Ger Hannon talks about gearing up for Sunday's card at Bellharbour and his roles behind the microphone and selling horses

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Ourpoint-to-pointsecretary Paul O’Neillisextremely proactiveatcomingupwith newideastotryand we have beenmeetingevery weekfor the pastsixorseven weeks planningtheextraactivities we’ll have onthe dayto complementthe racing.

Theracingorganisesitself, really. Theextra work goesinto thoseadded activities because we arealwaystryingtoholdon toandimprovethecrowd.

We alwayssay that as asport we aredogfriendly,which wouldn’t be the case formost sports,sofamilies cancome for aday out, bringtheirdogs, and we will have nicecoffee andfoodforthem[the people, notthedogs].

They areonlysmallthings, buttheycan make abig differencefillingtenminutes between racesfor peopleto keepthementertainedand holdtheirinterest.

Thedog showisalwaysabig hitandthis year won’t be any differentbecause itis organised by DeirdreCusack, whodoes abrilliantjob withit.

We have alotofthe work doneonthetrackwellin advanceas we findthat if you leave ittothe weekbeforehand you endupunderpressure.

We have plentyofhelp, thankfullyand, with both

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MAHOEY’S pathto amaiden su ccess at Cr ag mo re on Sundaywasanythingbut ordinary.

Theseven-year-old(right) ranoutaneight-length winner oftheoldermares’maiden at the StonehallHarriersfixture onherthirdstartofthe season, havin ga ls or uninthree maiden hurdlesfortrainer Eoin McCarthy last year.

However, beforeher racing debutinaNaasmaiden hurdle last Fe bruar yt he Se an Maguire-owned daughterof Mahler hadalreadygivenbirth to aVadamoscoltfoalin2021.

“I have never hadany luck with runningfour-year-olds and Ithinksheis anicemare, so Isaid Iwouldgiveher some timetomature,”Newry-based

Bellharbour:theCountyClare venue, wheredogsare welcome,holdsameetingonSundaywithGer Hannonbehindthe microphone

Bellharbourand ourEaster Sundaytrack Quakerstown,we areverylucky to have brilliant landownersinthe Leefamily and Linanefamily. They take realprideinproducingthe tracks to averyhighstandard, whichis abig helpforus.

Iwill bebehindthe microphoneon Sundayand my firstmemoryof commentatingwaswhen my late father Patsold ahorse calledFairCrack who wonthe Goffs Million at the Curraghin 1991for RichardHannon. That waslikeClarewinning theAllIrelandforus.

Maguiresaidwhen explaining themoreunconventional approachto the startofher racingcareer.

“I decidedt herinfoal Vadamosand then,aftershe foaled,thatI wouldthen puther into training.

Thevideo ofthe race must have beenplayedabouta thousandtimesin ourhouse.I wasseven at thetimeandafter aboutaweektheyturnedoff the volumeonthe TV andI wouldcommentateonitfrom starttofinish.

That wasthe startofit, butI never gave anythoughtto becomingacommentatoruntil Ididthe last raceonthe card atQuakerstown in2010.

Jerryrangandtoldme to come along to Kilmallock the following Sunday.

He toldme todoone race againthat dayandthen build itupfromthere, doingtwo racesandthenthree racesas the weeks go by.Hefilledme withconfidenceandit wasa greatbreaktoget.

Jerrywas very good tome, and so toowas RichardPugh.I hadgoneupthenorthoneday with DerekO’Connorand Richardgavemethe opportunity to do aracethat season. They were both excellenttomeand Ihaven’t looked backsince.

Morerecently I’ve hadthe chancetocommentatefor RTE Radio at Limerick ontheir St Stephen’sday programmeand callhomeex-point-to-pointer FaugheenintheGrade1.

When youare in point-topointingyou areproudto see horsescomingfromitwinning Grade 1races.This seasonit wasgreat to see Jordan GainfordgethisfirstGrade1 after watching himcome throughfrom point-to-points.

Ihavea huge admirationfor all point-to-pointproducers; theyare brilliantpeople.They areself-made andtheytake the goodwiththebadand keepshowing up at everysale; theyare brilliant.

I’masuckler beeffarmer and we also keep15 to 20 horsesonthefarm. We buy themasfoalsand sellthemas three-year-olds.

Ididn’tknowJerry Hannon at thetime,but Ithinkoneof the Healysheard meand gave him acalland toldhimthat he shouldgivethisfella atry.

My father startedRalahine Studand wasthefoundation oftheplacehere. He gave mea greatopportunityand we worked together rightupuntil whenhediedlastSeptember. It’s nicetobeableto keepit goingforhim.

We have sold alotofgreat horses overthe yearsandit won’t be longuntil the sales seasoncomesaround again–but we have Bellharbour to enjoyfirst on Sunday.

GERHANNON WASTALKING TO EOGHAIN WARD shewillbebackinfoal with Vadamos.”

Peterand Ross Doyle for €13,500 at the2021 Goffs DecemberNational Hunt sale as Maguiredevelopshis ng operation. Ih av et en ro od ma res hereathome.

Maguire

La Felineonsidelines untilearly March

“I hadoriginallybough her ou to Beeches Stud foal. Isaw herinthe fieldandliked her, so Ibought herand hadher hereuntil we weanedthefoaloffher,then she went intotrainingwith Eoin.” That foalwasbought by