CONOR O’Dwyer has been around long enough to know that no matter how frustrating racing can be, the last thing that you should do is change something for the sake of it.
The Champion Hurdle and Gold Cup-winning jockey turned trainer couldn’t buy a winner at the beginning of the year but explained there was good reason for that.
“Around Christmas time we had nothing to run. I knew that we had a few summer types but I was beginning to question what am I doing? We had around 13 horses in and it would have crossed my mind to try something else,” O’Dwyer explained.
“But I wasn’t renting the yard and if I did close up shop, what else would I do? I have bills to pay. There is no doubt that it was a difficult time. You are not making a living and any few quid that you’re making, you are putting back into the place and you can’t continue on like that.
“We had Jon Ess there and we always liked him and I thought ‘great he’ll win one in Dundalk and get us going’. He didn’t get his head in front until May!
“But when I look back now he was running against the likes of Vincy and Beat The Bank, who have looked really impressive since. And here’s me thinking that you’d pick up a handy maiden in the winter at Dundalk!”
After a winter of frustration the tide turned for O’Dwyer when Jon Ess got his head in front and Trump Card won as well, both in the space of a week.
“Sometimes, you change things for the sake of it, but I can say without contradiction I haven’t changed a thing – the horses have the same routine, feed, water, you name it. When we had those two winners, I was thrilled for everyone, but if I’m being selfish, I was more relieved than anything else.
“We have 25 horses in now and we have the capacity to take in another 10. That makes the game viable. I’ll be at Tattersalls at the yearling sales looking for more yearlings. I am a jumping man at heart, but it is so much easier to train flat horses. You have a very quick turnaround with them and you know where you stand with them pretty quickly.
“There is no comparison training the two – the flat horses do half the work, they cover half the distance, whereas you have to push the jumpers that bit harder. They must be hard fit to compete, whereas with a six-furlong horses, you are nearly better having them a bit undercooked and fresh.
“We have a nice mix of horses in the yard and the key to running the business is that we want to be busy all year round – that is the aim. I’d say we are half flat horses, half jumping horses and the jumping horses that we have on the go at the minute, will run away until around Christmas time.
“I really don’t mind if we get a flat or a jumping horse. I suppose with the flat horse, if they are any good at all, you can get them sold, whereas with an ordinary jumps horse, you have very few options for them if they are not up to a certain standard.
“We have had a great run recently and Jim Browne sent us a few horses in the last few weeks, which is great. We have some very good owners that have stuck by us through thick and thin and their patience was tested a lot, but we are very grateful that they stuck with us.
“Anyone that would like to drop in and have a look around is welcome to do so and we’d welcome new owners and horses. You have to keep looking ahead. We’ve had a good run and we’d like to build on that if we can.”
BRONTIDE
4yo b g (36011-00-0537)
Vocalised – Toirneach
Hugo Kane
He had a couple of ordinary runs, but then he improved when he ran much better at Punchestown and Down Royal. I thought he’d have no trouble winning his maiden hurdle or a handicap but, for whatever reason, he disappointed us badly at Killarney. There aren’t many suitable races for him and he really wants two and a half miles. He’ll go handicapping and he likes jumping, but he is just a funny character and just needs things to drop his way. Hopefully we’ll be able to get a bracket for him before the soft ground arrives. He likes good ground and he was third to Rashaan in a hurdle at Down Royal so the ability is there. I’d say he’ll be a better horse next year and he will have more options then.
CELEBRITY STATUS
5yo g (3P/PP1-4)
Scorpion – You’re A Native
Michael O’Flynn and John F O’Flynn
I bought him at Cheltenham last year and he has had just the one run, when fourth in a maiden at Killarney in May. He had a bit of trouble when he tweaked a muscle in his back, but he is back on the go again now. He wouldn’t be a real winter type horse as he’d like a bit of good ground. He’ll go on softer ground as well, but not what you get at Navan in the depths of winter. He should have no trouble winning his maiden hurdle and he will make into a lovely chaser next season.
DON’T LET GO
5yo b f Yeats – Mem O Rees
(00-41)
John P McManus
We’ve always liked her, but she was very disappointing in her first two runs and was then better when fourth at Roscommon. The conditions suited her when she won in good style at Ballinrobe and she will go on handicapping now. Hopefully she can improve again.
