THERE was great excitement in Newport, Co Mayo, at the end of 2020 when the traditional Irish Sport Horse Rock Phantom achieved his qualification score for the Tokyo Olympic Games, due to take place this summer.

The now 10-year-old Spirit House (TB) gelding is ridden by Brazil’s Nilson Moreira Da Silva but his story starts in Newport, Co Mayo, where he was bred by Maura O’Malley, who keeps just two broodmares as a hobby.

Out of the Irish Draught mare Ballycroy Rose (Clonakilty Hero), Rock Phantom was sold by Maura as a foal to Hugh Douglas in the north, before going through the Goresbridge Go For Gold sale as a three-year-old, where he was snapped up by Carol Gee’s Fernhill Sport Horses and eventually made his way to America where he is now seen under Da Silva.

Tokyo prospect

The prospect of having bred a horse that could go to the Olympic Games is “unbelievable” for Maura and her family who have a farm of Mayo Blackface hill sheep. “It’s a family passion, farming and keeping horses. The horse breeding side of things really started as a part-time hobby. We breed one or two foals maybe once every two years.

“We enjoy as a family researching and chatting about different bloodlines, it’s extremely small scale as it is fitted in around our separate full-time jobs and commitments. We are part of a local group, the West Mayo Equine Group, which supports breeders and owners alike,” said Maura, whose day job is in the pharma company Allergen.

“Breeding is a family interest with which we have experienced incredible luck. We like the out crosses and rare crosses and more traditional type and we will continue to breed traditionally Irish lines as they are intelligent, brave, and can excel in all fields especially eventing.”

Rock Phantom is one of just four horses on the Brazil Olympic shortlist team to have achieved his qualification score and the O’Malley family are keeping their fingers crossed that he will be selected for Tokyo, come this summer.

Ballycroy Rose has bred five foals for Maura – four fillies and one gelding, Rock Phantom. Her latest foal was a 2018 filly by the thoroughbred Elusive Emir who “is turning out really nice”, and they intend to return to the 2015 Dublin winner this season.