SINCE getting involved in flat ownership towards the end of last season, I have been lucky enough to win two races. Both victories, courtesy of seven-year-old mare Bainne, have come at the Curragh; the home of Irish flat racing.

I grew up in Tallow, Co Waterford, where my mother Bernadette held a restricted trainers licence. Both herself and my father, Seamus, are steeped in National Hunt racing, having bred and raced horses successfully for many years. Both my brothers held their amateur licences for a bit and my sister has been involved in pony club.

Some of my fondest memories involve going racing with a horse named Doorslammer, whom my mother trained to a Grade 3 success at Punchestown in 1994.

IN THE BLOOD

As far back as I can remember, our family had horses-in-training, either by ourselves or with outside trainers. Hurricane Millie was a good mare that my mother trained to win her bumper before later sending her to Pat Flynn. She went on to win again over hurdles later in her career, while still owned by my mother.

My own interest progressed from pony club with the United Hunt to hunting with the Conna Harriers. In my late teens I started riding out for Sean [Aherne], who had previously worked for my mother, before taking out his own licence. I went into his yard at weekends and school holidays, as well as going racing for him whenever I had the opportunity.

By that time, my mother had retired from training but still kept the odd point-to-pointer at home. The highlight of my time working for Sean was leading up a horse called Beantown at the Cheltenham festival.

That horse was one of my favourites, as he was out of Doorslammer, the mare that gave my mother her biggest success as a trainer.

For my 21st birthday, my parents gave me a present of a racehorse, Elkra. Sadly his career on the track was short-lived as he sustained an injury on just his second start. However, after a year on the sidelines, he was re-trained as an eventer and I enjoyed three or four great years competing on him.

At the time, I was studying for my PhD in Trinity, so my parent’s good friends Shelley and Bill Lombard were a huge help in getting me started and bringing me eventing.

FLAT RACING

Coming from a National Hunt background, I had no exposure to flat horses until recent times. It was not until I met my fiancé, Johnny [Levins], that I became more interested in flat racing. He had just started training at the time and had a mixed yard on the Curragh. Gradually over time I learned more about flat horses and when the opportunity came up to purchase Bainne, I decided to get involved.

I own a half-share with Deirdre Kelly, who did very well with Your Pal Tal, a sprinter that Johnny trained to win five races. We didn’t have to wait very long to get our first taste of success, as the mare won on just her second start for us at the Curragh last October.

It was a great feeling to get my first ever winner at such a renowned track, especially as it is right on our own doorstep.

Bainne was bought out of a claimer; races which Johnny is a huge supporter of. He feels it is a great opportunity for new owners to get involved in the sport, ready to kick on with horses who are fit and ready to race. Sometimes a change of scenery can just freshen up those horses and we have seen countless examples of that in recent months.

The Claimers Association was set up to promote such races in this country and we are very strong supporters since its inception. Deirdre [Kelly] and I won a prize for having the Best Claimed Horse last season and were presented with a beautiful trophy at the Killashee House Hotel.

Meanwhile, Bainne has continued to do us proud this season and added another Curragh win last weekend. In doing so, she also gave our young apprentice Sean Kirrane a first success as a jockey. Now rated 81, the mare is entitled to take her chance in premier handicap class and should be a real Saturday horse over the coming months.

We hope to go back to the Curragh for races during the classic weekends and maybe Leopardstown for Champions Weekend.

I am also involved in a couple of other horses in the yard at the moment, including a two-year-old named Footstepsintime.

He ran very green at Naas the first day and was all at sea. He actually ran much better at Leopardstown on his second start but they went very fast for juveniles and he felt the pace late on. Since that run, he has been working very well at home and we are really looking forward to his next start.

BACK TO EVENTING

At the minute I am really focused on returning to eventing and have been re-training the recently retired, Havelock Ellis, who was so kindly given to me by the O’Neill family. Havelock was a winner of four races and the O’Neills were adamant he deserved a new career.

So far he has only been lunging but is showing lots of promise and I am looking forward to a good season with him. I also have a second exciting ex-racehorse to come in at the end of the season, so I will be kept busy over the coming months. If Footstepsintime does well and is sold on, it would open the door to get a few more. Hopefully he can step up in the coming months and show what we feel he is capable of.

Although I am employed full-time during the week, I really enjoy working with horses and going racing. If the opportunity arose I’d love to get involved in some media work and see where it takes me.

Having spent most of my life to date involved in one way or another, I feel I have a good knowledge of both the breeding and racing side of the industry.

Tara Browne was in conversation with John O’Riordan