DRAGON PHOENIX
3yo ro g Clodovil – Jazz Up
(9)
J Browne
He was due to run at the called-off meeting Roscommon last Monday and, if the ground isn’t too bad, he could go there this coming Monday for a maiden. I was very happy with his last run where it looked as if he didn’t get home. He works well and I need to get him going again now. We should learn a good bit more about him at Roscommon.
EL VASCO
6yo br g (4750/516530P-)
Royal Anthem – Black Lassie
Owen Curtin
He is a three-parts brother to Imperial Commander and is just a gorgeous horse. He won a maiden for us in Gowran and is a smashing chasing type. He met with a bit of trouble just after he won his maiden, which held us up a bit. He is a very big horse and when we’ve had him ready to run, I’ve just not been happy with the ground. I’d like to get one more run into him over hurdles, before he goes chasing. He isn’t a winter ground horse so ideally I will get him going pretty soon.
FLAMING SEA
4yo b f (26-321)
Sea The Stars – Lahaleeb
Khaled A Rahim
She is a gorgeous big mare she ran a very good race on her first run for us at Gowran. I was a little bit disappointed with her at Roscommon but she was very good when she won at Galway. She made all and handled the track really well. She’ll go back there for a listed race as I know that her owner wants to breed from her. We’ll see if we could nick a bit of blacktype with her in the meantime but she won’t run that often. She has her bracket and she is a fine big filly that you’d hope will make into a good broodmare in time.
FLORAMAR
5yo b g (8-47)
Ask - Flora May
Khaled A Rahim
I was very disappointed with him at Ballinrobe the last day and we could find no reason for it, so it was a mystery to be honest. That was his first run for us after joining the yard from Sandra Hughes. He works well and we were expecting a much better effort. We do like him and he is a good bit better than his last run. We’ll look for a two and a half-mile maiden hurdle on nice ground.
GO DARSI GO
8yo b g (361/48/2/21-)
Darsi – Nellie Heart
Philip J Reynolds
He has tons of ability and he is as good a horse as we’ve had. He is a very hard horse to keep right but he never lets you down when you get him to the track. He made his chasing debut over a year ago at Roscommon, but he had leg trouble after that, so we had to ease off him. He is back on the go again now and we’ll be waiting for proper soft ground with him. He could be a Troytown / Thyestes Chase horse in time. I’m mad about him and he is well worth minding.
I’VE GOT RHYTHM
3yo b g (04)
Approve – Batilde
J Browne
He is another horse that Jim Browne sent to me and he previously ran a nice race in a Gowran maiden. He is very laid back at home and he’ll go for a mile and a half maiden at Tipperary. He runs better than he works and we’ll learn a good bit more about him the next day.
JON ESS
3yo ch g (23315)
Dragon Pulse – Novosibirsk
Brinkleys Syndicate
I’m mad about him and I thought he’d win his maiden at Dundalk, but he kept on bumping into very good horses. He eventually got his head in front in a handicap at Dundalk in May and we think he is a horse that likes a bit of nice ground. I think he has a nice mark and, long term, I might look at the big fixture next Easter at Lingfield on Good Friday. He will be a smashing horse next year and he is straightforward. He is improving all the time and I think there is a decent day in him. We haven’t over-raced him this year and I didn’t want to take on the older horses with him. Long term, I think that approach will pay off as I think he has a nice mark.
MAC’S NEPHEW
5yo b g (P)
Stowaway - Like A Bird
Laurence Byrne
He has just the one run in a point-to-point and Lar Byrne has bought into him. He is actually a ‘nephew’ of Joe Mac’s, hence his name. He has an engine and he’ll take all the time that we can give him. We like him and we’ll have him ready to start off possibly around November time.
OFFICERS MESS
4yo b g (6-0865)
Beat Hollow – Settler
Patrick Nicholas McCormack
He has been a bit disappointing. We did the wrong thing by running him on soft ground and he’s not really a bumper horse. He’s had a few nice runs in maiden hurdles and I think he has a nice enough mark so he’ll go handicapping now. He is a very big horse and he still filling out his frame. I’d expect him to win his handicap before we leave him for the winter and I think he’ll be better horse this time next year. Two and a half miles on good ground is what we’ll look for with him.
