go in together to get through the yard quicker rather than one person go in on

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| HEALTH |

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

Stephen Laird working examines a horse’s teeth for a client in Naas

their own. Big yards could take us four or five days but if someone was to go in on their own, they could be there for almost a month.

The most rewarding part of the job is following the horses you have treated and watching those horses go on to win big races afterwards. A few years ago, between Gary, Stuart and myself we did the first seven winners at Cheltenham. The Tuesday and the start of the Wednesday, all of those winners were horses we had treated.

I do most of my work around Ireland.

I’m based in Wexford, so I do a lot of point-to-point yards as well as Paul Nolan’s, Peter Fahey’s, Denis Murphy’s, and Ado McGuinness’. Ado had his first Group One winner recently so that was a real thrill.

WHERE TO TRAIN At present, there is no academy for prospective equine dentists to train in Ireland, so they must travel abroad to learn their skills. Irish

equine dental students go abroad to train in recognised schools mainly located in Germany, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and America. Laird reflects on how having access to JETS allowed him to retrain.

Because I actually rode in the UK, JETS (Jockey Education and Training Scheme) helped me out, they put me onto the dentistry course. They provided me with a grant which allowed me to complete the training. It helped me out with flights among other things because I trained and did my apprenticeship in South Africa with Gary Waters.

Organizations such as the Equine Dental Association of Ireland (EDAI) act as a support to equine dentists, many of whom are self-employed. Although it does not train dentists, it allows practising equine dentists in Ireland to come together and share knowledge and skills. Laird expresses the importance of such organisations.

The WWAED (World-Wide Association

of Equine Dentists) offer continuous development training and Gary and Stuart are members. I am in the process of getting in.

They test you on your work. When you are a member, it is easier to get insurance if you are with an association because they have their own insurance. The standard of the work has to obviously be high to be a member.

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| WOMEN IN RACING |

Mná’some!

LISSA OLIVER LOOKS BACK AT THE PHENOMENAL SUCCESS ENJOYED BY OUR LEADING LADIES THROUGHOUT 2021, BOTH HUMAN AND EQUINE!

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

W

hat a fantastic year it has been for the leading ladies of our sport. The Goodbye 2020 Hello 2021 Maiden Hurdle at Tramore provided the first win of 2021 on day one for jockey Rachael Blackmore and what a year it turned out to be for her.

In partnership with trainer Henry de Bromhead and his star mare Honeysuckle, the pair mopped up the Gr1 Champion Hurdles at Leopardstown, Cheltenham and Punchestown and completed the year with a third successive win in the Gr1 Hatton’s Grace Hurdle.

Forget Paris in the springtime, Cheltenham was the place to be when Rachael powered home six winners, becoming the first woman to be Leading Jockey at the Festival. Barely had the cheers died down than she was rewriting the history books again, winning the 182nd running of the Grand National at Aintree aboard Minella Times – the first lady jockey ever to do so.

Her year was well and truly capped when she was voted 2021 RTÉ Sports Person of the Year and the BBC Sports Personality World Sport Star of the Year. Well done Rachael, you’ve set the bar high for 2022!

Such highs lie in the future for newcomer Annalise Cullen, who had her first ride on 4 November 2020. Her first win came with Zephron in the Sentinel Ireland Handicap at the Curragh for her father Denis. Annalise ended the year with five wins, including a trio on the Michael Grassick-trained Loingseoir, making her a name to watch.

Fellow apprentice Siobhán Rutledge has quietly ridden her way up the ranks since first taking to the saddle in 2018. This year saw

Siobhan Rutledge

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| WOMEN IN RACING |

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

her tally of rides almost treble from 2020 and she has notched up prize money of €322,935 and 24 wins, most notably on Tony Martin’s Drakensberg, on whom she completed a quick double within the space of a week in February.

Siobhán guided Moddy Poddle to victory for another of our leading ladies, trainer Sheila Lavery. Moddy Poddle was ‘the one that got away’ for Sheila when a gallant second in the Irish Cambridgeshire. This coming year Sheila has Classic entries in Toriangel, Global Energy and New Energy. The latter won his maiden at The Curragh in September and was beaten by only two and three-quarter lengths behind Glounthaune in the Gr3 Killavullan Stakes, giving good reason for optimism going into 2022.

Jessie Harrington also holds a strong Classic hand for the year ahead with regallybred Discoveries, the Gr1 Moyglare Stud Stakes heroine, hoping to follow in the illustrious footsteps of her older sisters Alpha Centauri and Alpine Star.

Enjoying a rattling good Irish Champions Weekend, No Speak Alexander won the Gr1 Matron Stakes for Jessie and Real Appeal landed the Gr2 Boomerang Mile. Over the jumps, Ashdale Bob won the Gr2 Novice Hurdle at the Fairyhouse Easter Festival and is shaping up into a promising chaser. Rapid Response kept the ball rolling for the girls when winning the Mares handicap Chase at the Punchestown Festival.

We are used to seeing the big stables to the fore at our major meetings, but trainer Katy Brown waited for the year’s biggest Flat stage to gain her first major victory when her six-year-old mare Effernock Fizz won the Ragusa Premier Handicap at The Curragh on Irish Derby Day. What a great day it was for Katy, Jennifer Pugh, Senior Medical Officer, IHRB who will look back on

Clockwise from top left: Jessica Harrington winner of the Sir Peter O’Sullevan award presented by Brough Scott; Honeysuckle and Rachael Blackmore win for trainer Henry de Bromhead at Punchestown

2021 with a great deal more fondness than most!

2021 also saw a new addition to the training ranks in Jenny Lynch, the Director and cofounder of the Irish Racehorse Retirement Fund, and the former assistant to Aidan Howard had her first runners in April. Her three-year-old filly Clara’s Approach won the Lily & Wild BBQ Handicap at Naas in August and Wish Me won the Yellow Furze Handicap at Navan. A promising start to her career, we wish Jenny well for 2022.

We mustn’t overlook the real stars of our sport and we had a wealth of talent throughout the past year among those who like to sport more than a single pair of shining shoes!

The National Hunt mares were more than a match for the geldings over obstacles. As we have seen, elsewhere in these pages, Honeysuckle and Colreevy led the field, but not too far behind Colreevy, quite literally in the Gr2 The Liberthine Mares’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, comes Elimay. Beaten just half a length that day, Elimay hasn’t finished out of the first three since her win at the 2019 Punchestown Festival,

adding a further two Listed Mares Chases to her already sparkling CV this past season.

When partnered with the unstoppable Rachael Blackmore, Telmesomethinggirl produced a career-best at the 2021 Cheltenham Festival, landing the Gr2 Dawn Run Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle. What a great pity our owners could not be present, especially for AIRO’s own Caren Walsh, who invests so much time in our association and this magazine in particular.

Caren was rewarded when her super mare Black Tears, owned in partnership with John Lightfoot, won the Gr1 David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle, hot off her win in the Gr3 Quevega Mares’ Hurdle at Punchestown.

Put The Kettle On was another lady to figure in her trainer Henry de Bromhead’s historic Holy Trinity at the Festival, beating the boys in the Gr1 Queen Mother Champion Chase.

It was a great Festival for the Irish and playing her part was Heaven Help Us, who bested the boys when winning the Gr3 Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle, as did Mrs Milner, victorious in the Gr3 Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle.

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| WOMEN IN RACING | No Speak Alexander and Shane Foley win for trainer Jessica Harrington.

Mount Ida not only put the boys to bed in the Kim Muir Challenge Cup Handicap Chase, but she aims to become only the 14th mare to win the Grand National should she line up as planned at Aintree in 2022. Nickle Coin was the last mare to win the Grand National, in 1951, and Mount Ida hopes to go one better than Magic Of Light in 2019.

That particular runner-up was trained by, you guessed it, Jessie Harrington!

We mustn’t forget to give a heads up to the ITBA NH Fillies Scheme, which has certainly played a major part in seeing these fillies and mares go into training and prove their worth.

This great initiative has paid out over €2.4m to winning owners since its inception in 2014.

On the Flat, the 2020 champion Tarnawa put up her best performances in defeat in 2021, going under narrowly and bravely to St Mark’s Basilica in the Irish Champion Stakes and Torquator Tasso in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

Santa Barbara was the talking horse of the spring, but she came up against three very good fillies while learning her trade. When the penny dropped, she came into her own, travelling over to America to win the Gr1 Belmont Oaks and Gr1 Beverly D. Stakes.

Ballydoyle seemed to be the home of champion fillies, but it was the unexpected champion Snowfall who ran out a series of breath-taking wide-margin victories during the summer, including her recordbreaking 16-length Epsom Oaks and record-breaking eight-and-a-half length Irish Oaks, the Yorkshire Oaks completing her unbeaten run at three.

Only a year earlier, Love had set her own Epsom record, recording the fastest time for The Oaks, which she’d won by nine lengths.

Fortunately for us she remained in training and in 2021 debuted at Royal Ascot to win the Gr1

Stakes on Irish Derby day.

We’ve so far celebrated the participants at the very coalface of racing, but there are so many people working tirelessly behind the scenes to keep the show on the road, among them female role models to inspire the next generation whatever their gender.

We salute our leading industry ladies who are steering our sport into a secure future: Suzanne Eade, CEO at Horse Racing Ireland; Cliodhna Guy, Interim CEO IHRB; Dr Lynn Hillyer, Chief Veterinary Officer; Jennifer Pugh, Chief Medical Officer; Eimear Mulhern, Chairperson Goffs; Jane Mangan, RTE Presenter; Nessa Joyce, Manager Irish EBF; Sharon O’Regan, General Manager Weatherbys; and, of course, our own Regina Byrne, General Manager of AIRO.

THE ITBA NH FILLIES SCHEME PAID OUT OVER €2.4M TO WINNING OWNERS

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

Above: Black Tears and Jack Kennedy win for owners Caren Walsh & John Lightfoot and trainer Denise Foster with grooms Jack Ruddy and Lisa O’Neill at Cheltenham. Right: Jockey Annalise Cullen rode her 3rd winner in 7 days when Loingseoir won.

Sheila Lavery

Prince Of Wales’s Stakes, defeating Breeders’ Cup heroine Audarya in the process.

Meanwhile, her stablemate Mother Earth lost nothing in defeat all year, but her finest moments came with victory in the Gr1 1000 Guineas at Newmarket and Gr1 Prix Rothschild at Deauville. Beginning 2021 with a Classic success, she maintained her form right through to December when fourth to Golden Sixty in the Gr1 Hong Kong Mile.

Other fillies of note during the past year were Thundering Nights, who saw off Santa Barbara when victorious in the Gr1 Pretty Polly Stakes at The Curragh, and Romantic Proposal, who added to trainer Eddie Lynam’s great record with sprinters when triumphing in the Gr1 Derrinstown Stud Stakes Flying Five and the Listed Dubai Duty Free Dash

Katy Brown

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| POINT TO POINT |

POINT-TO-POINT

Happy Hunting Ground

F

EOGHÁIN WARD OUTLINES HOW IRISH POINT TO POINTS ARE PLAYING A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN SOURCING NATIONAL HUNT CHAMPIONS

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

OUR days at Cheltenham in March can dictate how successful an entire season has been for individual horses, jockeys, or trainers such is the behemoth that ‘The Festival’ has become.

For the Irish point-to-point scene, the 2021 edition brought an unforgettable four days which marked the culmination of sustained growth within the sector over the preceding two decades.

