Conversations

'Honeysuckle More Likely To Be Retired Than Run In Mares' Hurdle At Cheltenham'

   Peter Molony is best known for being the man who bought the reigning Champion Hurdler Honeysuckle (GB) (Sulamani {Ire}) on behalf of his client Kenny Alexander. He also works for Sheikh Fahad's Qatar Racing operation, is an agent for Goffs and has had a multitude of top horses through his hands at Rathmore Stud. That may be why the Limerick native signs off on his Twitter bio with the word 'busy'!    Son of the legendary Martin Molony, widely regarded as the best dual-purpose jockey of all time, Peter...

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'Trainers Are Finding It Tough But You Can't Wave a Magic Wand'

One of the most respected racing and bloodstock journalists in Britain and Ireland for over 20 years, Ryan McElligott bid adieu to the press room at the Goffs November Breeding Stock Sale as he embarked on his new role as Chief Executive of the Irish Racehorse Trainers Association. Admitting there was some emotion surrounding the move, McElligott looks back on over 20 years reporting on the sport he loves and looks ahead to the challenges he faces in his new position as the IRTA chief.  The 41-year-old wears many hats....

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Stauffenberg Q&A: 'If You Didn't Get Paid This Year You Did Something Wrong'

   As entertaining as he is brave, Philipp Stauffenberg has dominated the top bracket of the pinhooking table despite buying only a select number of foals each year.    Stauffenberg was once again in the spotlight in October when five of his yearlings took Tattersalls by storm when selling for a combined figure of 2,345,000gns at a memorable Book 1 sale.     Back at Tattersalls, where he was searching for his next Book 1 star at the December Foal Sales, the never-boring and cigarillo-smoking Stauffenberg spoke with TDN Europe's Brian...

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James Harron Q&A: 'Foxwedge Really Got Things Going For Me'

James Harron is one of the most respected operators of his craft internationally. Based in Australia, the native of Northern Ireland credits Gai Waterhouse, agent George Smith and Winx (Aus)'s breeder John Camilleri of Fairway Thoroughbreds as being some of the key influences in his career.    Foxwedge (Aus) is the horse who got the ball rolling for Harron Down Under. He sourced the high-class sprinter-turned-stallion as a yearling and, from there, refined the art of making stallions on a commercial level through colt partnerships.    It's a little under...

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'There's An Opportunity In Every Horse And That's How The Industry Exists'

   Few people left an imprint at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses In Training Sale quite like Olly Tait. Under the banner of the newly-formed and Qatari-backed Wathnan Racing, Tait signed for nine horses to the tune of 1.75 million gns, headed by 450,000gns purchase Persian Royal (GB) (Al Kazeem {GB}).    Fitting that Tait has been tasked with growing Wathnan Racing into a formidable ownership vehicle in Qatar as it was the Australian native who was entrusted by Godolphin to get their Darley operation off the ground down under back...

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Noel Meade: 'Whoever Wins In The Ring Wins On The Track' 

Having been crowned champion National Hunt trainer in Ireland eight times and managed the careers of modern day stars like Harchibald (Fr), Go Native (Ire), Pandorama (Ire) and Road To Riches (Ire), Noel Meade has rightly earned legendary status in that sphere.  However, Meade, who has been training since 1971, has redirected his energies to Flat racing in recent season, a decision that was vindicated when Helvic Dream (Ire) (Power {GB}) provided him with a breakthrough Group 1 success in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh last year. Meade...

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“You Have To Kiss A Lot Of Frogs Before You Find Your Prince”

   By her own admission, Eve Johnson Houghton does not have unlimited resources to tap into at the yearling sales, which makes her successes in recent seasons all the more impressive.    The trainer sent out 10,000gns purchase Chipotle (GB) (Havana Gold {Ire}) to win the Windsor Castle S. at Royal Ascot last season and, proving that result was no fluke, bagged the lucrative Tattersalls-sponsored sales race at the Curragh on Sunday with another cheaply-bought son of Havana Gold, the unbeaten Streets Of Gold (Ire).    With the help of...

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'I Just Love The Game,' – Pat Costello Shares The Story Behind Paramount Sales

   Paramount Sales has fast become one of the leading consignors in America with Jack Christopher, Life Is Good and Kameko an example of the recent graduates. Pat Costello, who emigrated to America in 1984 and climbed the ranks in the industry before setting up Paramount Sales in 2001 with fellow Irish ex-pat Gabriel 'Spider' Duignan, shares all about his racing backstory in this week's Q&A.    From turning a profit pinhooking for 10 years on the trot to revealing what horses in the Paramount Sales draft he's most looking...

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'You Can't Afford To Be Risk Averse In This Game And I'm Not That'

   Andrew Black is renowned in the gambling industry, being co-founder of Betfair, one of the biggest exchanges in the world.     However, there is much more to the 59-year-old than being the man who revolutionised betting; he is also hugely passionate about breeding and playing cards.    Black got to the semi-finals of the world Bridge Championships last week and his breeding endeavors at Chasemore Farm continue to go from strength to strength.     He will bid for Group 1 glory at Haydock on Saturday when homebred Brad The...

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Haggas and Boughey: The Deadly Duo on Buying, Selling and Winning

George Boughey is rarely seen without his right-hand man, Sam Haggas, and the pair sat down with Brian Sheerin at the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale at Doncaster this week.    From making the Classic breakthrough with Cachet in the 1,000 Guineas, to recruiting Missed The Cut and Inver Park for relatively small money to win at Royal Ascot, Boughey and Haggas provide a fascinating insight to what goes on behind the scenes at one of the most impressive outfits in Britain and Ireland.  Brian Sheerin: I saw this week...

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David Menuisier: 'One Door Closed But Another Opened'

  David Menuisier is not a man to concentrate on the past. The stable has been in the news over the fact that Phillipa Cooper of Normandie Stud decided to move stable star Lionel (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) to John and Thady Gosden after his poor performance in the G1 Irish Derby.    However, while Menuisier has had his say on the high-profile split in this week's Q&A, he explained that he has closed the chapter on the situation and is keen to move on.    There are few...

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'Few Make A Living Doing What They Love – I am Lucky To Be One Of Them'

He has been crowned British racing's best broadcaster of the year an astounding eight times but Nick Luck remains as hungry as ever. From talking about the success of his daily podcast, the Nick Luck Daily Podcast, revealing that he will make his Melbourne Cup debut this year and providing his own thoughts on the major issues affecting British racing, Luck makes for fascinating reading in this week's Q&A. Brian Sheerin: You sat down with Lee Mottershead for the Big Read in the Racing Post almost two years ago. A...

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