WINNERS have flown regularly for the blue and silver silks of the Annus Mirabilis Syndicate since its establishment nearly a decade ago, but the family of broodmare Lunar Beauty will surely hold a special place among all the bloodlines they have got their hands on down the years..

The group’s association with the Milan mare got off to a flying start when Chead Solas won a Punchestown bumper in November 2018, while Level Neverending enjoyed a smashing summer for the syndicate in 2021 when winning a Galway Festival bumper on his way to a Killarney August Festival bumper victory.

The best was yet to come, though, when Lunar Display, a half-sister to Chead Solas and Level Neverending, reached blacktype status for Annus Mirabilis. The Getaway mare notched three wins in those colours, most prominently the Listed Boreen Belle Mares Novice Hurdle at Thurles in 2021, and finishing second and third in Grade 3 company.

More good days could be on the horizon for the syndicate now with Moon Eclipse, a full sister to Lunar Display. The five-year-old pulled off an unlikely debut victory in a Leopardstown mares’ bumper in March under Paddy Cody - showing a smart turn of foot to come from off the pace late on.

That victory also triggered a €7,500 payment for connections through the Weatherbys ITBA National Hunt Fillies Bonus Scheme.

“I think she’s the fifth or sixth horse that we have raced from the Lunar Beauty line,” says Donal O’Mahony, representing the syndicate.

“The mare has solidly been producing winners now for eight or nine years. The best was Lunar Display, as a listed winner with a mark in the high 130s. Level Neverending was a very good bumper winner, Kalopsia [owned by J.P. McManus and listed-placed] won her share of races and Chead Solas was shaping to be a very good horse before getting injured. There’s a consistent level in the horses who win from the mare and we’ve been lucky with them.”

Surprise bonus

On the boost of a bonus payday that came with the Leopardstown victory, O’Mahony adds: “I didn’t even appreciate that we had that bonus until the cheque came in the post effectively three weeks later! I was blissfully unaware. How can you knock a bonus?”

As is the case with all of the Annus Mirabilis Syndicate runners, Moon Eclipse is trained by Joseph O’Brien, who has been preparing runners for the group right from the beginning of his training career.

“Joseph is a really phenomenal guy and we’re very lucky to be involved with him,” says O’Mahony.

“We’ve been with him since day one and hopefully there’ll be many more good days to come. His orientation has gone substantially towards the flat since those early days when we started out with him.

“However, [the O’Brien family’s] Whisperview operation are still producing a steady number of National Hunt foals; the geldings tend to be sold and the fillies can end up in our colours to race. I suppose we have an almost disproportionate involvement in National Hunt with Joseph, relative to the amount of stock that he has overall.

“In terms of being involved with mares, we have a tendency to get involved with the Whisperview filly production line, so that’s our window into that world. I’m sure there’ll be another Lunar Beauty or two coming down the line by the time she hangs up her boots completely.”

Moon Eclipse was handed a competitive target when lining up in the Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Total Enjoyment Mares Bumper at Fairyhouse last month, finishing sixth behind this week’s Grade 1 Punchestown Champion Bumper second Switch From Diesel. There could be a fruitful summer in store for the unexposed youngster, considering her family’s exploits on decent ground.

Summer ambitions

“The trainer was pleasantly surprised when she managed to win first time out at Leopardstown!” quipped O’Mahony.

“That was because the filly was thought to be probably 80% fit on the day. Because he was pleasantly surprised by that, he decided to pitch her into listed company next time out, which perhaps was a step too far this quickly. We will take her back a step and go for a winner’s bumper next time.

“Hopefully she’ll jump a hurdle without any issue in the future, though we’re looking at a bumper next. She’ll probably go for a maiden hurdle in the summer because that family handle good ground. She might be relatively busy during the summer and autumn with that in mind.”

The Annus Mirabilis Syndicate was created from discussions between O’Mahony and Annemarie O’Brien in late 2015, just ahead of Joseph’s transition from jockey to training ranks.

O’Mahony has previously described the group as “an opportunity for like-minded racing aficionados to get involved” with the leading trainer.

“We have a dozen people in the syndicate, most of whom have been involved with us since we kicked off,” says O’Mahony.

“We reached the milestone of 100 winners in February 2024 [when How About No won at Dundalk], and we’re up to 110 now. Fingers crossed we’re a tenth of the way towards our next milestone!”