Of the 28 races which were run at the Olympics of national hunt racing – including the two races for juveniles which do not incorporate pointers – almost half of them, 13 to be precise, were won by horses who had started their careers in an Irish point-to-point maiden.

It was truly a dominant festival for the sport’s exports. In short, having been responsible for 27% of all runners at the Cheltenham Festival, they won 46% of races and an even more impressive 64% of the top-level Grade 1 races.

That included the blue-ribbon championship races of the Champion Hurdle with Honeysuckle and Minella Indo’s victory in the Gold Cup. From two miles over hurdles to three and a quarter miles over fences – the impact of ‘Irish Pointers’ as they have come to be known was as diverse as it was impressive.

Thoughts that this may just be a flash in the pan, once off occurrence with the stars simply aligning to provide a brief moment in the spotlight for the point-to-point nursery would seem wide off the mark when you consider the results in the novice division.

Whether over hurdles or fences, seven of the eight novice races at the Cheltenham Festival were won by Irish point-to-point graduates such as Shishkin and Bob Olinger – with pointing exports also filling 17 of the 24 placings in these races to suggest the short to mid-term outlook looks set to see that level of success maintained.

After all, the Cheltenham Festival was certainly

Bob Olinger – Winner at Cheltenham

not four days in isolation, with the entire 2020/21 season in keeping with that theme. No fewer than 113 graded or listed races went the way of Irish Pointers, a figure that included a record breaking 27 in Grade 1 company.

Top of the lot was Pat Doyle’s Suirview Stables which has already produced Grade 1 winners such as stars like First Lieutenant, Shattered Love, Death Duty, Bacardys, Brindisi Breeze and

No More Heroes, and it is fair to say that the 2020/21 season continued that trend.

His graduates won 13 graded or listed races last season, a total that surpasses what any of his colleagues in the handler’s division achieved, with a trio of Cheltenham Festival winners included in that courtesy of Ballymore Novice Hurdle victor Bob Olinger, Supreme Novice Hurdle winner Appreciate It and Colreevy, the

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| POINT TO POINT |

Billaway – leading Hunter Chaser 2020/21

The Forge Hill – Leading Mare 2020/21

unstoppable in the rider’s division.

A total of 54 winners saw him end the season, one which saw his great rival and county man Jamie Codd bow out of point-to-pointing with a winner at Tattersalls in May, having ridden almost three times the number of winners as any other rider during the campaign.

More meritoriously however was the notable

piece of history that O’Neill created when he became the first rider to pick up all four of the regional titles in the same season, a feat which had not previously been achieved in the near 40 years since those titles were created.

Of the other rider’s titles, Maxine O’Sullivan won her fifth ladies crown having enjoyed a late spring surge with David Christie, as she supplied the Co. Fermanagh handler with his 300th winner between the flags when Marinero won a Pat Doyle Ladies Open at Ballingarry.

Pearse Rogan had begun the season without having ridden a winner, however his breakthrough campaign saw him end the year as the Under-21 champion, a title that has been won in recent years by the likes of Sean O’Keeffe and Shane Fitzgerald – two riders who have successfully made the switch to the professional ranks showing that it is not just the sport’s equine graduates that are making their mark on the racecourse.

Having been narrowly denied at both the Cheltenham and Punchestown Festivals Billaway (John Turner) was the season’s champion horse, John Walsh’s High Stakes was the champion point-to-pointer, with The Forge Hill for Sean Doyle 13 CHELTENHAM RACES, crowned champion mare.

WERE WON BY HORSES All in all, it is fair to say that THAT HAD STARTED THEIR 2021 is a year that won’t be quickly CAREERS IN AN IRISH forgotten about by those in the POINT-TO-POINT MAIDEN pointing sphere.

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

winner of the inaugural Mares’ Chase.

In the pointing fields itself, the government restrictions in response to the Covid-19 pandemic brought action between the flags to a halt for the second consecutive spring season. There was not a fence jumped competitively in the pointing fields between a fixture at Dromahane on December 20th and the full restart at Lisronagh some five months later on May 1st.

Some less conventional fixtures were staged as point-to-points were moved from their historical homes on agricultural lands and onto official racecourses. Three all point-to-point bumpers taking place at Punchestown, Wexford and Tipperary throughout the month of March, before four and five-year-old maiden point-topoints were accommodated at Cork, Fairyhouse and Tipperary racecourses throughout the month of April in a bid to restart a portion of the economic activity that point-to-pointing generates for the rural Irish economy.

Whilst that lengthy stoppage contributed to a significantly curtailed season, it certainly did little to stop the recent dominance that Barry O’Neill and Colin Bowe have enjoyed as the powerhouse operators in the sphere.

For Bowe, the Milestone Stables operator was crowned champion handler for a ninth time when the 2020/21 season came to a close in late May. Remarkably, and in spite of so much of the season having not taken place, the Co. Wexford handler enjoyed one of his best seasons to date as he sent out 44 winners and further 59 placed finishers from a total of 216 runners. That was just one winner shy of his previous personal best, whilst for Barry O’Neill, he was simply

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| NEW PASTURES |

MOVING ON CAREN WALSH TAKES A LOOK AT SOME PEOPLE AND HORSES WHO RETIRED OR MOVED ON TO PASTURES NEW DURING THE YEAR

Super Mare Tarnawa retires to stud

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

HH Aga Khan’s Tarnawa was retired to stud November 2021. A three time Group 1 winner in France and dual Group 3 winner in Ireland for trainer Dermot Weld.

Frankel is the stallion of choice and we look forward to their offspring hitting the racetrack in the future.

Denis Egan

Ian McCarthy Retired in July 2021. Described himself as a journeyman jockey from Galway. Retiring on the same day as hurling legend Joe Canning who he once played against as a juvenile. During his career he rode in excess of 90 winners for a variety of owners and trainers. Ian now enjoys training Pt to Pointers and breaking in horses and pre training. He currently has 25 to 30 horses.

In September 2021 Denis stepped down from his role as CEO of IHRB. Denis joined the then Turf Club in 1995 as Financial Controller before taking over as CEO in 2001.

He oversaw the transition to IHRB in 2018. Denis represented Irish racing on a variety of committees including Chairman of the European Racing Medical Officers Group and the International Conference for the Health and Safety and Welfare of Jockeys. He was also a member of the executive council of the International Federation of Horse Racing Authorities.

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| NEW PASTURES |

Pat Keogh

Susannah & Rich Ricci retired four of their most memorable horses of recent times with 30 Grade 1 races between them.

Faugheen retired to the National Stud Douvan & Min have retired back to their breeders in France. Benie Des Dieux purchased jointly

by MV Magnier and Bective Stud. In foal to Walk in the Park.

Brian Kavanagh CEO of Horse Racing Ireland retired in September 2021.

Brian was the first CEO of HRI when he was appointed 20 years ago. During his tenure we have seen many changes in Irish racing.

His status in world racing is reflected by him holding the position as chairman of the European Pattern Committee and the European and Mediterranean Horse Racing Federation and vice chairman of International Federation of Horse Racing Authorities. Brian now takes the reins as CEO at The Curragh.

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

CEO of The Curragh Racecourse.

Retired August 2021.

Pat first visited The Curragh when he was eight years old and has said that racing was not just a way of life but a vocation and one that he has built a career around. As CEO of Leopardstown he played a big part in the development of The Longines Weekend and the very successful Dublin Festival. He joined the Curragh team in 2019. Since his role as CEO The Curragh is on track to reach its potential as a world class facility.

St Marks Basilica owned by Derrick Smith Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor.

Retired to stud. Rated best 2 year old in 2020 winning his maiden at The Curragh and the Dewhurst. Top rated 3 year old in Europe 2021 having won The French Derby and Guineas, Irish Champion Stakes and The Coral Eclipse.

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| BARGAIN BUY |

SKYACE, a £600 bargain for the

BIRDINTHEHAND SYNDICATE

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

CATHAL McHUGH EXPLAINS THE ORIGINS OF THE BIRDINTHEHAND SYNDICATE TO BREANDÁN Ó hUALLACHÁIN AND DISCUSSES THE GRADE 1-WINNING £600 PURCHASE SKYACE

I

f any horse in recent times has shown us that you don’t have to spend big to dine at the top table, Skyace is surely the one.

The Birdinthehand Syndicate’s star cost just £600 when purchased, and in 2021 won a Grade 1 race.

The seven-member syndicate’s manager Cathal McHugh spoke to Racing Certainty about their mare as well as the interestinglynamed syndicate.

“The Birdinthehand Syndicate was from a previous syndicate,” the Roscommon-native tells me. “It was in a nightclub we saw one of our group holding hands with a girl and as a result we called it the Birdinthehand Syndicate,

though that fellow is not involved with this syndicate. We kept the name for this syndicate and rather than re-registering, I transferred names so that’s where the Birdinthehand Syndicate name came from.”

The previous ownership group had tasted success with Smadyium winning two races but he was not the Abu Dhabi-based Irishman’s first venture into racehorse ownership, as he explains: “I had two horses with ‘Shark’ (Hanlon) years ago. They were older horses and were well handicapped. They began to have a few issues so they were sold on as point-topointers and hunters.

When Smadyium was sold on Cathal McHugh was interested in investing in another

horse and contacted ‘Shark’ Hanlon.

“He sent me on the names of three horses as he was going to Ascot Sales,” explains the post-primary school teacher, “I said ‘Ok, here’s the ten grand, see if you can get Skyace for the ten grand’.”

While attending a concert during the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi, McHugh kept a close eye on the sales.

“I was looking at the sales and thought it was a typo when I saw the sale price as £600 – I just presumed it was £6,000. I was happy enough as I thought we had saved £4,000. That evening, we got news it was £600.

“We were thinking surely this horse can’t be too bad. I then thought she was injured when

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| BARGAIN BUY |

SHARK’ SAID ‘WHY ARE YOU ASKING ABOUT HER KNEES? THERE ISN’T ANYTHING WRONG WITH THEM. “She won and that was a dream. The horse that was second, Queens Brook, was third in the 2020 Cheltenham Champion Bumper behind Ferny Hollow and Appreciate It.” Adding the Listed Voler La Vedette Mares Novice Hurdle at Punchestown that December to her C.V. meant “the Cheltenham dream was well and truly on,” the St Brigid’s GAA man suggested.

“Isn’t it the dream when you get into racing?”

In spite of the 2m 1 furlong distance of the Grade 2 Parnell Properties Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle being too short for Skyace, she finished a credible fourth behind Telmesomethinggirl.

“After that race, ‘Shark’ said ‘she won’t be beaten in Punchestown – this trip was too short, they went too quick and she’s run a cracker.’

“She had the best form in the race (at Punchestown). She had beaten a couple of them already and she was off level weights so we were pretty confident. She did a piece of work on the Tuesday or Wednesday and ‘Shark’

rang me and said ‘you can have what you want on her.’ That was his first Grade 1 and to have that confidence having been so close with the likes of Hidden Cyclone and other good horses over the years.”

The 2021-22 season began disappointingly for Skyace, being pulled up in the Guinness Galway Hurdle, finishing last in the Fairyhouse.ie Hurdle, though she ran close to her mark in the Grade 1 BARONERACING. COM Hatton’s Grace Hurdle in November at the Co Meath track.

The Mares’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in March is this season’s main target, according to the syndicate’s agent, but a run at the Dublin Racing Festival is also likely: “We just want to be 100% for the Mares Hurdle at Cheltenham. Two miles four is her ideal trip.

