When Hank Williams Jr had his hit song Family Tradition in 1979, he was referring to clan customs which the over sanitised political correctness of modern society would undoubtedly frown upon if not have a complete seizure.
However, it’s highly unlikely there will be any protests around Ashbourne or Garristown anytime in the near future after one fine family tradition was kept up at Fairyhouse on Friday evening. That being the long and successful connection between the Tormey family and the local horse racing scene.
The noteworthy occurrence on this occasion being Leaving Cert. student Sadhbh Tormey booting home her first winner – Are Ya In Or Out – for trainer Paul Stafford who’s also based in the same locality.
Now, if you’ve been ingesting material in this space for a while at all, you may know that yours truly is also outwardly attached to the Tormey family. A few strides out from the fence but still close enough to tack onto the back of the bunch and make ground up the inside rail when required.
What exact directions the family tree branches out with regard to where Sadhbh enters the equation I’m not too sure*, other than the fact that she is a niece of Glenn Tormey who was a successful rider in his own right.
Beyond that, another cousin, Andrew Lynch had a hugely successful if injury blighted career in the saddle which included a Welsh National win aboard the Jim Dreaper-trained Notre Pere and numerous Grade 1 successes aboard the legendary Sizing Europe. He now runs a successful breaking, pre-training and consignment operation with his wife Riona Teggart.
Off another branch of the family tree there’s also a connection to the Skelly family who have enjoyed success over the years with horses such as Dubai Devils, also trained by Paul Stafford, and Shopping Around (Tom Dreaper).
As with GAA matters though, my fondest Tormey racing-related memories revolve around the late Joey Tormey. Former Meath and Dublin footballer, Meath selector and Donaghmore/Asbourne – as it is now – Chairman.
Also, however, a man steeped in horse racing. As a few generations of his family would be after him. But there was no doubt the crown jewel in Joey’s racing life was Oscar Wells.
The former Jessica Harrington inmate was thought to be the top of tree during his novice hurdle season and seemed full sure to frank as such as the field hurtled down to the last in the Ballymore Properties Hurdle.
Until, that is, the steed and Robbie Power had differing opinions on how to negotiate said final obstacle, which resulted in the one doing the jumping taking off well before hitting the runway and doing the splits better than Torville and Deane after not getting the landing gear down in time.
If a sporting nightmare like that happened to most of us, it’d be a harrowing experience to even look sideways at a horse for a while, never mind actually dissect and recount the nightmare.
However, as if to underline my immovable belief that a while in Joey’s company was good good for the soul, when next our paths crossed after the debacle, he says to me “Sure wasn’t it great to have one good enough to run in it, and we still have our horse. We’ll go again”.
Always positive. Always looking forward to the next big thing. I’ve no doubt he was in the owners and trainers bar above tonight advising anyone who’d listen to “Have a few bob on our own”.
I’m not sure if he and his young relative ever would have crossed paths, but, of her maiden success, Sadhbh Tormey said:
“I’m doing my Leaving at the minute, had one exam today and just about got here on time”. While for his part, the winning trainer added “It’s the kid’s first winner and I’m delighted because she started with me”.
If there’s any truth in the old dictum about an ounce of breeding being worth a tonne of feeding, it almost certainly won’t be the last!
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