Category: RACING
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The manager, the billionaires and the racehorse
I never thought something so obscure from the rudiments of daily life would have such an effect on me. But here we are. So agitating has it been, in fact, that one shudders to think what the effect would be if the issue pertained to certain GAA teams and/or entities in the realm of horse…
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The original DOC on call checks out from final shift
The day was always going to come sometime. As sure as the passage of time. It will still take a fair bit of getting used to. In the overall scheme of things, while to many it might be a sporting triviality, it might be also be seen as an occurrence to pull on the heart…
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Robot Rock – Chapter 2
And so, the ups and downs of a life in and around horse racing finds an upward curve once again. It’s exactly four months to the date since the first installment of this odyssey appeared in this space. Which was the horse’s debut for us. ‘Us’ being the Mulvany’s Bar Syndicate, of which I had…
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3,000 and counting for gentleman Noel
BREAKING NEWS One of my greatest sporting idols who over the years I am blessed to say has become a friend, Noel Meade, reached another milestone in his remarkable training career today when, in winning the concluding handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse, MICKEY COHEN became the 3,000th winner sent out from Tu Va Stables. The very…
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A Hurricane that gave us all thrills on emotional rollercoaster
Dual players are sadly a dying breed within the GAA. Even at club level. That is not to say there are not crossovers between our native games and other sports – there are indeed and they can be seen in both positive and negative lights. The negative hardly needs any further articulation, vis a vis…
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Possibility, promise and a bit of pressure
As wedding presents go, taking ownership of one the most successful, fabled and admired horse training establishments on the planet is pretty much hitting the jackpot for somebody of that persuasion. Now, not for a moment is there any suggestion that the acquisition of Jim Bolger’s fabled Coolcullen estate anything other than a business transaction…
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Racing’s slippery slope
In the last racing content – other than selections – which appeared in this space, mention was made of the fact that Pat Kelly, one of the smallest trainers in Ireland, albeit a very successful one, has had his licence suspended until further notice. Seemingly over something to do with discrepancies in animal medical records.…
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Roscommon comes up trumps for us as they rewrite history
There’s more than one way to skin a cat. Not that yours truly would ever be of a mind to do such a thing to the often loathesome yet strangely helpful felines. Put another way, tell me I can’t do something and not a gut but several will be busted in pursuance of proving doubters …
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Highs, lows and just enough of a pull on the heart strings
Noel Meade? Gordon? Or push the boat out and go for Willie? Yes lads and lassies, as only it can, the Cheltenham Festival has planted the seed of wanting to have a horse trained in Ireland again. The heart and soul has always said if the opportunity arose, it would be to Noel in Castletown.…