Now I’m not saying we’re going to win, but we hope to be very competitive. That’s where we want to be 100%. Anything else is a bonus.”

Whatever happens at Leopardstown or Cheltenham, “we’d hope to have three or four years left of her,” says Cathal McHugh “Hopefully she stays in one piece.”

Are we likely to see the seven-year-old over fences anytime soon? “’Shark’ keeps telling me he wants to go chasing – now that will be a nervous day watching her chasing down the line. I’d prefer to keep her to hurdles; I’m happier with the smaller obstacles.”

Healy Racing

she went for £600. We were glad to get her for £600 but I was thinking what problems have we bought, how much is the vet going to cost, and the training fees are going to add up when the horse can’t win if she has issues.

“At the time I was thinking negatively – there must be something wrong with the horse.

I had made some enquiries and heard that she had sore knees. Every time I’d ring ‘Shark’ I’d ask ‘how are the horse’s knees?’ Eventually he asked me ‘why are you asking about her knees?

There isn’t anything wrong with them. Who have you been talking to?’”

With the owners’ main plan being to “run her in a few maidens, get a handicap mark and have a horse for the summer when we would be home”, John Hanlon’s confidence that there wasn’t any issue with her knees was soon proven correct as the daughter of Westerner won hurdle races at Tipperary and Gowran Park respectively before finishing runner-up to Jon Snow at Killarney.

“When she went to Gowran that was a right good race; she hosed in and that was when we started dreaming,” discloses the Manchester United fan.

Disappointing runs at Ballinrobe and Listowel followed before a fall at Tipperary, in what was her sixth race in the space of four months.

Rated over 120 by that time, they ran her in the Grade 3 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Novice Hurdle at Down Royal just 10 days after her Tipperary exit.

“If she stayed out the back and came on late she might pick up some black type,” was the hope according to McHugh, “She would then have black type and had already won two races.

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

LEFT: Skyace and Jody McGarvey win for owners Birdinthehand Syndicate and trainer Shark Hanlon.

BELOW: Skyace won for jockey Jody McGarvey trainer Shark Hanlon with groom Ciara Callinnan.

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| NEWCOMERS |

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK REGINA BYRNE TAKES A LOOK AT SOME NEW OWNERS WHO HAVE GRACED THE WINNER’S ENCLOSURE IN 2021.

WESTERBERG NOEL & VALERIE MORAN, BECTIVE STUD | MAGAZINE 2022 |

Bective Stud has been very active in the sales arenas over the past few years and currently have a host of superstars at Gordon Elliott’s Cullentra Stables that run in their green, white and red colours. The newly established Bective Stud is home to some highly distinguished mares including Apple’s Jade and Benie Des Dieux and should be one to watch in the future. The Morans have been very successful last season with horses like Queen’s Brook, Fair D’alene, Riviere D’etel, Party Central and Zanahiyr to name a few. They hit the pinnacle of racehorse ownership over New Year when Ginto gave them their first ever Grade 1 Victory in Naas.

The first of many we feel…

LORUS PROJECT LTD Richard Murphy has long dreamed of being a racehorse owner and, following the success of Irish horses at Cheltenham last year, decided to make this dream a reality. Together with a group of friends, Lorus Project Ltd was formed and the quest to find the right horse and trainer followed. The trainer came in the shape of the very talented Ross O’Sullivan, who sourced Paddy’s Planet from the Point-to-Point fields. Since moving to Co. Kildare, Paddy’s Planet has enjoyed back-to-back wins for connections over hurdles and by all accounts looks like having an even more promising career over the bigger obstacles.

What a first step into ownership for this new group.

The list of partnerships at Aidan O’Brien’s Ballydoyle Stables welcomed a new face last season when Georg Von Opel’s Westerberg entered the ranks. Having bought into various horses in the stable he is keen to grow his equine business to have the best bloodlines. In various Coolmore partnerships, Westerberg enjoyed numerous black type victories with Santa Barbara, Point Lonsdale and Concert Hall, to name a few. In his own maroon and blue colours, Luxembourg shone brightest winning the Group 2 Beresford Stakes at the Curragh and followed with an emphatic win in the Futurity Stakes Group 1 at Doncaster in October. Tenebrism won her maiden at Naas and followed that with a Group 1 win at Newmarket, both have Guineas entries for 2022, which is very exciting. It is wonderful to see high-profile overseas owners investing in Irish racing and we wish them well.

SYNDICATES.RACING The brainchild of Jack Cantillon, who together with John Bourke established Syndicates.

Racing to lead the way to racehorse ownership for the next generation. Jack and John, who both have a wealth of knowledge, buy the horses at sales. They then divide the horse into 100 units/shares making racehorse ownership affordable and therefore attracting numerous young people into the game. Simple and ingenious! Caberet Queen, Grangee and Tonkinese have all made it to the winner’s enclosure, therefore cementing the Syndicates.Racing track record. They have both Flat and National Hunt horses earmarked for various top-class trainers in Ireland and UK for the coming season and we would encourage any young person looking to get involved in racing to check them out on www.syndicates.racing. It is a young, vibrant syndicate that generates lots of winners and guarantees plenty of craic!

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| OWNERS |

Dream...

LIVING THE

GARY DEVLIN A Case of You

NOEL, CHARLES & PAUL O’CALLAGHAN No Speak Alexander

Owner Gary Devlin hails from Co Armagh in Northern Ireland and is a long-time owner with trainer Ado McGuinness. A Case of you was acquired by the trainer as a 2YO when a sale to Hong Kong fell through and the lucky Owner Gary Devlin really fell on his feet.

He won his first time out at 3YO in Dundalk for his new connections in March and followed that up 2 months later with a Group 3 win in Naas. A regular in Group 1 company thereafter, the son of Hot Streak was narrowly beaten on Champions Weekend at the Curragh before providing his connections with their first ever group 1 success when winning the Prix de L’Abbaye at Longchamp.

The O’Callaghan name is synonymous with breeding and racing in Ireland and in 2021, No Speak Alexander gave Owner/Breeder & Hotelier Noel O’Callaghan and his son Charles & Paul plenty to cheer about. Her 3YO campaign began with a Group 3 Atasai Stakes victory in the Curragh in May. She followed that with a very valiant third in the Irish Classic 1000 guineas and inevitable Group 1 success came on Champions Weekend when she battled hard to win the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown on a day when trainer Jessica Harrington enjoyed a fabulous four-timer. It was announced in October, that No Speak Alexander was retired from racing and we wish her and connections well in the next chapter.

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

REGINA BYRNE OUTLINES FLAT & NATIONAL HUNT HORSES WHO HAD THEIR OWNERS DREAMING WITH THEIR EYES WIDE OPEN…

ALBERT DRAVINS & EAMONN SCANLON Jeff Kidder

JOHN TURNER Heaven Help Us

Construction partners for 28 years, Albert Dravins from Co Sligo and London based Eamonn Scanlon have been involved in National Hunt Horses for over 15 years. Jeff Kidder was bred for the flat and hit the crossbar a few times for original owner Noel Meade Horse Trainer Ltd before catching the eye of Dravins and progressing his career over obstacles.

He won a maiden hurdle on his second attempt for his new connections and after a disappointing run at Christmas, provided his owners with an 80/1 win in the Fred Winter on day one of the Cheltenham Festival. Grade 2 success came in Fairyhouse at Easter and Jeff Kidder hit the jumping peak for a 4YO when winning the Ballymore Hurdle Grade 1 at Punchestown.

John Turner is no stranger to winners enclosures being an owner with Willie Mullins but it was his greyhound trainer Paul Hennessy who provided him with his dream horse for 2020/21. Bred and raced by Hennessy, Heaven Help Us came to life over fences last season. She won her beginners Chase in Fairyhouse in October and was fourth in the GR1 Novice Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas. She won the Paddy Mullins Mares Handicap Hurdle during the Dublin Racing Festival which earned her a spot on the boat to Cheltenham. Connections new the dream was real when she romped home by 9 lengths in the Coral Cup at the biggest stage of National Hunt Racing.

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| OWNERS |

Overseas Success…

REGINA BYRNE LOOKS AT SOME IRISH EXPATS AND FOREIGN OWNERS WHO HAVE EXCELLED ON IRISH RACECOURSES IN 2021.

Maurice Regan, Newtown Anner Stud Ltd

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

Irish expat Maurice Regan and his wife Samantha who reside in the USA but hail from Co. Tipperary run their horses under the Newtown Anner Stud Farm banner.

Mr Regan is a huge supporter of Irish Racing having horses in various different training establishments across the country including Ger Lyons, DK Weld, Joseph O’Brien, Jessie Harrington, Johnny Murtagh and Tony Martin. He has enjoyed tremendous success this season, most especially with his home-bred’s Thunder Kiss, Maker of Kings, Duke de Sessa and Forbearance, all Group 3 winners in Ireland. Two Year Olds Angel Wrath and Enthrallment were very exciting prospects in their maiden year and should provide Newtown Anner Stud with lots of opportunities next season.

Miss M A Masterson – Appreciate It, Kilcruit

Mrs Susannah Ricci & Mr Rich Ricci

A Mayo native living in Britain, Michael Masterson runs his horses in the blue and green colours of his daughter Margaret.

He first became involved in ownership in the 1990’s and has enjoyed successes with John Joe O’Neill, Alan King, Tom Hogan and most recently with Willie Mullins. In 2021, Appreciate it, was the standout performer in these colours. The 7 year old son of Jeremy enjoyed three Grade 1 victories including Masterson’s 2nd only win at Cheltenham in the Supreme Novices Hurdle. Kilcruit was another who attained Grade 1 success, this time at the Punchestown Festival and unfortunately for his fun-loving owner behind closed doors.

USA native and his wife Susannah are the definition of lucky owners. They, together with training maestro Willie Mullins have been a tour de force over the years with some national hunt equine superstars including Faugheen, Douvan, Vautour, Benie des Diex to name just a few. Last season was the turn of Chacun Pour Soi and Monkfish, both multiple Grade 1 winners and other notable successes included Sharjah, Min, Livelaughlove and Royal Pagaille from the Venetia Williams yard. Another to wear the Pink & Green colours were the new wine labels on the bottles from their newly established Yotes Court vineyard in Kent, we wish them well in their new venture. We hope we can savour both their wines and their horses for many years to come.

Clipper Logistics Ltd – Steve Parkin – Romantic Proposal Steve Parkin, executive Chairman of Clipper Logistics Group Ltd and sponsor of Leeds United Football Club is also an avid horse-racing fan with numerous horses in training in Britain and a few here in Ireland. He is also one of the major sponsors of the Irish Champions Weekend since Stan Cosgrove its inception which is integral to its success. In 2021, Eddie Lynam trained Romantic Proposal provided Mr Parkin with a major winner on Irish soil this season when he showed great tenacity to get up and win the Derrinstown Stud Flying Five Group 1 at The Curragh on Champions weekend.

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| OWNERS |

SYNDICATES

Basking in Glory MULTIPLE OWNERSHIPS ARE THE GREAT WAY FOR LOTS OF PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE IN RACING, REGINA BYRNE TAKES A LOOK AT SOME WHO ARE ENJOYING ALL OUR SPORT HAS TO OFFER IN THE WINNERS’ ENCLOSURE. Direct Bloodstock Limited – Belfast Banter

Sirjack Thomas – Galway | MAGAZINE 2022 |

Kildare trainer Peter Fahey and Direct Bloodstock are a very lucky combination. Belfast Banter was the jewel in their crown in the 2020/21 season and gave all connections memories that will be long lived.

