SOME might assume that Eleanor Manning has had it easy in horse racing, looking at the bare form. Her first mare, Dysart Dancer, won four in a row and went on to produce blacktype performers Dysart Diamond and Dysart Dynamo.

Her latest winner, Emerald Enigma, scored first time out and is out of Queen Deirdre, who also made a winning debut for Manning. Despite what looks an impressive CV, Manning’s journey as an owner and breeder has not been without challenges, and last month’s winner was no different.

Emerald Enigma was sent off favourite for a mares’ bumper at Cork, but Manning and her husband Shane Broadberry did not share the market’s confidence, she informs me.

“To be honest, we really didn’t know what she’d do at all,” she says. “She has a long history of issues since she was a foal, so she almost seemed unlikely to get to the track.

“We were extremely impressed and pleased with her on the day. She didn’t win it easily – she was passed two or three separate times, but she persisted. She really dug in, kept coming back, and kept going. She’s not big, but she’s obviously full of horse!”

The win went down well with the Cork crowd, Manning continues: “There was such a wonderful atmosphere because it was a student day and I’d say most of them had her backed because she was Willie Mullins’ in the bumper. They were all roaring for her; it was really lovely.”

Emerald Enigma’s dam, Queen Deirdre, endured her own share of bad luck. Also trained by Willie Mullins, the King’s Theatre mare made an impressive debut at the Galway Festival, easing clear to justify favouritism by 12 lengths.

Connections never got to see what the exciting mare was capable of, as she only ran once more before being injured. Fortunately, she’s made a bright start as a broodmare and Manning is hoping the same will apply to her Martaline filly, who Manning has covered with Kedrah House Stud sire Rich History.

The connection with this family is thanks to Manning growing up in Dysart; just two miles from Castletown Geoghegan, where Cathal Ennis – who bred all three mares – is based. Proof, if we needed it, of the small world we live in, which is even smaller if you’re involved in racing.

“Tiny,” Manning concurs. “You meet so many people, year in, year out, whether you go to the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, or Ascot. It’s incredible; racing is a great way to meet people.”

Welcome boost

The history behind Emerald Enigma wasn’t the only reason her success is particularly sweet – she won a Weatherbys ITBA Mares Bonus worth €7,500 in the process. Manning was thrilled, not less because the bonus itself was worth more than the winning prize of €6,600.

“Prize money needs that kind of boost,” she says. “When you look at the likes of France and how they run things, Ireland have to offer bonuses like this to remain competitive.

“It’s great for the breeding side of things, because it does mean that people are putting value into the mares; they’re keeping those mares, they’re racing the mares and breeding from the mares. And it means we’re probably keeping our better mares here.”

Racing Dysart Dancer drew Manning into the breeding side of the game, it turns out. “She was so determined and so clever that I always thought if she can breed anything of what she has into a foal, they’d be good,” Manning explains.

“On her second start for Willie, she raced in Tramore, where all the crowds are all at the winning line. What I noticed was that she heard the noise of the crowd and she figured that where that noise was, that’s where the action was.

“It’s actually extraordinary to watch the race – when she realised the race wasn’t over, then she relaxed back again, and continued on. Then when she hears a crowd again coming off the bend, she quickened. She was so clued in.”

As with Emerald Enigma, Dysart Dancer’s career wasn’t exactly stress-free, as she was badly injured after her first start.

“It was a big break down through the canon bone and out through the bottom of it,” Manning informs me.

“Claire Hawkes, an absolutely extraordinary vet, operated on her and she fixed her. She was very confident that she’d nearly be stronger than she was beforehand. She insisted that if you’re going to breed from her, you may as well race her, and she said there’s no problem racing her after this.”

After a successful race career, winning her first four starts for Willie Mullins, Dysart Dancer proved equally successful as a broodmare.

Her listed-winning daughter Dysart Diamond has also joined Manning’s broodmare band; she has a ‘stunning’ Walk In The Park two-year-old filly and is in foal to Well Chosen.

“It’s so interesting; watching all the different pedigrees, and all the different stallions,” Manning says regarding breeding, and reveals that she and husband Shane recently took the next step.

“We’re just after buying a farm, as it happens,” she says. “Sandra McCarthy looks after the bulk of them, but there are horses everywhere at the moment, between breaking and pre-training and others out injured.

“Sandra would have reared them from foals. Sandra’s amazing and while we’ve now bought a farm ourselves, she’ll still be very much involved.”

Manning is excited about this new chapter, she adds: “I’m from a farming background myself. It’ll be great to see the horses as they grow up and develop. It’ll give it a bit more continuity, too, because when they’re dotted around everywhere, it’s hard to get to see them all.”