Kate Harrington

Gerry McGrath, breeder of Champion Hurdler Jezki (Ire) (Milan {GB}) and high-class performers Jett (Ire) (Flemensfirth), Jered (Ire) (Presenting {GB}), Jetson (Ire) (Oscar {Ire}) and Jenari (Ire) (Milan {GB}) all out of the outstanding broodmare La Noire (Ire) (Phardante {Fr}), has outlined hopes that the legacy can continue with leading Dublin Racing Festival contender Jetara (Ire) (Walk In The Park {Ire}). A granddaughter of La Noire, the mare who was famously gifted to McGrath by his late father in the nineties, Jetara will take on the boys in the G1...

Saturday's edition of this column features Kate Harrington, assistant trainer to her mother, Jessica Harrington.   Proudest moment of 2023? Of the team at Commonstown throughout the year. They all worked so hard in 2023 to finish third in the trainers' championship. We had more winners in 2023 than we did in 2022 and we all know the winners helped Mum beat cancer.   What is your biggest ambition for the new year? Helping Jessica Harrington to train as may winners as possible in 2024.   Give us one horse...

Racing and equestrian stars will partake in the 2023 Treo Eile Christmas show on Thursday, Dec. 14 at the Emerald Equestrian Centre, including three-time Gold Cup winner Sizing John (GB) (Midnight Legend {GB}). The first event on the show programme features the HRI Treo Eile Thoroughbred Classic, a team competition to showcase the best of Ireland's retrained racehorses, and it has attracted Rachael Blackmore, Jack Kennedy, Gary Carroll, and Patrick Mullins, among other notable stars, to captain the teams. The groups--consisting of a captain, two show jumping or eventing competitors,...

At first there are tears and then the words come tumbling out.  "We got a bit of bad news before the Curragh," Con Marnane explains. "Theresa's cancer is back again. That's why the whole thing was so emotional." Theresa is Con's wife and it is her yellow and black silks, made famous by Different League (Fr) (Dabirsim {Fr}) winning the Albany, that were carried to that stirring victory in the G3 Marble Hill S. by Givemethebeatboys (Ire) at Irish racing's HQ. He is one of two Royal Ascot-bound Bungle Inthejungle...

Jessica Harrington is the most successful female trainer that Ireland has ever produced. The 76-year-old has sent out multiple Cheltenham Festival winners, including the legendary Champion Chaser Moscow Flyer (Ire), as well as Classic winners Alpha Centauri (Ire) and Magical Lagoon (Ire) from her Moone-based stables in County Kildare. Plans are now afoot to take home more big-race riches this season and, despite the fact that Harrington is undergoing chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer, there is only one topic of conversation at the breakfast table at this time of year....

Classic heroine Magical Lagoon (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is in "perfect condition" in advance of the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup on Nov. 14, according to assistant trainer Kate Harrington. Racing for Zhang Yuesheng, the 3-year-old filly, who won the G2 Ribblesdale S. prior to her G1 Irish Oaks heroics, was fifth to future Arc winner Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the G1 Yorkshire Oaks in August. "This morning, she galloped for about six furlongs," said Harrington, who assists her mother, Jessica. "We just wanted to get a nice breeze into...