He won his maiden hurdle in Galway in October in impressive style. He showed a tremendous level of consistency in his next few runs before winning the County hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. This son of Jeremy provided his trainer with his first every Grade 1 success when he bolted up in the Betway Top Novices Hurdle during the Aintree Festival. He was sold to America in November and will continue his racing career stateside, we wish him well.

Deegan Racing Syndicate – Insinuendo Insinuendo took a little time to reach her full potential but she certainly Belfast Banter – Aintree Insinuendo – Curragh rewarded her owners Michael Deegan and the Deegan Racing Syndicate for their patience this season. Trusting Duty Free Premier handicap on Derby weekend at their trainer Willie McCreery, this big daughter the Curragh and followed that a month later with of Gleneagles really came into her own as a four another victory at the Galway Festival. Current year old. She won the Blue Wind Stakes in Naas Option a horse that Dooley Thoroughbreds own in May and provided connections with a fantastic in partnership with Shamrock Thoroughbreds and Oaks Weekend at the Curragh when she powered Bart O’Sullivan were also in the winners enclosure Put The Kettle On – Cheltenham home in the Group 2 Kilboy Stakes. Hopefully she in Galway. Saltonstall brought connections all the stays in training and her owners will be looking for way to Riyadh in Saudi Arabia highlighting that some good summer ground next season.

Mother Champion Chase in emphatic style, under there is nowhere or no lengths these owners won’t a gutsy front-running ride from regular partner go for success and we wish them plenty more.

One For Luck Syndicate – Aidan Coleman. She may not run much, but when Put the Kettle On she lines out, she’s worth noting.

This very aptly named syndicate have very definitely got ‘One for Luck’. What a fabulous mare Put the Dooley Thoroughbreds – Kettle On has been for her connections. This 7year Sirjack Thomas / Current old daughter of Stowaway seems to come alive at Option / Saltonstall Cheltenham. She was very lightly races since her Dooley Thoroughbreds and Ado McGuiness have victory in the Shloer Chase in 2020, Put the Kettle enjoyed some fantastic success over the 2021 season.

On was placed in her only run at Leopardstown Their horses have taken them global! Most notable over Christmas before returning to Prestbury Park successes include Sirjack Thomas, whose impressive Sirjack Thomas – Galway to take her chance. This time she won the Queen performance saw him power home in the Dubai

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| EX-RACEHORSES |

RIDING TO RACEHORSES

SUCCESS STORIES

SARAH SANDS FROM TREO EILE HIGHLIGHTS SOME EX-RACEHORSES WHO HAVE MADE THE TRANSITION FROM THE RACE TRACK TO THE SHOWING ARENA

Mossbank

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

Mossbank was bred in Co Down by William McGladdery. He came to Sarah Sands approx 10 years ago after the loss of an exceptional ex-racer we had called Ledsome Lad. Mossbank is better known as Gums, he is owned by Gigginstown House Stud and was trained in Limerick by Michael Hourigan. He was stabled in the number 2 box to Beef Or Salmon and was once considered to be the young pretender until as favourite an accident at the starting post caused him to finish third under a Stewards’ enquiry. He was out of training for approx one and a half years and though he did race again he never reclaimed his best form and rating of

170. His racing career saw him start 26 times and to have 11 placings with his most notable win being the Munster National. Since coming to us he has been ridden and retrained by Chloe Thompson who has been very successful in the show ring with him. He has won a number of ex-racehorse classes and will happily take the top ribbons in Show Hunter classes too, his most recent finish was Reserve Champion at Balmoral. Mossbank would also compete in XC, Derbys and Dressage. Mossbank is now 21 and hacks out at home as a school master with some youngstock. He is now semi-retired but we will continue to show him on occasion as long as his health and fitness stays with him.

Whydah Sarah Wardell has represented Ireland eventing at World championships and European championships and was reserve for two Olympic Games. Having completed Badminton and Burghley on a number of occasions, her love of thoroughbreds started with her first horse who began in the Pony Club and reached 4 Star level eventing. Her latest thoroughbred, Whydah, was trained by Jessica Harrington for three seasons for owner, Geoffrey Ruddock. By Black Sam Bellamy he has been hunted and gently reschooled, and has now completed four competitions with Eventing Ireland. He has been a pleasure to retrain and a really lovely character to have around the yard. His next appearance will be at the Treo Eile Pro-Celebrity Show Jumping in December.

Getadate Hailing from an Aga Khan family background, Gatadate (by Getaway) ran twice in two Pointto-Point races. However, he hasn’t looked back since and reached a pinnacle this year as an 8YO with Michael Boyd aboard, placing third in the medium class at the National Championships against some of the country’s best dressage horses.

“This little horse always tries his heart out, he was up against the best horses at his level and finished in a fantastic third place and also won a rug and rosette from Treo Eile in recognition of his success.”

Getadate has been consistently placed at regional and national competitions from Preliminary level up to Advanced Medium level. Over the winter, Michael, based at the Narrow Water Equestrian Centre in Newry, plans to have him more established at Advanced Medium and also do some show jumping as he enjoys that too.

CLEBOURNE Clebourne is a Flat-bred 6yo by Camacho. Trained by Darren Bunyan for Mrs Ciara Carty as a 2YO, he then transferred to Brian Bunyan and got off the mark winning a Dundalk maiden as a 3YO, achieving a best rating of 61. Unable to repeat his performance in the following seasons, it was decided his work partner, Liam Hayes, would take him for retraining. He was a lovely model and moved well so an ideal candidate for junior eventing. Liam and his talented family at the Curragh Rehabilitation Centre nurtured his flatwork over a few months during Lockdown. He then showed a liking and an aptitude for jumping and is currently schooling over poles for the winter before starting his eventing career in 2022.

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| WELFARE |

WELFARE…

KEY FACTOR IN RESPONSIBLE OWNERSHIP

T

REGINA BYRNE OUTLINES THE VARIOUS RACEHORSE RETIREMENT OPTIONS AVAILABLE FOR OWNERS IN IRELAND

he welfare of the horse is paramount and it is the responsibility of the owner to make sure the horse is properly looked after throughout its whole life. While in training, the owner entrusts the welfare of the horse to the respective trainer but keeps a vigilant watch at all times. After racing, the owner must decide what the next step is for their horse and find a suitable long-term home. Regina Byrne takes a look at some of the options available for Irish owners post-racing.

Some horses, both male and female, will always have a place at stud and owners have the choice to keep the animal for breeding themselves or to sell them for these purposes. Both Goffs and Tattersalls Ireland have annual breeding stock and horses-in-training sales, with a huge national and international clientele list that is a very live option for owners.

Retraining/ Rehoming Thoroughbred horses are bred to race and often their temperament means that they are most suited to an active life and the thrill of competition. HRI engaged industry participants for a co-design workshop in 2021 which looked at the IFHA welfare document and recently published their resulting infographic, which outlined areas for improvement. HRI is planning to create a quality assurance checklist, which it will deliver in 2022, this will allow for any premises to quickly assess itself against accepted basic and best-practice standards for welfare.

There are several retraining and rehoming facilities available around the country including:  TREO EILE – Established as a not-for-profit in 2020, Treo Eile aims to assist owners with rehoming and retraining ex-racehorses. once

their careers on the track are concluded.

Their goals are threefold:  CONNECT > racehorse owners with re-trainers/new owners  SUPPORT > ex-racehorses with a thoroughbred event programme  PROMOTE > the versatility of the ex-racehorse For more information, check out their website www.treoeile.com or contact Sarah Sands on hello@treoeile.com

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

Breeding

their versatility for other equestrian disciplines and pursuits. Their aim is to be instrumental in making the transition from racing to a new discipline as seamless as possible for each horse, based on their individual needs.

For more information, check out their website www.irishracehorseretirementfund.com or email info@irishracehorseretirementfund.com

 Irish Horse Welfare Trust – This is a charity organisation originally set up to help neglected horses and is Ireland’s largest equine charity.

They also provide a facility for ex-racehorses when they have finished racing and they re-train them for equestrian sport and leisure riding.

For more information, check out their website www.ihwt.ie or email info@ihwt.ie  Irish Racehorse Retirement Fund - The Irish Racehorse Retirement Fund raises funds to help support the re-training and rehoming of former racehorses and to promote

Euthanasia, Humane Destruction/Slaughter and Disposal For some horses, however, the next step is not so easy. Euthanasia to prevent suffering is a well-established key factor in any sector of animal care. Veterinary surgeons will need to assess the animal to decide the best course of action and disposal of the remains is the responsibility of the owner. Burial is no longer an option due to EU environmental laws, but disposal options are available on www.gov.ie. Humane destruction is also available through facilities licenced and supervised by the Dept. of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and remains are disposed of in accordance with EU and national legislation.

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| TRAINING |

Sue Shortt on Ardla, owned

by Miss Fiona Wentges

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

SUE SHORTT BRINGS SPORT HORSE PRINCIPLES TO HER ROLE AT COPPER BEECH STABLES MORE TRAINERS ARE NOW ENGAGING EXPERTS IN SPORT HORSE PRINCIPLES TO WORK WITH RACEHORSES, BREANDÁN Ó hUALLACHÁIN SPOKE TO SUE SHORTT ABOUT THE TOPIC.

S

ue Shortt was bred into the equine industry. Her father rode horses, ending up as a jockey in the USA, her mother hunted and rode point-to-pointers, her brother rode National Hunt horses, her uncle Francis was champion N.H. jockey on a number of occasions during the 1960s, while another uncle, Richard, was champion apprentice rider when at Jim Bolger’s.

Sue, who admits “we were steeped in the game”, rode eventing from an early age right up to seniors over a 35-year career span. She competed at Olympic Games in Athens and Sydney, the European and World Championships.

Her involvement with Halford, whom she has known since her youth, came shortly after her return from a four and a half year sojourn in China when she managed the Yulong team

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| TRAINING |

for Yuesheng Zhang: “Michael rang me one day, about two and a half years ago. His physiotherapist was looking for someone to do some rehab flat work with some of the horses. I had just come back from China and said I’d be interested in doing that as I had always loved the racing game, so it started from there.

“I ride four or five (horses) every day – I do six days a week there. What any racehorse trainer is trying to do is to maximise each horse’s potential – whether they’re a 0-60 horse or a Group horse, it’s how to have that horse physically and mentally as good as you can get him to perform to his maximum, and that’s where I help,” the Irish young rider evening team manager explains.

“I work in conjunction with the vets and the physios after they’ve seen a horse, diagnosed it, and recommended a rehab programme. If there is a horse that Mick’s not 100% happy with his action or the way he’s moving, I’ll have a sit on it. If I think it’s a muscular thing or I think some flat work will help, I’ll say ‘give me three days with him and if he’s not getting better we’ll get the vet or the physio to have a look.’ It’s all interconnected. Basically my role is to try and teach the horses to use themselves properly.”

The experience she has gained from international competition sees Shortt bring principles from other equestrian disciplines to her daily work at Copper Beech Stables.

“On the dressage training scale, you’ve got rhythm, relaxation, balance and straightness and all horses are the same, whether they’re

way; you get another guy and he’s pulling himself along in front – he’s got all his weight over his shoulders – you’re running the risk of getting joint issues or overdeveloping the muscles on the shoulder area. You could get a horse that’s carrying its head too high, he’s jamming up his back a little bit and he’s not flowing in his action.”

