THREE times in the last two weeks I have had occasion to meet Eleanor Manning and her husband Shane Broadberry. The couple are leading figures in the IT world, but clearly they have a passion for horseracing, and have enjoyed many wonderful successes. Eleanor also puts something back into the sport, and is a board member of the Association of Irish Racehorse Owners.

At Ayr on Saturday, Willie Mullins rounded out his rewarding day there when, with son Patrick in the saddle, he sent out Dysart Dolomite to land the bumper on the five-year-old’s racecourse debut. This was just days after Eleanor and Shane had been among the throngs in Leighlinbridge to welcome Closutton’s Aintree Grand National heroes home. The son of Walk In The Park (Montjeu) is now the fourth winner for Dysart Dancer (Accordion).

Alliteration is key to the identity of members of this family. Dysart Dancer’s previous winners are Dysart Diamond (Shirocco), Dysart Dynamo (Westerner) and Dysart Dazzler (Flemensfirth). Shane and Eleanor will no doubt have fun in the future naming three youngstock they have out of Dysart Dancer, all of whom are by Westerner (Danehill).

There is just one blot on the record for their dam, Dysart Dasher (Flemensfirth). He raced twice, showing promise, but didn’t trouble the judge.

Fine record

That takes nothing from the fine record complied by Dysart Dancer as a broodmare, and she also provided success for Manning on the track. The village of Dysart was home to Manning, and naming her horses therefore is both sentimental, and ultimately provides a successful link to her youth.

It was chance that Manning and Broadberry came across a childhood friend of the former, Elizabeth Kiernan, who told them that she had a filly foal out of the bumper winner Judys View (King’s Ride), a mare that ignited fond memories for Eleanor.

They bought the filly, and thus began a journey full of promise, disappointment, and finally success. The filly, now named Dysart Dancer, showed promise on her debut. She was thrown in at the deep end when she made her debut in the 24-runner Irish Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association Fillies’ Scheme Premier Bumper at the Punchestown Festival 15 years ago, finishing sixth before breaking her cannonbone in a schooling bumper.

After surgery and a long time off, Dysart Dancer joined Willie Mullins, and at the age of seven began a short but successful second racing career. She won a bumper and hurdle race at seven, added a hurdle and flat success at eight, her first four starts for Mullins, and after a disappointing run next time out she was off to stud. She was partnered to her four victories by different riders, Katie Walsh, Paul Townend, Emmet and Patrick Mullins.

First foal

Dysart Diamond was the first foal bred by Manning. She posted five wins, one bumper and four over hurdles, and landed a Grade 2 handicap at Listowel before beating Royal Kahala half a length in the Listed Grabel Mares Hurdle at Punchestown. She too is now at stud. The good start was to get even better with the second of Dysart Dancer’s offspring, Dysart Dynamo. He won both his bumpers, the Grade 2 Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle at Punchestown, and was not disgraced when finding El Fabiolo too good in the Grade 1 Barberstown Castle Novice Hurdle at the Festival in 2023 at Punchestown.

Dysart Dasher got a brief mention earlier, and next up was Dysart Dazzler. He won his only start to date, a bumper at Kilbeggan last summer, and now his 100% record is matched by his year-younger half-brother Dysart Dolomite. There is so much more to come from this family, and it will doubtless feature many more times in these columns in the years to come.

The offspring of Dysart Dancer are spearheading the revival of a branch of a family that has produced more than the average number of high-class National Hunt winners. Dysart Dancer and her half-sister Native View (Be My Native) were the only two winners among six foals from Judys View (Kings Ride), a Navan bumper winner for the Kiernan family. That mare was bred by Penny Downes in Westmeath and was one of a trio of successful offspring from the unraced Happy View (Royal Buck).

Ring Road

One of the non-winning daughters of Happy View was Ring Road (Giolla Mear), though she placed five times over fences. At stud, Ring Road bred a pair of Grade 2 National Hunt winners, chaser Gales Cavalier (Strong Gale) and bumper horse Dantes Cavalier (Phardante), in addition to the dual Grade 2 runner-up Around The Gale (Strong Gale).

Go back to Dysart Dynamo’s fourth dam, Rare View (Grand Inquisitor), and you will find that she was a winning chaser in 1961, and successful in four point-to-points in the late 1950s. Rare View is the taproot of a number of good horses. Her son Highway View (Royal Highway) won the Galway Hurdle for trainer John Cox and jockey Pat Black, and four years later added the Leopardstown Chase when trained by Cox’s son Bunny, and that day ridden by Mouse Morris. He twice was placed in the Irish Grand National.

Descending from Rare View are the likes of Grade 1 Ascot Chase and Grade 1 Ryanair Chase winner Our Vic (Old Vic), the Connolly’s Red Mills Thyestes Chase winner Siegemaster (Lord Americo), Grade 2 novice chase winner Aiteen Thirtythree (Old Vic), and Grade 3 Welsh Grand National hero Emperor’s Choice (Flemensfirth).