PATRICKS PARK
6yo g (F/2/524047-180)
Insatiable – Rose Gallery
P Reilly Partnership
He came to us from Harry Kelly and the owner sent him to me just for a change of scenery. He won a chase last year and we like him. He works well and he has a good cruising speed. He is rated 102 over hurdles and 112 over fences, so we might go back hurdling with him. He is not here that long and we are still learning about him. Hopefully we’ll get him going soon as he wants decent ground.
PROSPERITY SQUARE
12yo ch g (7330688826P-651001)
Anshan – Raheen River
Owen Curtin
He has been a great servant given he’s had more injuries than Ruby Walsh. There is a race for him at Wexford in a few weeks’ time and I’d imagine that he’ll be retired after that. He is getting on now and he doesn’t need any hardship as such, and rather than have to retire him, I’d like him to do so on his own terms.
STORMINGIN
3yo gr g (81-U00)
Clodovil – Magadar
J Browne
He is a big, good-looking horse and he won a maiden for Stephen Nolan at Cork. He came to me when Stephen handed in his licence. He is a nice horse and has already run well in two handicaps on the flat. I think he’ll win a flat handicap before he goes over hurdles and I’d like someone to buy into him before he goes to the sales. He handles soft ground as well and he is an ideal type to go jumping.
SUNRISE LADY
5yo b m (P/4P2-2131)
Scorpion – Dawn Native
Hugo Kane
She came to me from John Berry’s and I like her. She won a point-to-point after we bought her and she was good when she won her bumper at Sligo two weeks ago. She is a versatile mare that never lets you down. She was the first winner for her owner and she will win plenty more for him. She’ll go over hurdles now and she will handle most types of ground. Distance-wise, anything from two-miles and two furlongs upwards will be fine for her.
THEMAGICOFMELLERAY
6yo b g (1-)
Kayf Tara – Warm Front
Syndicate to be named
I bought him at the sales last year and he is a huge horse at 17.2hh. Four lads have bought into him and he has won a point-to-point. We won’t delay with him and I’d be keen to crack on over fences. He has had a few little niggly problems, but we’ll find a maiden hurdle for him in late September and then we’ll look to go chasing.
TRUMP CARD
4yo g (0/608963479-5261412)
Lilbourne Lad - Beach Of Peace
Trump Syndicate
He has won two for us this year and I think he’ll win another for us on the flat before we go jumping with him. He has been a great servant and has been great for the lads that own him. He has only had the one run over hurdles, but he is only four and there is more to come from him. He is a real good ground horse, so we’ll try and get him going again over hurdles before the ground gets too bad. But he has done his job already for us this year and he’ll be back at Dundalk as well for the winter.
UNRACED
Fizzlestick is a four-year-old filly (Oscar - Room Seven) that we are looking forward to this winter. She works really well and has done everything right but won’t run until she has soft ground. Raise The Tempo (Most Improved - Easy Going) is a two-year-old filly we like and expect to have out soon. She is forward enough but just needs a few more weeks.
Elsewhere, we have a good few unnamed horses that are promising.
We have a gorgeous three-year-old gelding (Trans Island - Renada) that was bought at the Land Rover Sale. We’re looking to run him a bumper in the new year before aiming for the Land Rover bumper at Punchestown.
We also have a three-year-old gelding by Haatef (out of Pure Jazz) that I’d love to get someone to buy into as a bumper horse. We could push him to get him going on the flat but he will be a better horse with a bit more time under his belt and he will be a gorgeous horse to go jumping with.
We have another two-year-old filly by Pour Moi (out of Mary Anastasia) that has just been a bit slow to come to hand and the more time she gets, the better she will be. We’d be looking for something at Dundalk with her later in the year.
There’s also a three-year-old gelding (Jeremy - Inisharoan) who comes from the family of Central House. He has done a few bits of work and is cantering away. He’ll go for a four-year-old point-to-point next year and we like him.
Finally, we have a three-year-old filly (Martaline – Other Salsa) who we broke ourselves and who we like a lot. The man who owns her would prefer to go the flat route. We’ll see how she shapes up in the next while.
FACTFILE
Trainer: Conor O’Dwyer
Address: Rossmore House, Friarstown, Kildare, Co. Kildare.
Telephone: +353 (0)45 533458
Mobile: +353 (0)87 2555692
Numbers: 25
Jockeys: Best available