Normally a couple of days are required to sort out many of the equine athletes’ issues, according to the Co Kilkenny-born woman.

“If you took a saw and cut a horse’s body down from between its ears down its spine to its tail, the right side of the horse should be a mirror image of the left side of the horse. What they do sometimes if they’re a little crooked and out of balance, is they build up muscles in one area and lose it in the opposite area. What I do is I recognise that by sitting on them and having a feel and advising what we do to fix it.”

The dual Summer Olympian continues: “It’s flat work, it’s being able to walk, trot and canter a horse in balance using itself equally on both sides. This is what the nags’ men used to do back in the 1960s and 1970s. If a horse was a bit weak or one-sided, they’d go out and canter him on his weak side and his good side to even him up – it’s basically the same principle. I can use flat work if I have a horse with an issue, say hind joints – we can use dressage movements to make the horse step in and use that area more.”

Stretching plays a key role in helping a horse build up his strength reveals the 1993 European Championships eventing team bronze medallist: “If you can put a horse’s nose as close to the ground as possible, he stretches all the muscles

him. He was sound, moving quite well and I sat on him a couple of times and he couldn’t actually canter a 20m circle, which meant he either was pulling himself along or wasn’t pushing himself under. That’s where a horse’s engine is; he’s got to push himself from the back end, through the back, down to the neck and into the rein and they flow forward from the backend. Between me and the physio, three or four days sorted him out and he started using himself properly.

He went on to win in Dubai and took the Bahrain International Trophy.”

Though using Sport Horse principles will assist a horse in achieving its maximum potential, Sue Shortt stresses: “You’re not going to turn a 60 or 70 rated horse into a Group horse. It’s about recognising where the issues are and trying to rectify them and getting the horses to reach their maximum potential.”

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

from his ears to his neck, over his back and down to his tail, and that’s where you build up the strength in the horse.”

Part of Sue’s all-round role at Halford’s Kildangan-based stables includes alleviating soreness and loosening muscle tightness in horses in the days after races.

“If a horse is coming back after a run and he’s had a day or two off, I might sit on him for a day or two to stretch him and WHAT ANY RACEHORSE TRAINER get rid of any muscle tightness IS TRYING TO DO IS TO MAXIMISE or soreness before he starts EACH HORSE’S POTENTIAL, galloping again,” Sue adds.

WHETHER THEY’RE A 0-60 HORSE In a job where every day OR A GROUP HORSE. brings something different, Shortt mentions a horse at Copper Beech Stables that benefited from Horse Sport principles: showjumpers or racehorses or event horses, they “One horse was not showing a lot on the gallop all pretty much have the same issues. If I sit on and didn’t have anything obvious going on with a horse and he’s not straight, he’s leaning one

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| FASHION |

Beadnell Wax Jacket, €260; Barbour Quilted Snap, €127; all at Barbour.com

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| FASHION | 1

HOT FOOT

1 Cable Knit Sweater, Anine Bing, €349 2 Gemma beaded hoop earrings €7, Accessorize.

3 Martine Cape, €169, Barbour.

4 Scarf, €25, Regatta. 5 Boho Leather Hat, €45, Joe Browns.

Floppy beaded trim hat; €35, Scarf, €30; jumper €78; all Monsoon.

White lace-up ankle boot, €34.99, Deichmann

2

3

WARM UP YOUR WARDROBE

4

Puffer Ankle Boot, €160, KG by Kurt Geiger

Flinch shoe, €100, Dune London

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

STAY WARM AND LOOK GREAT WHETHER STANDING BY THE SALES RING OR DOING A LAP OF THE WINNERS ENCLOSURE 5

2

3

The perfect outerwear for your outdoor pursuits

1

Tall Classic Sheepskin Boot, €120, Just Sheepskin at Littlewoods Ireland

2

4

1 5 3

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4 Gertrude Long Teddy Coat, €195, UGG. 5 Faux shearling jacket, €59,Marks and Spencer. 6 Deveron quilt jacket, €99, Barbour.

5 4

1 Faux leather geo tote bag, €39.50, Marks and Spencer.

2 Bag, €69.99, Great by sandie at TK Maxx. 3 Liverpool Street bag, €229, Radley London.

4 Liya Leather Shoulder Bag, €430, Coccinelle at Brown Thomas.

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| FASHION |

2 1

Funtley half neck jumper, €71, Fatface

3

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6 4

1 Red Crew Neck Sweatshirt, €29, Barbour 2 Half neck jumper, €60, Fatface 3 Indigo Jumper, €77.50, Barbour 4 Polkerris crew neck jumper €76, Crew Clothing 5 Braunton Half Neck Jumper, €63, Fatface. 6 Grey v neck sweater, €61, Crew Clothing

2 3

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

4

5 1 Tweed and leather are a classic combination with good reason.

7

6

9 1 Puffer gilet, €69, Marks and Spencer. 2 Gloves, €45, Dune London. 3 Puppytooth mac coat, €50, Primark. 4 Navy woodbury jacket, €149, Crew clothing 5 Brown leather shoes, €120, Dune London. 6 Chocolate weekend bag, €120, TK Maxx. 7 Check shirt, €22.50, Marks and Spencer. 8 Navy leather boots, €149, Barbour.

9 Flat cap, €16, TK Maxx.

8

Barbour Clothing

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Hugo Boss Hero Sport Lux Blue Sunray stainless steel bracelet watch, €275, Fields Jewellers

Vegan leather wallet, €39, v.gan

Black sunglasses, €39.99, TK Maxx.

Tartan water bottle, €29.95, Barbour

Leather and steel bracelet €59, Tommy Hilfiger

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| FASHION |

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13

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SHOW ME SOME GLOVE

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WARMTH AND STYLE GO HAND IN HAND WITH OUR ARRAY OF LEATHER GLOVES

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| MAGAZINE 2022 |

10

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1 Printer leather gloves, €130, Susannagh Grogan 2 FF leather gloves, €120, Fendi, Brown Thomas 3 Marsala Nappa leather gloves, €103, Wolf & Badger 4 Nappa leather gloves, €80, Gala, Brown Thomas 5 Horse leather gloves €119, Manufactum 6 Pink leather gloves, €69, Susannagh Grogan 7 Brown leather gloves €75, The Kooples, Brown Thomas 8 Tweed and leather gloves, €45, Weavers of Ireland 9 Sheehan leather gloves, €79, Dubarry 10 Kilconnell leather gloves, €99, Dubarry 11 Marianne leather gloves, €195, Paula Rowan 12 Clonmel leather gloves, €99, Dubarry 13 Aida leather gloves, €195, Paula Rowan

HIP FLASKS

Tweed Herringbone hip flask, €29, Weavers of Ireland

Voyager Expedition silver hip flask, €135, Dalvey

Light pink hip flask, €29, Pantone

Silver hip flask with leahter sleeve, €55, Newbridge

Double hip flask, €124, Aspinol of London

| 62 | THE ASSOCIATION OF IRISH RACEHORSE OWNERS

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| HORSE BOXES |

AIRO GUIDE TO ….

HORSE BOXES

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

HAVING YOUR OWN EQUINE TRANSPORT CAN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE TO YOUR LIFE WITH HORSES. IT GIVES YOU THE FREEDOM TO GO WHEREVER YOU LIKE — CLINICS, CAMPS, COMPETITIONS, YOU NAME IT. BUT TRANSPORT DOESN’T COME CHEAP, SO DO YOUR HOMEWORK BEFORE YOU BUY.

KETTERER EXCLUSIVE DOUBLE POP OUT For 4-6 horses with luxury living. High-quality materials, sleek, unobtrusive forms and clear lines characterize its overall appearance. This new model Keterrer Exclusive is on a 510BHP Mercedes Benz chassis and comes with a double pop-out living space that can sleep six people. There is ample storage with numerous outside tack lockers, a mobile saddle box and a mobile feed box. The horse area comes with four padded partitions, a shock absorbing system to ensure smooth travel, hydraulic ramps plus a temperature recorder and a special ventilation system. www.ketterer-trucks.de

EQUITREK SONIC FIVE The compact, versatile and easy to drive Sonic Five Seats 3,500kg offers a five seater cab with five seat belts; designed with family and friends in mind. The belt anchorages and installation have been rigorously tested and conform to 2005/41/ EC, making them fully EU type approved for safety and confidence.

The rear seats have the option of converting to two bunks for overnight stays. The Sonic Five Seats 3,500kg has the added benefit of a tack and changing room that is totally separate from the horses. This incorporates two saddle racks, two bridle racks and two coat hooks. There is also additional storage over the cab. www.equi-trek.com

THE ASSOCIATION OF IRISH RACEHORSE OWNERS | 63 |

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| HORSE BOXES |

OAKLEY SUPREMACY

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

Tis top of the range Oakley Supremacy offers numerous slide outs, a walk-in shower and sleeping for six people as well as comfort for 4-7 travelling horses with pressurised water troughs, roof vents and extraction fans. Plus, there is ample outside locker space and it’s fitted with TVs, iPod connections and waterproof stereos. Standard guest configuration is for 6 guests, with scope for up to 10 to be accommodated depending upon layout chosen. www.oakleyhorseboxes.co.uk

IFOR WILLIAMS HORSEBOX HB610 The HB610 represents our largest trailer and can carry two large horses up to 17.2 hh with room to spare or up to five ponies. The HB610 has headroom of 2.3m and a locking groom’s door fitted as standard. As with the HB510XL, the HB610 has a maximum gross weight of 3500kg. By offering additional trailer width, the telescopic partition system allows up to five pony stalls. The wide front unload ramp, which comes as standard, makes this model unique and very useful for both horse and owner. An additional benefit is the extra storage space available in the wind deflector, accessible from inside the trailer. The sliding windows and roof vents provide a comfortable and safe environment for your horse, ensuring plenty of light and fresh air. Additional comfort is provided through thick rubber floor matting. www.iwt.co.uk

THE EMPIRE MINI PRO The Empire Mini Pro is easily moulded to suit your needs, whether that be travelling young horses, stallions, mare and foals or top level competition horses. The Mini Pro separates the horses by means of a full height, grilled partition and head divider, with full height access doors eliminating the need for a breast bar and no wheel arch cover in the horse area. The back of the box is accessed via an oversized rear door (1200mm wide) and this ample area can contain your competition clothing and tack either in our open plan format or via an external tack locker and an internal wardrobe www.empirecoachbuilders.com

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| AIRO MEMBER BENEFITS |

A message from our Manager, REGINA BYRNE COMPANY STRUCTURE

AIRO representatives continued to be extremely active working on behalf of members in their roles as HRI Representative, HRI Flat & National Hunt Working Committees, Jockeys Working Committee, Emergency Jockeys Fund and numerous industry stakeholders’ meetings and focus groups. We fought hard to ensure that there were no additional HRI costs for Owners and thankfully were successful in this endeavour. The increase in Prizemoney in the HRI budget this year was also a very welcome addition. Having worked tirelessly over the last few years for extra admission tickets for Racing Clubs, we were delighted with the announcement from AIR recently that the current concessions available to Syndicates are available for all multiple ownerships and racing clubs.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Board of Directors, for all their help and assistance this year. It is essential to remember that these people give of their time on a voluntary basis and I for one am very aware of the time and dedication these directors give for the betterment of all owners.

