How did you get into racehorse ownership?

I’m from Rathangan, Co Kildare and have a farming background with a strong family interest in horses. My dad John was an owner and I used to go racing with him.

I played rugby with Leicester Tigers and Munster and Ireland ‘A’ squad and retired in 2015.

The Wait For Us syndicate comprises six friends from rugby, including Conor Murray, Keith Earls and Andrew Conway and the Rugby & Racing syndicate had 16 members and we have up to 20 shares available.

It’s a fun thing, I manage the syndicates. I can’t say it’s my full-time job unfortunately, but I enjoy it there’s a natural correlation between the competiveness of racing and rugby.

What was your best day at the races and why?

When Tuamhain won at Gowran Park last October for the Wait For Us Syndicate. It had been a bit of a struggle for her at the start. She had ability but different things had gone wrong.

She had gone to Joseph O’Brien’s yard last September and he stepped her up in trip and we won in October.

What is the biggest drawback about being a racehorse owner?

Disappointments. When you know you have one with ability, it can be very wearisome dealing with the ups and downs.Once you have one win, it cancels all the downs and you get the bug.

In your experience, which Irish track treats owners the best?

The new building at Naas is exceptional. The viewpoint is excellent, you can see all the track and look up the straight. The facility is very well run.One point worth making is that with big syndicates on the major days of racing, it’s important that all members of the syndicate can get into the bars allocated and get service.

We haven’t had any issues with ticket allocation for the syndicates even on festival days at Punchestown or Galway or any of the festivals.

It’s worth making the point again about the bar access.

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

I grew up going to the Curragh with my father so the flat would have been my preference. I’m really looking forward to the new Curragh.

But the last couple of years I have also become involved with and enjoy jump racing.

What qualities do you look for in a trainer?

Kevin Prendergast had a huge amount of winners for my father and now our horses are with Joseph O’Brien.

What good trainers have in common is an eye for an animal. Kevin had one of the best eyes in the business and Joseph has a great knack of finding ability. He is able to pick out what different types of horses are capable of. He has all sorts in his care – 45-60 handicappers to Derby winners!

On the one day last season, he won a handicap over hurdles, a beginners’ chase and a handicap! Some going.

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

The big thing is to keep on improving the procedure for setting up and running syndicates, the way most people in Ireland race horses.

HRI have made massive strides in enabling this kind of ownership and is trying to attract people to clubs and syndicates. The most important thing is to make the set-up as easy as possible.

What significance do your colours hold?

They are our family colours, brown and pink but with a different cap.

How did your syndicate get its name?

Rugby & Racing speaks for itself and Wait For Us syndicate is a private joke!

When buying a horse, what do you look for?

I love going to the sales, I used to go with Kevin and now with Joseph. I can view the horses and the action but you need the expert eye to pick out the potential winners.

It’s the same as anyone coming new to the rugby world and trying to work out the tactics and moves.

What horses do you currently have in training?

Between the two syndicates we have Chateau Conti, Apparition, The Game Of Life who won at Dundalk and is in again there this Friday (yesterday).

On Call should be competing in maiden hurdles soon. Chess Grand Master and Linger are another two we will be campaigning.

Have you any horses to look forward to? (i.e. young/unbroken horses)

No, we’re not going down the yearling, two-year-old route. We are sticking to horses in training.

What would help to make Irish racing more competitive for the smaller owner/trainer?

The majority of horses racing in Ireland are rated 70-75 and below.

I know we don’t want to have the cards too diluted but there should be as many races as possible for this level. Sometimes trying to get into a race rated 45-65, there can be as many as 30-70 entries. So you are balloted out and that can happen quite a few times.

A lot of those type of races are at Dundalk so if your horse doesn’t act on the Dundalk track it’s even more limiting.

This is frustrating for owners especially for people new to the game and they can lose interest very quickly.

Prize money in Ireland is very good – most ordinary races still guarantee €11,000 to the winner. But if that money could be pooled and be shared among three or four races with the winner taking €8,000 for instance, it would be more supportive of the lower grade horse and owner. And those lower rated races could be spread around the country on the grass tracks.

Horses at that level don’t pay their way really and what you want at least is a run.

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

A lot of the lads involved in the syndicates have little experience in racing but it doesn’t matter.

If they are in a club or a syndicate they get plenty from the ownership experience. They go into the yards, see what goes on behind the scenes and think – this is great.

People get hooked, they see the horses in the parade ring, follow their colours. There’s a whole range of enjoyment and it’s not just on the racing day.

Johne Murphy was in conversation with Olivia Hamilton