How did you get into racehorse ownership?

A friend of the family got me to buy a half share in a horse called Garcia back in 1988. He won a bumper for us in the stewards’ room in Killarney a few months after getting involved. I had the bug immediately and it just continued on from there. I was introduced to the late Dessie Hughes in the early 1990s and he trained our first winner in a horse called Cuban Question in 1993. We have always had a horse with the Hughes family since, with most of them winners for us. Dessie bought us the great Hardy Eustace at the Goffs Land Rover Sale in 2001.

What was your best day at the races and why?

I always say the best day was the last winner but when you are involved with a horse like Hardy there are many memorable days. Him winning the Land Rover Bumper at Fairyhouse was a magic day, the penny dropped with us that we had a potential star in the making. Hardy brought us to Cheltenham in 2003 for the Royal & Sun Alliance Hurdle and winning that was our first Cheltenham runner and winner.

To go back in 2004 for the Champion Hurdle and win at odds of 33/1 was very special. Rooster Booster came over to Punchestown to regain his crown after we beat him in Cheltenham and he went off favourite that day again. Hardy beat him in Punchestown and now everybody realised that it was no freak and Hardy Eustace was the Champion Hurdler. Hardy repeated his win in 2005 in Cheltenham and this was a golden time for us all.

We had another very good horse in Schindlers Hunt. We won the two Grade 1s on the card in Leopardstown in 2007, with Hardy winning the AIG Champion Hurdle and Schindlers winning the Baileys Irish Arkle. Any day you can pull off two Grade 1s you think you’re on a roll.

So to answer the question, the best day we had at the races was the last winner Side Saddle and before that Acapella Bourgeois both of them winners recently.

What is the biggest drawback about being a racehorse owner?

Enjoy the good days, they are few enough but very memorable but there will always be some not so good days and some very sad days. While we were enjoying the success of Hardy Eustace winning the Sun Alliance in 2003 with the up and coming jockey the late Kieran Kelly in the saddle, the following August Kieran was killed in a fall from a horse in a race in Kilbeggan. RIP Kieran Kelly. This was and still is a very sad time for Kieran’s family, his colleagues in the racing industry and his many fans and admirers. We as owners have to appreciate the jockeys and the risk they take in the sport.

We have also lost some good horses over the years, Schindlers Hunt got killed in Aintree, Parkgate and Daniel Delany got injured on the gallops and had to be put down. All three were very promising horses and could have been anything.

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

The English racecourses, Cheltenham, Aintree and Ascot have been very good over the years when Hardy and Schindlers were racing, always looking after the syndicate with entrance tickets and food on race days. Aintree were particularly good the day we lost Schindlers in a tragic fall.

Irish racecourses have improved over the past few years but a lot more still needs to be done. If you haven’t got owners you will not have the horses running. A supply of entrance tickets are the one big thing that needs to improve.

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

Jump racing is where we are at, never involved in the flat.

What qualities do you look for in a trainer?

Honesty, straight talking. It is important to get the story right even if it’s not what you want or wish to hear.

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

There are many improvements happening in racecourses around the country. The bigger tracks that have got the funding have done a good job really.

How do you feel owners are treated at the races when not having a winner?

As the saying goes, second place can be a lonely spot, but it’s not quite as lonely as being last in a race. I think the racecourses appreciate owners running horses and we are always treated with respect.

How did your syndicate get its name?

Simple, the Byrne home place is Slaneyville so that is where the name comes from.

What significance do your colours hold?

Red with white chevrons, the Byrne coat of arms.

When buying a horse, what do you look for?

We try and get the trainer to pick them out.

What horses do you currently have in training?

Sheamus, Side Saddle, Total Recall and Acapella Bourgeois.

What’s next on the agenda for your horse?

Total Recall will run around the middle of February, delayed with a few small niggly problems.

Sheamus will be back at Easter after a long break, which we are looking forward to as he won his last four races and could be very exciting for the future. Side Saddle and Acapella Bourgeois have a few dates penciled into the diary and we are looking forward to the rest of the season with them all.

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

We have a nice four-year-old Wolf Tone horse that my brother-in-law and sister bred themselves and a four-year-old Stowaway that was bought at last year’s Land Rover Sale.

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

We’ve seen this kind of dominance over the years, more so in the UK than here. I just think everyone else will have to sharpen their pencil and get more competitive themselves.

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

How could you advise someone to become mad! It is great fun when you are lucky enough to have a good horse that will pay its way, but they are few. A syndicate where you have people sharing the cost is a good way to get involved in a magic sport.

Lar Byrne was in conversation with Olivia Hamilton

The Association of Irish Racehorse Owners (AIRO) have secured agreement with the Association of Irish Racecourses for free admission to 107 race meetings in 2016 for owners who currently have a horse in training.

This is an increase of almost 20 on the number of meetings in 2015 and AIRO wishes to express its appreciation to the racecourses for this gesture.

Details of the meetings are posted on www.irishracehorseowners.com and will also be listed in the new AIRO magazine which will be sent to all members.