Most importantly, a huge thank you to all our members and remember my door is always open, please feel free to drop in or give me a call.

AIRO MEMBERS Board of Directors William Bourke (Treasurer) Sam Dunwoody James Fenton Sandra Fox Richard Galway David Hyland (Vice Chairman) Brian Polly (Chairman) Kevin Power Richard Pugh Caren Walsh John Weld

AIRO COMMITTEES Finance Committee: David Hyland William Bourke Sam Dunwoody Brian Polly Horse Welfare Committee: Kevin Power

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

2021 for our organisation was eventful, further Covid restrictions meant owners had to wait patiently until early June to return to the tracks.

In the same month, AIRO members were asked to vote at an EGM to retrospectively ratify and adopt the constitution and despite a concerted effort by a few to challenge it, it was passed by an overwhelming 91% majority. The first Annual General Meeting was staged in late August. As per the constitution, all directors with the exception of Officers (Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Treasurer) and the HRI Representative were obliged to step down and could present themselves for re-election if they so desired.

Two Directors, John Power and James Gough, retired Regina Byrne their seats and I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Manager The Association them for their contribution over the years. With eight of Irish Racehorse available seats, members were asked if they wanted to Owners (AIRO) join the board, 10 candidates applied and an election ensued. Former directors Sandra Fox, Richard Pugh, Patrick Roche and John Weld all retained their seats, while Sam Dunwoody, James Fenton, Richard Galway and Kevin Power were the newly elected faces to the ranks. In September, Chairman Brian Polly stepped aside for health and other reasons and David Hyland was voted in by the board as ‘Acting Chairman’. Our next AGM in Feb/March 2022 will see the officers, namely Brian Polly, David Hyland and William Bourke, step down by rotation and are entitled to put themselves back up for re-election as is any member of the organisation.

Caren Walsh John Weld David Hyland PR Committee: Richard Pugh Kevin Power Caren Walsh Syndicates/Racing Club Committee: James Fenton Sandra Fox John Weld Awards Committee: Caren Walsh Sandra Fox Richard Galway

MANAGER/COMPANY SECRETARY Regina Byrne

Regina Byrne Manager

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| AIRO MEMBER BENEFITS |

BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP In addition to being represented on numerous boards within the governing body, members also receive the following benefits:

MEMBERS PUBLIC LIABILITY INSURANCE Public Liability Insurance is one of the most important insurance policies that a racehorse owner should have and fortunately all AIRO Members have this automatically covered up to a limit of €6.5million.

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

Cover – applies to any horse kept for the purposes of racing under the Rules of Racing, National Hunt Rules and Point-to-Pointing,

providing the Point-to-Pointer is being trained by a licenced trainer only. The policy provides cover for third party property damage and bodily injury to any person for any horse kept for these purposes listed above.

The horse can be (a) in training in a licenced trainer’s yard in Ireland or UK (b) being prepared to go into training in a licenced trainer’s yard in Ireland or UK (c) out of training provided the

horse is only out of training on a temporary basis and is located within Ireland or UK (d) temporarily outside Ireland or Great Britain for the purposes of participating in a race only Cover also applies to a yearling purchased at the sales provided it is the intention to begin preparation for training and to a horse being prepared for a breeze up from the time that process begins.

RACING TV – HALF PRICE OFFER

DISCOUNT ON RACING POST PHOTOGRAPHS

AIRO RACECOURSE HOSPITALITY

Racing TV has a half price offer exclusive to AIRO Members. Simply, email Regina on info@irishracehorseowners. com for an application form.

Members can avail of a discount on all photos purchased from the Racing Post. Add in the discount code AIRO at checkout to receive your reduction.

Once restrictions are lifted we will look at re-instating our popular marquees at the major Irish Festivals.

We will keep you notified via our newsletters.

HOTEL DISCOUNTS: REDUCTION ON INUA HOTELS IN IRELAND

CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL – DISCOUNTED MARQUEE TICKETS

DISCOUNTED AIRO TOURS

Members can avail of a special discount when making a reservation in any of the iNUA Group’s nine hotels in Ireland.

Opportunity to purchase marquee tickets at a discounted rate which will give access to the UK Owners Association facility at Cheltenham in March. The marquee is ideally located in the Club Enclosure. Food and refreshments are available to purchase inside.

AIRO are hoping to introduce discounted racing tours both home and abroad for members.

Keep an eye on our monthly newsletters for information.

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| AIRO MEMBER BENEFITS |

RESPONSIBLE OWNERSHIP

LOOKING AFTER THE OWNER Owners should ensure that they are always protected when deciding to put a horse in training.

Insurance: As an AIRO Member you receive third party liability insurance in respect of your ownership of horses in training. This is one of the most important insurance policies you can have as an owner and it is covered up to a limit of €6.5 million. The AIRO policy provides cover for third party property damage and bodily injury to a third party in respect of your ownership of any horse kept for the purposes of racing under rules or Pointto-Pointing (if trained by a licenced trainer). A horse can individually be insured at the owner’s expense.

TRAINING AGREEMENT It is advised that owners sign a training agreement with their trainer and agree terms and

conditions prior to the horse being put into training. The agreement should include details such as training fees, other expenses such as gallop fees, farriery, veterinary, schooling fees, clipping, dentist, physio, worming, supplements, racing/travelling expenses, staff expenses, foreign travel. It should also agree a communication and racing plan and a plan for disputes.

SYNDICATE AGREEMENT Should you decide to either set up or become part of a syndicate, please ensure that you sign a syndicate agreement outlining the following: Horse (s) Names, Shares, Costs, Duration, Manager, Trainer and intentions together with the terms and conditions for the running of the syndicate in accordance with the Codes of Conduct available from Horse Racing Ireland.

RACING CLUB / MULTIPLE OWNERSHIP AGREEMENT Racing Clubs are different from syndicates, but the same principles should be involved before you get involved.

Please read carefully the terms and conditions of the racing club and ensure you sign an agreement in compliance with the Codes of Conduct available from Horse Racing Ireland.

LEASE AGREEMENTS If you decide as an owner to

lease a horse from a breeder it is essential that you protect yourself and ensure that the terms and conditions of the lease are agreed and signed.

The lease agreement should include the following: Owner, lessee, trainer, horse details, passport number, duration of lease, costs, excluded activities, insurance, rights of first refusal if sold or alternative arrangement and termination of lease.

OUT OF TRAINING DOCUMENT When a horse is finished racing and the owners decide that they do not wish the horse to be raced again, they must mark its passport to reflect this and advise the administration body.

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

Racehorse owners are the lifeblood of the racing industry and with it comes serious responsibility. Owners have a duty of care to themselves and their horses before, during and after their ownership is completed. Please find listed below a few pointers that will ensure that each owner and horse will have a very positive racing experience.

CHANGE OF OWNERSHIP Once life on the track is finished, the responsibility lies with the owner to find a suitable long-term home.

It is important that owners ensure that a ‘Change of Ownership’ form is completed and signed, therefore relinquishing the current owner of all responsibilities to the horse in question.

We are in the process of upgrading our website to include a section on welfare, which will include templates for the above agreements. They will be available to download in early 2022.

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| AIRO MEMBER BENEFITS |

OWNERS-FREE-DATES RACECOURSE

DATE

BALLINROBE

08-Apr

Friday - E

03-May

Tuesday -E

30 May

Monday - E

BELLEWSTOWN

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

CLONMEL

CORK

CURRAGH

DOWNPATRICK

DOWN ROYAL

RACECOURSE

DATE

RACECOURSE

DUNDALK

04-Feb

Friday - E

11-Feb

Friday - E

18-Feb

Friday - E

25-Feb

Friday - E

10-Jul

Sunday

17-Dec

Saturday

05-Sep

Monday -E

06-Sep

Tuesday -E

31-May

Tuesday -E

20-Jun

Monday - E

18-Jul

Monday - E

19-Jul

Tuesday -E

08-Aug

Monday - E

04-Oct

Tuesday

22-Aug

Monday - E

29-Oct

Saturday

09-Sep

Friday - E

30-Oct

Sunday

20-Apr

Wednesday -E

30-Jun

Thursday -E

01-Jul

Friday - E

02-Jul

Saturday -E

23-Aug

Tuesday -E

24-Aug

Wednesday - E

28-Sep

Wednesday

22-Apr

Friday - E

29-Sep

Thursday

02-Sep

Friday - E

06-Jan

Thursday

15-May

Sunday

17-Feb

Thursday

11-Jul

Monday - E

22-Mar

Tuesday

18-Aug

Thursday - E

01-Sep

Thursday -E

01-Oct

Saturday

08-Sep

27-Oct

Thursday

01-Aug

Monday BH

12-Aug

Friday - E

07-Sep

Wednesday -E

20-Nov

Sunday

26-Mar

Saturday

17-Jul

Sunday

23-Oct

Sunday

06-May

Friday - E

13-Jul

Wednesday

16-Sep

Friday

07-Oct

Friday

25-Jan 22-Jul

FAIRYHOUSE

GALWAY

PUNCHESTOWN

ROSCOMMON

DATE 13-Feb

Sunday

29-May

Sunday

12-Oct

Wednesday

09-May

Monday - E

23-May

Monday - E

14-Jun

Tuesday - E

28-Jun

Tuesday - E

05-Jul

Tuesday - E

02-Aug

Tuesday - E

31-Oct

Monday BH

15-Aug

Monday - E

12-Mar

Saturday

29-Aug

Monday - E

04-May

Wednesday -E

26-Sep

Monday - E

06-Jun

Monday BH

17-May

Tuesday - E

17-Sep

Saturday

21-Jun

Tuesday - E

26-Nov

Saturday

14-Sep

Wednesday

21-Apr

Thursday - E

10-Feb

Thursday

03-Nov

Thursday

21-Apr

Thursday - E

05-May

Thursday - E

01-Jan

Saturday

10-Apr

Sunday

Thursday - E

11-Apr

Monday - E

LEOPARDSTOWN 02-Jun

Thursday - E

03-Jun

Friday - E

LIMERICK

01-Feb

Tuesday

04-Jun

Saturday

20-Jul

Wednesday - E

03-Jul

Sunday

29-Dec

Thursday

11-Aug

Thursday - E

04-Jun

Saturday

19-Sep

Monday

12-Aug

Friday - E

30-Jan

Sunday

14-Aug

Sunday

12-Feb

Saturday

13-Oct

Thursday

25-Apr

Monday - E

06-Dec

Tuesday

02-Jul

Saturday

01-Apr

Friday -E

21-Aug

Sunday

25-May

Wednesday - E

12-Mar

Saturday

08-Jun

Wednesday

14-May

Saturday

15-Jun

Wednesday - E

Tuesday

17-Sep

Saturday

05-Aug

Friday -E

Friday - E

18-Dec

Sunday

GOWRAN PARK

KILBEGGAN

KILLARNEY

LAYTOWN

LISTOWEL

NAAS

NAVAN

SLIGO

THURLES

TIPPERARY

TRAMORE

WEXFORD

| 68 | THE ASSOCIATION OF IRISH RACEHORSE OWNERS

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Racing TV Owners' Offer with Bleed.pdf

1

14/01/2022

16:00

Join

FOR HALF PRICE FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR Just €15.50 per month Watch every race live from the best British and Irish racecourses C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

Contact Regina in AIRO Office

on + 353 45 878173 or email

info@irishracehorseowners.com for an application form

Terms and conditions: Offer available to AIRO-registered owners in Ireland and will revert to a full price subscription (€31) at the end of the promotional period. 12-month minimum term will apply. Not available on Virgin Media, EIR TV or Vodafone TV.

