RANSOM was bought in 1966 at the Ascot Sales for £500, she had been placed a couple of times in little two-year old races. She started in bumpers in 1967. She was the only one I had in training at the time.

We ran fifth in the bumper in Tipperary without a serious gallop beforehand. She was quite hard to hold over two miles as she had been running over five furlongs.

The next run was Mallow where she ran away with me and we were over a furlong in front at one stage, only to be caught on the line and beaten into second. The amateur who beat me on the line was Luca Cumani, he was with Dan Moore at the time, getting experience!

We went to Wexford next where I know I wouldn’t be able to hold her. Kevin Prendergast had one that he was riding and was even-money favourite. I had a new plan as it was two circuits of the course.

As usual we tore off but at the end of the first circuit, I pulled her up and pretended the race was over which fooled her and we cantered past the winning post towards the exit and she had a lovely rest.

Lunatic

As we got to the corner for the second circuit, she heard the rest of the field coming up behind her and she took off like a lunatic again but she had had her rest and was full of running. The hardest part of the second round was negotiating the bends as we were going so fast.

I looked back after the winning post and the rest of the field were just coming into the straight. That was the beginning of the week and I was getting married on the Saturday, so it was a great start to the week!

Listowel

Ransom was given a rest during the summer with the plan of a winners’ bumper at Listowel. I had her fairly ready but decided to give her a warm-up race at Leopardstown in a very hot winners’ bumper.

I trained on the home farm and, after riding her during my lunch hour, put her in a paddock for an hour, from which my mother would bring her into her stable.

I got home at 7 o’clock and she was still in the field eating grass – not good for tomorrow’s runner. Anyway, it did not matter too much as it was only a warmer-up.

This time I had decided to hold her up, as Leopardstown is such a galloping track. All went well for the first furlong, but they went very slowly and she was mad to go. Then suddenly a gap opened up in front of her and it was too much for her and she took off and went faster and faster.

Micheál O’Hehir

It was a lovely summer’s evening with very little wind. At the four-furlong post opposite the stands I could hear Micheál O’Hehir say: “Ransom is at the four mark and the rest are at the five furlongs”.

We galloped on and won by 15 lengths at 25/1. Bunny Cox, who finished second, came up beside me and all he could say was “she’s very small”. He was riding Mr Smarty who won the Cesarewitch one month later.

Domestic disaster

A sequel to this was about 20 years later we had a few children and a Philips washing machine. It broke down, which was a bit of a disaster so I rang Repairs in Dublin.

The man in charge was very pessimistic and said it would be a fortnight before they would have a man in Waterford. He said: “Give me your name and I will let you know when he will be down.”

I said: “de Bromhead” and he said “Harry de Bromhead?”

I said: “Yes”.

He said: “Ransom 1967 25/1 at Leopardstown and I backed her. You will have a man tomorrow!”

He was as good as his word and the repair man arrived the next day.