Our series on racehorse owners continues with Bill Hennessy

Bill Hennessy, has been involved in racehorse ownership for over 30 years, and is perhaps best known for owning 2007 Cheltenham Champion Hurdle winner Sublimity and John Durkan Chase winner Rubi Light. His horses are now all trained by his son and former jockey Robbie Hennessy.

What was your best day at the races and why?

That’s an easy one. Winning the Champion Hurdle with Sublimity. Winning the race was no surprise. What was surprising was how easily he won. The bonus was being presented with the winner’s trophy by Mary McAleese, President of Ireland at the time.

What is the biggest drawback about being a racehorse owner?

I see no drawback in being a racehorse owner. I enjoy every minute of it.

In your experience, which racecourse treats owners the best and why?

I cannot say that any racecourse treats owners badly. These are difficult times and in the circumstances most racecourses do as much for owners as their purse strings will allow.

Flat or jump racing, which do you prefer and why?

I enjoy both codes, but my heart says jumps. However I am not a fan of the all-weather.

What qualities do you look for in a trainer?

I like trainers who communicate with owners and keep them informed about a horse’s well-being, possible future entries etc. But especially respect trainers who are unafraid to tell owners when a horse is useless and not worth persevering with.

What improvements could be made to racing in Ireland?

It would be foolish of me to think that I know enough about the Irish horse racing industry to be able to make intelligent suggestions as to how it might be improved. There are lots of professional people in the industry who are capable of introducing improvements when and where they see the need.

What improvements would you like to see racecourses in Ireland do for owners?

Improvements at racecourses for owners can only be achieved when revenues increase, and I think that most racecourses would make improvements if the money was available. However, I do like a comfortable Owners & Trainers Bar, so congratulations to Navan, Fairyhouse and Gowran Park in this regard.

What significance do your colours hold?

My racing colours were inspired by a visit to Old Trafford in the 1960s by West Ham United, who wore sky blue and maroon stripes. At that time I thought that those colours looked good and I still do.

What horses do you currently have in training and do you have any horses to look forward to?

I have about 10 horses in training, including Pershing, Hero De Villeneuve, Ultra Light, Mister First, Space Ship, Table Mountain and Time Machine. However, the horse I am most looking forward to this season is Rubi Light. He suffered a cocktail of minor setbacks last season which caused a serious interruption to his intended programme. Thankfully, he seems to be back to his very best and we’re approaching this season with renewed confidence. Sublimity has been retired to RACE and is helping educate the young jockeys there, and he’s enjoying it.

When buying a horse, what do you look for?

Myself and Robbie work together on picking out suitable potential purchases. We used to go to end-of-season sales and pick up some flat horses who could turn out to be decent hurdlers. More recently, we’re buying horses in France. Philip Carberry, who rode Sublimity and is now living in France, will give us a nod about a horse who is going to the sales at a reasonable price who might suit us. His recommendations have included Rubi Light.

What’s next on the agenda for Rubi Light?

He’ll go for the Clonmel Oil Chase or the Paddy Power Chase first, and all going well, he’ll be entered in all the big races he’s eligible for around Christmas before going to Gowran Park for the Redmills Chase. The Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham in March is his season’s goal.

What advice would you give to someone thinking of becoming a racehorse owner?

My advice to anyone thinking of getting into racehorse ownership is to not think about it - just do it. It is the most exhilarating pastime imaginable.

Bill Hennessy was in conversation with Joe Finegan

AiRO NEWS

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