Untitled-1 1

27/01/2022 11:18

| PEOPLE |

Familiar Faces

IN A YEAR FILLED WITH PROTOCOLS AND RESTRICTIONS, THERE WERE NO FACES MORE FAMILIAR THAN THE RACING TV PUNDITS. CAREN WALSH TAKES A LOOK BACK AT 2021 AND GETS A QUICKFIRE INSIGHT INTO SOME OF OUR FAVOURITE IRISH RACING PRESENTERS.

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

Donn McClean

Lisa O’Neill

First Memory of Horseracing Red Rum winning his third Grand National.

Most Memorable Race 2021 Has to be Rachael Blackmore’s historic win in the Grand National.

Best Jockey Performance When Hugh Morgan won on Young Dev with no irons for most of the race, you probably could have given the NH ride of the y

First Memory of Horseracing Being more interested in the amusement park at Bellewstown than horseracing!

Most Memorable Race 2021 Tiger Roll doing what he does best, winning the Cross Country at Cheltenham.

Best Jockey Performance 2021 Jack Kennedy’s never-say-die ride on Mount Ida in the Kim Muir in Cheltenham.

Best Training Performance Noel Meade achieving his first Group 1 winner in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh with Helvic Dream.

Favourite Horse of All Time Tiger Roll.

Race You Most Look Forward To Aintree Grand National.

Best Moment as a

ear right then. On the Flat, Chis Hayes’ ride on Romantic Proposal in the Dash at The Curragh was a masterclass.

Best Training Performance Henry de Bromhead’s achievement at Cheltenham.

Champion Chase, Champion Hurdle, The Gold Cup, two other Grade 1s and a Grade 2, six winners for five different owners.

Favourite Horse of All Time Dawn Run. Race You Most Look Forward To Cheltenham Gold Cup. Best Moment as a TV Presenter

Gary O’Brien First Memory of Horseracing Seeing Foxtrot Tango win at Laytown for the late Fr. Sean

Sitting with Pat Smullen for a feature in-depth interview in 2014.

Guilty Pleasure Modern Family!

Favourite Food My wife’s shepherd’s pie.

Person You Most Admire Easy one, my Dad. The person that he is, all that he has achieved, the degree which he is universally respected, and his constant cheerful demeanour after everything.

Lasting Memory of 2021 A short queue at the Galway entrance.

One Wish for the Future Longer queues at racecourse entrances.

Breen ridden by Joanna Morgan.

Most Memorable Race 2021 Freewheelin Dylan’s exhibition of jumping in The Irish Grand National. Such a shame there wasn’t the normal crowd to acknowledge a hugely popular local winner.

Best Jockey Performance You could probably say just Colin Keane’s entire season.

Best Training Performance It has to be Willie Mullins for bringing Klassical Dream, a notoriously difficult horse, back

from a huge layoff to hack up in a Grade 1 over a completely new distance at the Punchestown Festival.

Favourite Horse of All Time Carvill’s Hill.

Race You Most Look Forward To The Supreme Novice at Cheltenham – the beginning of the best week of racing.

Best Moment as a TV Presenter Interviewing Sir Henry Cecil after Frankel won at Royal Ascot.

TV Presenter Working with great people on and off camera.

Guilty Pleasure Chocolate!

Favourite Food Fillet steak, chips and pepper sauce Person You Most Admire My mother Margaret, for her endless support, guidance and excellent cooking.

Lasting Memory of 2021 Smooth Player, providing me with my 100th career win.

One Wish for the Future To complete and pass my Master’s Degree in Sports Psychology next year.

Guilty Pleasure Sweet Treats!

Favourite Food Curry.

Person You Most Admire Hopefully no one will mind me picking two, Kevin Prendergast and John Kiely. Their enthusiasm and dedication is an inspiration to anyone involved in our sport.

Lasting Memory of 2021 The public finally returning to the racecourses, adding some much-needed atmosphere.

One Wish for the Future The CoVid -19 becomes a distant memory asap.

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Kevin O’Ryan First Memory of Horseracing Early 80s when my Dad, Bobby O’Ryan was headman for Mick O Toole. I would go to the yard and racing at every opportunity.

I was totally immersed in horses’ names and pedigrees. I was hooked at a very early age.

Most Memorable Race One race that stands out for me is the Cheltenham Gold Cup, it was Jack Kennedy’s (who I look after) first win aboard Minella Indo.

Best Jockey Performance It’s very hard to separate Rachael Blackmore and Colin Keane on what they have both achieved this year. Colin setting a new record for most wins on the Flat in a season, but Rachael gets the vote as leading rider at the Cheltenham Festival and her win of The Aintree Grand National.

Best Training Performance Peter Fahey and Noel Meade both deserve this award. Belfast Banter provided Peter with his first Festival Cheltenham winner

and a couple of weeks later his first Grade 1 winner at Aintree.

Helvic Dream provided Noel Meade with his first Group 1, winning the Tattersalls Gold Cup at The Curragh.

Favourite Horse of All Time That’s a hard one to answer, I have been involved with a lot of horses in my time. One close to my heart was a mare called Native Shore that Dad paid £2,500 when I started riding back in the 90s. After making plenty of mistakes, we eventually won five races in the space of six weeks. She got me going and when she retired she became a foundation mare at home and has bred plenty of winners.

Race You Most Look Forward To All the top races on the Flat and N/H. Best Moment as a TV Presenter Interviewing two heroes of mine, Lester Piggott and Cash Asmussen at the

Jane Mangan First Memory of Horseracing Watching my mother Mary shout home Stroll Home in the 1997 Galway Plate in her colours.

Most Memorable Race 2021 Minella Times crossing the line in the Aintree Grand National will live long in the memory.

That historical day transcended the sport and reached corners of the globe that only fairytale stories can reach.

Best Jockey Performance So many to choose from here, but Rachael Blackmore’s exploits at Cheltenham were superb. Aside from her brilliance, her humility past the post added to the achievement.

Best Training Performance We are not short on training talent in Ireland. Johnny Murtagh handled his string beautifully this season. A Royal Ascot winner, the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood, The Ebor at York and to finish the season with The Irish St Leger at the Curragh.

Favourite Horse of All Time Best horse I have ever seen is Kauto Star, my favourite is probably Apple’s Jade. She

was ambitiously campaigned, proved herself from two to three miles. She was a champion even if she never really wore the crown.

Race You Most Look Forward To N/H Aintree Grand National, on the level the Arc is the best race in the world. No question.

Best Moment as a TV Presenter Working alongside Robert Hall for his final day broadcasting for RTÉ. Faugheen had just brought the house down and the crowd

Curragh. A chat with Mick Winters is always very interesting as you never know what he is going to say!

Guilty Pleasure Totally addicted to chocolate, also love a pint of lager or two!

Favourite Food Everything except lamb.

Person You Most Admire My parents, they built up their business from scratch and gave both myself and Mouse every opportunity without putting any pressure on us. I hope I can do the same for my kids.

Lasting Memory of 2021 How successful the Irish racing and breeding industry has been throughout the world yet again. We are world leaders and for a small country we should be immensely proud.

One Wish for the Future Health and happiness for my family and friends.

at The Dublin Festival created the most wonderful atmosphere.

Guilty Pleasure Chocolate and more chocolate!

Favourite Food Anything from the sea.

Person You Most Admire My parents for what they have built and achieved. Everything they have done has been from their own hard graft and they continue to set a fine example for my brothers and I. If we inherit even just some of their work ethic then we will never be idle.

Lasting Memory of 2021 The Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown, 4,000 people back on the track. The roar from the crowd was incredible when St Marks Basilica, Poetic Flare and Tarnawa quickened up past the stands. Oh how we missed that energy.

That was a poignant day.

One Wish for the Future I always aim to provide the coverage and representation that the industry deserves.

I’m not a wishing/dreaming kind of girl but I would accept breeding a Group/Grade 1 winner if it came my way.

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

| PEOPLE |

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SPECIALIST TEAMS DEDICATED TO YOUR BUSINESS NEEDS WE BACK BRAVE Pádraig McGillicuddy: Proprietor Ballygarry House Hotel & Spa

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| AWARDS |

AIRO Flat Award Winners 2021

THE AIRO AWARDS WERE DIVIDED INTO FLAT & NATIONAL HUNT EVENTS THIS YEAR WITH THE FLAT AWARDS DAY TAKING PLACE IN NAAS RACECOURSE ON FLAT FINALE DAY IN OCTOBER. UNFORTUNATELY, DUE TO COVID RESTRICTIONS THE NATIONAL HUNT AWARDS DAY SCHEDULED FOR DECEMBER WAS POSTPONED AND WE HAVE RE-SCHEDULED FOR PUNCHESTOWN RACECOURSE ON SUNDAY 13TH FEBRUARY, 2022. WE EXTEND OUR SINCERE THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS HRI OWNERSHIP DEPT, THE IRISH FIELD AND THE ITBA

AIRO General Manager, Regina Byrne with Acting Chairman David Hyland and AIRO HRI Representative Caren Walsh

AIRO’s David Hyland and Caren Walsh present the Services to the Industry Award to Brian Kavanagh

 Leading Owner: Mrs John Magnier  Champion Flat Horse: St Mark’s Basilica – Derrick Smith, Mrs John Magnier & Michael Tabor  Tattersalls Ireland Value Purchase: Helvic Dream – Mrs Caroline Hendron & Mrs Mairead Cahill  Goffs Value Purchase Horse: Laws of Indices – Miss C R Holmes  Owner/ Breeder: Tarnawa – HH Aga Khan  Syndicate/ Racing Club: Sonnyboyliston – Kildare Racing Club  Racing Dream: Logo Hunter – Mr Patrick Moyles  Special Achievement: Poetic Flare & Mac Swiney Mrs Jackie Bolger  Services to

the Industry: Mr Brian Kavanagh

National Hunt

 Leading Owner: Mr John P McManus  Champion Flat Horse: Honeysuckle – Kenneth Alexander  Tattersalls Ireland Value Purchase: Minella Indo – Mr Barry Maloney  Goffs Value Purchase Horse: Flooring Porter – Flooring Porter Syndicate  Owner/ Breeder: Colreevy – Mrs Niall Flynn  Syndicate/ Racing Club: Skyace – Birdinthehand Syndicate  Racing Dream: Freewheelin Dylan – Ms Sheila Mangan  Services to the Industry: Dr Jennifer Pugh

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

HOME & ABROAD

Flat

Regina Byrne

AWARD WINNERS

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| AWARDS |

HRI’s Suzanne Eade, CEO presents the Leading Owner and Champion Flat Horse Award to Jamie Moriarty, Coolmore Stud

Amber O’Grady, HRI Ownership Dept presents the Award to Charlotte & Romilly Nolan in respect of Laws of Indices

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

Mrs Mairead Cahill & Mrs Caroline Hendron win the Tattersalls Ireland Value Purchase Award for Helvic Dream

RTE Sportsperson of the Year Rachael Blackmore

Irish Times Sportswoman of the Year Rachael Blackmore

HRI Award Recipients 2021  Irish Racing Hero –

Rachael Blackmore  Contribution to the Industry – Jennifer Pugh  Horse of the Year – Honeysuckle  National Hunt – Henry de Bromhead  NH Achievement – Paul Hennessy  Flat Award – Colin Keane

