NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK We highlight

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK

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

NOEL & VALERIE MORAN, BECTIVE STUD

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.

WESTERBERG

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!

LIVING THE Dream...

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

GARY DEVLIN A Case of You

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.

NOEL, CHARLES & PAUL O’CALLAGHAN

No Speak Alexander

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.

ALBERT DRAVINS & EAMONN SCANLON Jeff Kidder

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

Heaven Help Us

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.