AT last year’s Irish Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association Western celebration held at the Galway races, James Coen was honoured with the small breeder award. Unable to be present on the day, his son accepted the prize on his behalf.

However, I was intrigued by the story of his success, from just a handful of fillies and mares, and was determined to find out more. James is a busy man, with business interests abroad and at home, and it has taken more than half a year to get together with him to discuss his success. This week it finally happened in Athlone.

While James’s family would have always had horses at home, these were half-breds. The world of thoroughbreds and racing would have been just a passing interest. When the time came to consider getting back into horses, James had a simple philosophy. “I always had it in my head to have a good breeding mare, and to buy something well bred,” he told me.

The first purchase was made at the 2004 Tattersalls Ireland November Sale when he gave €28,000 for a yearling filly by King’s Theatre (Sadler’s Wells) out of Back To The Nest, a winning daughter of Bob Back (Roberto). This was about twice the average for fillies by the sire at the time, but James was insistent on quality.

While Back To The Nest was unproven as a broodmare, she had carried 3lb claimer Ruby Walsh to victory in a bumper and won over hurdles with David Casey in the saddle. She also had blacktype thanks to a runner-up finish in a listed mares’ hurdle final at Fairyhouse.

Put into training with Pat Fahy, with whom James has now visited the winners’ enclosure on a dozen occasions, Backtothekingsnest, as the filly was named, won a bumper and a couple of hurdle races before injury curtailed her racing career.

The choice of Fahy as trainer was somewhat fortuitous – the trainer being a customer of Coen’s who was selling recycled rubber – but it has been a rewarding one in the last 13 years.

A couple of Backtothekingsnest’s siblings, also by King’s Theatre, proved to be winners and at the end of her racing career she was sent to stud. Her first foal was Eyes Of The Tiger (Golan) who won a maiden hurdle for Coen before selling to England where he has won a number of races.

Last month the second runner for Backtothekingsnest appeared and what a prospect he looks to be. Named Hoi Polloi, this son of Shantou (Alleged) made a taking bumper debut at Kempton and it is clear from her comments that Emma Lavelle thinks the world of him.

Hoi Polloi had made an impression too in the sales ring and went from being a €35,000 foal purchase to a €120,000 Land Rover Sale graduate. While not engaged at Cheltenham, it would be worthwhile keeping an eye out for the five-year-old should be go to Aintree in search of some blacktype.

One noticeable thing about James Coen’s modus operandi is that he sticks with a winning formula. That is evident in his choice of and loyalty to one trainer. He is also one of the biggest fans of the former Ballylinch Stud stallion King’s Theatre. A year after he purchased Backtothekingsnest, he was back at the sales in Fairyhouse and this time he gave €23,000 for a second daughter of the sire.

Subsequently named No Stopping Sarah (James’ only daughter is Sarah!), she exactly replicated the form shown by Backtothekingsnest and won a bumper and a pair of hurdle races. Her trainer felt that she was a blacktype racemare, but a lump on her jaw, which was largely removed in an operation lasting many hours by Marie Harty, hindered her progress and she was eventually retired to stud.

The first two offspring from No Stopping Sarah are daughters of Stowaway (Slip Anchor), the bumper winner Dazzling Sarah and the multiple-placed Stowaway Sarah. The latter is a summer horse and one to keep an eye on as she heads back into training shortly. In the course of our conversation James could not hide his enthusiasm for the now three-year-old Shantou filly out of No Stopping Sarah, one on the long list for a bumper in 2021.

No Stopping Sarah is a half-sister to the dam of the very smart Birchdale (Jeremy), a leading hope for the Coral Cup at Cheltenham next week. No Stopping Sarah’s grandam was the smart Baden (Furry Glen) who went on to become an even better broodmare, producing Grade 1 winners Carlingford Lough (King’s Theatre) and Thisthatandtother (Bob Back).

Three months after buying No Stopping Sarah, James was at the Tattersalls Ireland February Sale. Though he had no plans to buy, he was struck by the walk of a grey daughter of his favourite King’s Theatre, Out of a winning hurdler by Terimon (Bustino), she caught his eye and after a spin around the ring she was heading west after being bought for just €15,000.

Named The Grey Express, she won a pair of bumpers and a hurdle race but she is the one that ‘got away’. James received an offer he could not refuse and she headed to Janet Elliot in the USA for whom she landed a listed hurdle at Saratoga and was placed a number of times in similar races.

While King’s Theatre or Shantou don’t feature in the storyline of Keith’s Delight, James also cheered this mare home to a victory in a Downpatrick bumper and she was placed many times, including over hurdles. That daughter of Saffron Walden (Sadler’s Wells) is one of eight winners from Earth Charter (Slip Anchor).

A beneficiary of the bonuses offered by the ITBA National Hunt Fillies’ Scheme, James is an avid supporter of that initiative. “Prizemoney may take care of training costs, but the bonus is a lovely thing to get and anyone with a filly should have them nominated.”

Good advice from a man who knows a thing or two about success.