 Flat Achievement – Ado McGuinness  Emerging Talent – Dylan Browne McMonagle  Point to Point – John Nallen  Ride of the Year (public vote) – Darragh O’Keeffe

Leo Powell, The Irish Field, presents the Special Achievement Award to Mrs Jackie Bolger

Curragh Awards 2021

 Leading Riding Performance 2021 – Rory Cleary, Mac Swiney – Tattersalls Ireland 2000 Guineas  Leading Training Performance 2021 – Johnny Murtagh – Sonnyboyliston – Irish St Leger  Leading Trainer – Aidan O’Brien  Leading Jockey – Colin Keane  Special Achievements 2021 – Ben Coen and Kildare Racing Club – Sonnyboyliston

ITBA Chairman John McEnery presents the Syndicate/ Racing Club Award to Liam Clarke of Kildare Racing Club for Sonnyboyliston

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| AWARDS | Members of the Kildare Racing Club

Irish Award Winners Overseas

Rachael Blackmore

Cartier Awards

 Cartier Horse of the Year / Cartier 3YO Colt – St Mark’s Basilica – Owners: Derrick Smith, Mrs John Magnier & Michael Tabor  Cartier 3YO Filly– Snowfall – Owners: Derrick Smith, Mrs John Magnier & Michael Tabor

McCoy Awards

 Leading Owner – JP McManus  Racing Ride of the Season – Rachael Blackmore, Minella Times Owner: JP McManus, Aintree Grand National – Trainer Henry

deBromhead  Horse Performance of the Season – Allaho, Cheveley Park Stud – Trainer Willie Mullins  Horse of the Season – Honeysuckle, Kenneth Alexander – Trainer Henry DeBromhead

Peter O’Sullevan Annual Award Jessica Harrington

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

BBC World Sports Personality of the Year

The Irish Field’s General Manager, Mark Costello presents the Racing Dream Award to Patrick Moyles in respect of Logo Hunter

ROA UK Award Winners

 Horse of the Year – Honeysuckle  Outstanding Hurdler of the Year – Honeysuckle  Outstanding National Hunt Mare – Honeysuckle  Outstanding Middle Distance Horse – St Mark’s Basilica  Novice Hurdle Horse – Bob Olinger John McEnery presents the Flat Owner/Breeder Award to Mr Pat Downes, Manager HH Aga Khan’s Gilltown Stud for the wonderful mare Tarnawa.

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| AWARDS ARTIST |

AIRO AWARDS

Jason O’Ceannobháin FEATURING KILDARE MAN COMMISSIONED TO CREATE THE AIRO AWARD PIECES THIS YEAR

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

J

ason O’Ceannobháin is a wildlife, equine and portrait artist working and living in Kildare, Ireland.

Born in Dublin 1982, Jason’s young talents were nurtured and encouraged by his close family. He studied at Salesian College Celbridge and continued to Ballyfermot College of Further Education where he received a B.A. (Hons) Degree in art and animation.

Jason has expanded his skills in animal and portrait studies for over twenty-five years.

Working primarily in acrylic, pencil and charcoal, his technique is characterized by a close attention to detail and realism to accurately capture his subjects and their surroundings.

As a wildlife enthusiast Jason’s work is strongly influenced by Ireland’s native animals and rolling landscapes. He collects his research through fieldwork photography across the country allowing him to not only obtain the reference material needed, but to study his subjects in their natural environment.

Jason is a professional artist and has completed countless commissions for clients from all over the world. His work has been displayed in numerous galleries and auctioneers across the U.K. and Ireland. He continues to work in his hometown, Celbridge, Co. Kildare and when not in his studio he enjoys the quiet rural village life.

Clockwise from top: Into the light; Helios; The Kingdom of Kerry; Sionnaigh ag Codladh.

If you would like to commission a painting from Jason, visit www.jocartstudio.com or email, jason@jocartstudio.com

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| SPONSORS |

Healy Racing

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

IRISH EBF F contributed

€2.6m

in sponsorship to Irish racing last year NESSA JOYCE TELLS BREANDÁN Ó hUALLACHÁIN ABOUT THE LARGE SPONSORSHIP CONTRIBUTION THE IRISH EBF MAKES TO IRISH RACING.

ounded in 1983, the European Breeders Fund was the brainchild of a number of very intelligent and forwardthinking Irish stallion masters who believed they required a vehicle to support Irish racing. The EBF, set up between Ireland and England, and eventually France, has a very simple aim, says Nessa Joyce: “They set up a very simple premise which is that each year for every stallion that’s covering mares, the stallion farm would contribute the equivalent of a nomination to a fund. That was back 38 years ago so it has been tweaked and has increased over the years so that stallions that are covering larger books of mares contribute more relative to the amount of mares that they cover.

“It’s a very fair system so practically all stallion farms in Ireland contribute to the scheme,” explains the Irish EBF Manager. “That fund is then used the following year to sponsor races that only the progeny of those stallions can enter in. At the moment we’re at a record level

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of contribution. In 2021, we contributed €2.6m and we will do the same again in 2022. That is €2.6m million spread throughout nearly 500 races, both Flat and National Hunt. It is all about prize money – that is our main aim, our mission; that is what we were set up to do, to contribute prize money to Irish racing.”

The Irish EBF’s contribution to sponsorship is evident in both Flat and National Hunt racing, though when the fund began it was originally supporting Flat racing only, as Nessa Joyce explains: “Initially the scheme was only for Flat racing but National Hunt was brought in later as well.

A large proportion of the money goes into Flat racing. Some of the more recent races, like the auction and median series are all to try and target horses that are in the middle to lower end of the market, and give opportunities to run for good prize money against other similarly priced horses – whether priced via the auction ring or via the median price of the sire. They have all proved very popular and have given everyone another opportunity to chase good prize money and feel that they have a very good chance of getting it.”

The former Racing and Operations Manager at Leopardstown Racecourse continues: “The premise is very much to try and target the money into maiden, grassroots races, auction races both on the Flat and National Hunt, median races (which have proven very popular, especially the Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes), a big target is always the two-year-olds and we also put a big emphasis on fillies’ handicaps. We increased the

owner benefits even more.

“We’re putting money in to increase the prize money and if another sponsor comes along and adds more prize money, that is a win-win for everyone.”

Along with its main race sponsorship, the Irish EBF supports the stable staff by offering a €100 best turned out prize on every Irish EBF sole sponsored race, which in 2021 was nearly 370 races. This is a joint venture with the racecourses who contribute to half the cost of the WE HAVE BEEN best turned out prizes and they AROUND FOR NEARLY are always highly coveted by the 40 YEARS AND WE hard-working stable staff.

INTEND BEING AROUND The Board of the Irish EBF FOR ANOTHER 40 YEARS. is made up of the stallion farms who contribute to the scheme, with the largest contributors money there quite significantly, with the idea of sitting on the Board. This gives them an input encouraging people to keep fillies in training a into where their money goes. Board members little bit longer, and give them a stepping-stone undertake their duties on a voluntary basis, under to black type. We’re always thinking about what new Chairman Joe Foley and Deputy Chairman we can do to help the industry and ultimately the Tom Gaffney. The Board meets five times per owners are the recipients of the majority of the year and is continually looking to the future €2.6m and that helps keep them in ownership, and seeing how it can improve the sponsorship keep their horses in training and hopefully go system currently in place, as Nessa Joyce explains: back and buy more horses or breed more horses “We continuously speak with HRI and other to keep to race in Ireland.” stakeholders such as trainers and owners to see While the majority of contributions to the what we can do differently to keep going with Irish EBF come from the Flat stallions, the our sponsorship and to improve it, and to keep National Hunt sector is very well represented it relevant. We have been around for nearly 40 within the region of 160 National Hunt races. years and we intend being around for another These include the popular Red Mills Irish EBF 40 years. We want to be able to put the money Auction Hurdle Series with a €75,000 Final into the likes of the auction series and the fillies’ at the Punchestown Festival and a Bumper handicaps for five years at least. We want to make Auction Series that is now in its third season sure it isn’t just a one-year thing – we want to also proving very popular. make it part of the racing programme.”

Undoubtedly, the Irish EBF’s sponsorship is most evident in two-year-old maidens, where it sponsors over 95% of those races, meaning the Irish EBF’s name is visible in the title of nearly all juvenile maidens run in the country.

“We are present on the majority of large race days,” states Nessa Joyce, “there are very few race days that there isn’t at least one race on the card that we’re sponsoring, especially during the Flat season. With a strong presence every day and racecourses fortunately in the position to have other sponsors, there are a large number of occasions where an Irish EBF race takes on a co-sponsor and this can lead to an increase in the prize money, which ultimately means the

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

| SPONSORS |

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| OWNERS |

FROM GRADE 1-WINNING JOCKEY TO

Bloodstock Agent

D

DAVID MULLINS TELLS BREANDÁN Ó hUALLACHÁIN ABOUT HIS MOVE FROM PROFESSIONAL JOCKEY TO BLOODSTOCK AGENT.

| MAGAZINE 2022 |

avid Mullins, born into one of the most prominent racing families in Ireland, took many by surprise in 2021, by deciding to forego the life of a professional National Hunt jockey and move into the role of bloodstock agent.

“I hadn’t been enjoying the life of a jockey for a couple of years,” admits the nine-time Grade 1-winning rider. “For two or three years, I just didn’t enjoy it enough to put into it what I wanted to get out of it. It wasn’t a very secure job; it’s not like you can retire after race-riding.

I don’t think it’s a sustainable life. I didn’t want to finish at 35 and then try and work out what I wanted to do,” Mullins explains.

So, at the young age of 24, why turn to the role of bloodstock agent, as a post race-riding career?

“I was buying a few for myself mainly and for one or two other people. I always fi lled in what I thought of every horse I saw at a National Hunt store sale. It was always interesting to go back and see them in a year’s time or whenever they reach the track. I always liked keeping an eye on them. To be honest, I’ve done that for five or six years and I’ve always thought I would make a good hand of it, and I didn’t think I was too bad at it. That’s what gave me the confidence to give up one thing and start another.

“I get a massive thrill out of watching horses going around sales’ rings. I don’t know what it is. I like that side of horses. I’ve seen a lot of good horses at the trainers I rode for and I was always watching the shape of them. When I go to the sales, obviously the walk and the page mean a lot, but I always look for similarities with good horses I’ve seen in other yards.”

I GET A MASSIVE THRILL OUT OF WATCHING HORSES GOING AROUND SALES’ RINGS

Clockwise from top: Aintree Grand National Win; Patrick, Emmet & David Mullins Goffs; David Mullins Tattersalls Ireland.

Mullins previously bought Court Maid for €1,800 and she went on to win eight times. Late last year, David Mullins Bloodstock was involved in the £130,000 purchase of Belfast Banter who will now race in the USA “where there is a really good programme with some great prize money” the now-retired jockey states.

Life now for David Mullins is very different to what is was as a rider: “Some weeks I can be flat out, other weeks can be fairly quiet,” he explains. “I look up

sales or auctions to try and learn as much as I can about the industry.”

In his new role, “I have to make sure you know what is there. I have to get to know the pages, have to get to know what is going on,” David discloses. “I have to put in the hours looking up details of hundreds of foals or yearlings, Flat or National Hunt; it is crucial.”

David Mullins’ main hope for the immediate future is “to buy good horses for whoever that may be.”

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