DAVID Mongey, chairman of Punchestown, was happy with the fulfilment of an idea which had been in gestation for eight years as the bronze of the late Fr Sean Breen, ‘The Breener’ by sculptor Emma MacDermott, was unveiled by Bishop Denis Nulty of Kildare and Leighlin and auxiliary Bishop of Dublin Eamonn Walsh and former trainer Joanna Morgan on Tuesday at Punchestown.

“I want to stress that this was a committee effort including Val Osborne, Mary Healy and Pat Murphy to get the project going. Fr Breen was the parish priest for Eadestown and Ballymore and was an iconic figure to racing and in particular to Punchestown. The opening race of the meeting is named in his honour.

“An idea to commemorate Fr Breen came into my mind and the only thing to make it go away was to do something about it. Emma, who made the wonderful sculpture of Arkle in Ashbourne, was commissioned and the plan of having him sit one side of a bench outside the weigh room was decided on. He’s keeping an eye on the weigh room and on the people going towards the parade ring. You can sit beside him and have a chat, get a tip or say a prayer.”

Plenty of people were not shy to sit at the other end of the bench from Fr Breen but what was divulged remains secret of course.Mongey concluded: “Pope Francis said that the church is like a field hospital, well Fr Breen’s field hospital was racing.”

Emma McDermott commented: “My inspiration was to produce the bronze in a natural pose, showing the man among his people. Technically it’s difficult to sculpt a figure smiling but in all the photos I studied of him that was his natural expression. I hope I have captured the spirit of the man.’’

Why not head to Punchestown today and make up your own mind?