IF it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. It’s a mantra the Grace family must use often, considering the success they’ve enjoyed with the same National Hunt family that produced last month’s smart debut winner, Getaway Beo.

The Gordon Elliott-trained mare justified favouritism in an Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Maiden Hurdle at Tipperary, carrying the colours of breeder Mark Grace, whose father James celebrated Grade 1 glory with relative Mick The Man, out of a mare bred by his own father Dermot.

Mark’s involvement in the family began the same way his father entered the operation, he explains: “My father took me and my brother down the field when we were young and gave us a mare each.

“Obviously, I was quite lucky with that and I don’t know if he realised at the time that the mare he was giving me was as good as she was in terms of breeding. But that’s how I got into owning Nifty Nuala, the mother of Getaway Beo.”

Mark’s parents, John and Bernie, remain stewards of the family’s equine interests in Co Tipperary, consisting of approximately 20 horses, all hailing from the same family as Getaway Beo.

Mick The Man is the family flagbearer, the full-brother to Nifty Nuala having won the Grade 1 Champion Bumper at the Punchestown Festival under Nina Carberry for Noel Meade.

His half-brother, Mark The Man, was Grade 2-placed over hurdles for the same connections, while Getaway Beo’s half-brother, Mack The Man, won a listed hurdle and placed at Grade 3 level.

Mark Grace sent Getaway Beo’s half-brothers Walks Like The Man and Here Comes The Man to Colin Bowe, for whom they won impressively before selling for £225,000 and £210,000 respectively.

Grace had to wait until the mare’s fourth foal for a filly, which they traditionally race and later breed from. Getaway Beo marked a new chapter in that she was the Grace’s first horse in training with Gordon Elliott.

New era

“His record speaks for itself,” Mark Grace commented. “To have a horse with Gordon Elliott is exciting in itself and it’s just been great so far. Luckily enough, the first one is a winner, so hopefully we can keep it going.”

Given her price of 15/8 first time out, it’s safe to assume that the daughter of Getaway had shown something before she made it to the track, as Grace confirms.

“We always thought she was a good mare and Gordon would have said the same,” he says. “She was very impressive that day, we were delighted.”

Her six-length defeat of a more experienced rival was noteworthy, but even more significant was that she became the first winner under rules to carry Mark Grace’s colours. When asked what that meant to him, Mark replies: “It’s unbelievable.

“I would have always been brought up around horses and I still remember when the mare’s full-brother, Mick The Man, won the Champion Bumper in Punchestown back in 2007. So, we’ve had great luck with our family horses, but for this one to be in my own colours was that bit more special.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling just to be there, to see her in the ring beforehand, before she won the race. Then for her to collect the race as well, with all my family there, it was brilliant.”

The cherry on top was winning a Weatherbys ITBA NH Fillies Bonus worth €7,500, on top of winning prize money of €9,000. It makes a huge difference for a small owner/breeder, Grace says.

Game-changer

“Something like this is really important,” he explains. “Your training fees, entry fees, etc, it’s all very expensive. So, to have something like this in the bank so early in the year, it means you can probably enjoy the year without worrying about any expenses as much.

“It definitely would have influenced our decision to keep the two mares in training; two mares that we think will be able to win, whether it be a mares’ hurdle or a beginners’ chase.”

The bonus scheme, along with the current mares’ programme, has been crucial in encouraging breeders to race their mares before retiring them to the breeding shed, which was not the case in years past, Grace continues.

“The mares’ programme itself is really exciting and it’s really well laid out,” he adds.

“Breeding from the mare without racing her is probably something we could have done, given that she’s a full-sister to a listed winner, but the mares’ programme and the ITBA Bonus changes your mind somewhat.

“We plan to do the same thing with Getaway Beo’s three-year-old full-sister. They’re very similar, maybe she’s a bit bigger than her sister, but they’re two lovely mares.”

Getaway Beo was pitched at Grade 3 level next time out, and though it was unsuccessful, the dream remains very much alive for Mark Grace.

“I would imagine she probably needs a bit of a step up in trip and maybe slightly softer ground,” he reports.

“She just probably found things a little bit tough on the day, but Gordon seems very happy with her and hopes to get her out again soon.”

Given his family’s success with retaining mares for racing, would he recommend the fairer sex to new owners entering the game?

“That would definitely be my logic,” he agrees. “With the mares, they’ve got two careers - first you get to enjoy racing them and then you can breed from them.

“The ITBA Bonus Scheme obviously helps in terms of prize money, and in terms of funding their racing career. Everyone’s always delighted to get a winner, but when you’ve bred them and brought them all the way along, it’s extra special.”