I was only 11 at the time but all my family had a bet on the race and my younger brother Daniel, picked the winner.

I figured there had to be a way to beat the races and I have been trying to do so ever since! Throughout the years I met many fellow racing fans and in 2011 we set up the Dublin Racing Club.

It was not until I started working at the age of 18, that I realised I was not alone in being passionate about horseracing. The Cheltenham Festival was the highlight of the year for many people and I soon got to know a lot of punters with an interest similar to my own.

I attended the Christmas meeting at Leopardstown for the first time in 1992 and went back for the Hennessey two months later. In those days, it was jumps racing that really fascinated me but later I was introduced to the flat and soon came to appreciate what a wonderful spectacle it was.

I travelled over to Cheltenham in 2002 and have gone to every festival and November meeting since. Royal Ascot and the Epsom Derby have also been highlights for me and I intend to go back again as often as time permits.

In 2007, myself and a colleague set up a fantasy Ten to Follow competition in work. Through this event I got to know Stephen Cass, who worked in the floor above me, in Irish Life.

Stephen was a huge racing fan but he always felt that aside from the extensive media hype surrounding Cheltenham and the big meetings, there was not enough day-to-day coverage of the sport. He muted the idea of forming a racing club but it took a couple of years before anything got off the ground. The Dublin Racing Club was formally launched in October 2011 and we had our very first gathering at The Boars Head on Capel Street.

From what I can recall, around 40 people turned up to that initial meeting and we had a panel that included Damien McElroy of The Irish Independent and Jessica Lamb of The Racing Post. By that point, Stephen Cass had left Irish Life and started working for The Racing Post.

His knowledge and extensive contacts provided an avenue for the club to access guest speakers and racing personalities that may have otherwise been beyond our reach. We have now reached a level where attendances are anywhere between 80 and 100 people each month and we also have a mailing list with well over 200 fans on it. 

SUCCESSFUL

I strongly believe that being part of any “racing club” entails actually going to see horses run live, not just watching them on television. We have already organised very successful day trips to the Curragh and Leopardstown and later this year, club members will be attending the Punchestown Festival.

Our members cut across all strata of society and are a mixture of both men and women, of all different ages. I would say the club is made up of roughly 55, between native Dubs and people living in Dublin. I think this just adds to the craic and banter, especially when the Dubs are doing well in the football! We have a committee of three to five members, which get together a week after each meeting, in order to discuss how successful it was and consult on possible improvements that can be made for future events. I have to say that our guests each month have been excellent, giving of their time and knowledge without charging a penny.  

On Thursday, February 27th, the club are holding our Cheltenham Preview, at Dicey’s Garden in the Russell Court Hotel. We have a panel that includes Tony Martin, Robbie McNamara and Johnny Ward (with a fourth panellist yet to be confirmed) and are looking forward to a great night’s entertainment.

An admission charge of €10 will apply (our monthly meetings are free), with all proceeds going to the Jockeys Emergency Fund. Paddy Power bookmakers are our sponsors and a free €5 bet is included on each ticket. 

I have been thrilled with the way the Dublin Racing Club has gone over the last two and a half years. We couldn’t have asked for any more and the reaction from the public has been fantastic. However, our biggest challenge is still ahead, as we have found in previous years that interest is not as strong during the summer months.

The National Hunt season and particularly Cheltenham, are the biggest draws and our aim is to help members feel the same way about the flat campaign.

Hopefully we can succeed with that objective and help make the Dublin Racing Club even bigger and better going forward. 

Jack Dalton was in conversation with John O’Riordan