Our series on owners continues with Tom Geoghegan

AFTER spending most of his life in the construction business in Ireland and abroad, Tom Geoghegan works his own small farm in Westmeath. A relative newcomer to horse racing, he hit the jackpot with his own homebred mare Mallards In Flight, trained by Gavin Cromwell.

How did you get into racehorse ownership/How did you come to own your first horse?

It was late in life when I bought two hunters to hack around the farm for a bit of enjoyment and to get some experience with horses. Deep down, my thoughts were to breed a thoroughbred and when one came up for sale locally, I bought her, even though she wasn’t very impressive to look at and very difficult to manage. Later, I decided to put her in foal to something not too expensive and she produced a lovely sports horse. It was then I decided to take her to Kedrah Stud to a stallion called Well Chosen. She was three weeks overdue when she foaled Mallards In Flight. It was after a very cold, wet night that I saw the foal for the first time. It looked like she had boots on her legs. The wet night caused the foal to stand up all night and her tendons collapsed. I walked towards the foal to have a closer look when out of a nearby drain flew two mallard ducks and they flew right across the foal. I thought to myself: ‘There’s your name; Mallards In Flight. Maybe they will put a bit of luck into you!’

What was your best day at the races and why?

I first ran Mallards In Flight in point-to-points and she did well until she developed an injury to her tendons from the hard ground. After some very severe treatment, she was in a stable for four weeks and then out in a paddock for a year. We needed to bring her back to race fitness and Ger Hussey of Tyrellspass was recommended to us, who for months worked patiently with the mare and finally brought her back to race fitness. But for his efforts and ability, Mallards in Flight would not be where she is today.

Our best day at the races with her was when she won a big mares’ handicap chase at the Punchestown Festival earlier this year. It was a blacktype race and I hadn’t expected her to finish any better than third. But she won, and won in style. She jumped very well throughout and jumped the last four or five brilliantly before winning by five lengths. She did a great job of it. Everything was perfect for her that day.

What is the biggest drawback about being a racehorse owner?

The expense of it. I almost got to the point I was going to leave, but then Mallards started winning, and she’s now paying for herself, but very few horses do.

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

I haven’t found a lot of difference in many of them but I’ve never come away from a track saying I’d never go there again. Punchestown treated us especially well when we won there, but we were also well-treated at Downpatrick, Clonmel and Tipperary.

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

Jumping – there’s more of a buzz to it and more anticipation. Flat racing is merely about speed and it lacks the extra factor of the unsureness of what’s going to happen at each obstacle. Unless you tick all the boxes in a National Hunt race, you’re not going to win.

What qualities do you look for in a trainer?

You need a trainer who is good at placing horses but most important is honesty. You need a trainer who keeps you informed about what’s happening. It’s not easy being a trainer but Gavin Cromwell was great at bringing along my mare. I was introduced to Gavin by my nephew, who rode out for him.

What improvements could be made to racing in Ireland?

When a trainer brings a horse to the races, he has full rights and access to the stableyard, but for an owner to gain access to see his horse in the stableyard, he has to be signed in by the trainer. I like to see my horse before the race to make sure they’re okay. And the horse might like to see the owner beforehand too. From a security point of view I can understand where they’re coming from but there should be something in place to allow owners in beforehand, and after the race too.

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

Most times you get a voucher for refreshments but it doesn’t happen everywhere, but it is always very welcome and should be implemented at more tracks.

Another is badly laid out racetracks. At Kilbeggan, for instance, the horses have to be led from stableyard to the parade ring past the stands, where there is all manner of music and people shouting etc. Some horses get spooked at the smallest thing. A horse of mine flared up one day - she was trembling after walking in front of the stands at Kilbeggan. If the stables were beside the parade ring, the horses could go straight out on to the racecourse. Badly laid out tracks boil down to bad planning.

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

I never got any kind of pat on the back for not winning but I didn’t expect it.

However, we had three very good seconds in the past, and it’s very difficult to walk away with nothing, whereas the winner gets all the accolades. Maybe after a series of placed efforts, some kind of recognition could be put in place. There could be a prize fund for horses who had three second-placed efforts in a row, for example.

What significance do your colours hold?

None but I picked colours I could see from the stands which were very distinctive and noticeable.

When buying a horse, what do you look for?

Correctness and temperament. I also like horses who are proven good racers but you’re going to pay for them.

What horses do you currently have in training?

Just Mallards In Flight at the moment.

Have you any horses to look forward to? (i.e. yearlings, 2yos, unnamed/unraced etc)

Mallards In Flight is in foal to Rule Of Law. She’s due next May.

What’s next on the agenda for Mallards In Flight?

While she’s in foal, we’re going to race her for the next four months. She’ll be aimed at the Midlands National and then the big Guinness Chase at the Galway Festival on the Friday.

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

Get involved in a syndicate and find out what happens before you have to pay all the bills yourself.

AIRO secured free admission on over 90 racedays in 2015 for registered owners with a horse in training.

Wexford Wednesday, June 17th

Down Royal Friday, June 19th

Down Royal Saturday, June 20th

Gowran Park Sunday, June 21st

Ballinrobe Tuesday, June 23rd

Curragh Sunday, June 28th

Tom Geoghegan was in conversation with Joe Finegan