THE Supreme Horse Racing Club has opened up ownership of high-class racehorses to many people who would not otherwise have that opportunity. Kemboy’s impressive success in the Grade 1 Savills Chase at the Leopardstown Christmas festival was a dream come true for the winning syndicate.

One of Kemboy’s lucky owners, John Battersby from Garristown, Co. Dublin, who works in the glass recycling business said: “As an ordinary man, I would never have had the possibility of getting involved with a horse of that quality if it wasn’t for the Supreme Racing Club.

“I was sitting at home the other night and looked over at my sideboard where the Savills Chase trophy proudly sits. I said to my wife, Ursula, that Michael O’Leary would love to have that trophy sitting on his own sideboard!

“It was a really proud moment to lead in a horse that has just won one of the feature chases of the season. It was just incredible really. We had a mighty session in our local pub, Gormley’s of Garristown, that went on for a couple of days.

“I make the trip to Cheltenham and Aintree every year and to have a horse going to the Festival with a chance of winning the Gold Cup is beyond even my wildest dreams.”

ORIGINS

So, who are the Supreme Racing Club? Well, their origins date back to 2008 when Jim Balfry from Caherconlish, Co Limerick teamed up with Steve Massey, who at that time was working for Marks & Spencer Ireland and was looking to get involved in a few horses for the M&S social club.

Jim helped him source a mare, Supreme Carolina, through breeder Ken Parkhill, to be trained by Willie Mullins and she won first time out at Listowel. Not a bad start.

Jim thought there might be a gap in the market and quickly found out that there was indeed a market in that gap.

Balfry and Massey initially made an attempt to team up with Donald McCain in Britain but the BHA had made life difficult for them as both Middleham Park and the Elite Racing Club were just up and running and another rival would not have been greeted with much warmth at that time. As a result, the Supreme Horse Racing Club firmly hitched their wagon to the Irish champion trainer and they have not looked back since.

“Initially, our model was to lease racehorses but now, of the 26 horses we have in training, just three are leased,” said Balfry, who retired as a prison officer in Portlaoise back in 2010 and began working for the Supreme Racing Club in a full-time capacity.

“We now have around 400 members, with about 15 or 16 shareholders in each horse. In recent years, we have brought in a few bigger investors, like American Brett Graham and Englishman Ken Sharp, who are anchor shareholders with up to a 40% stake in each horse.

“That has enabled us to buy better horses and we have recently enjoyed a lot of success in graded races.

“However, apart from Steve Massey and myself, none of the syndicate members who show up on the day know exactly how much of a share the other members own in their horse. If it’s a 10%, 5% or 1% share, everyone is treated exactly the same and they are welcome to bring a few people with them if they wish. The more people involved, the better the atmosphere.”

Kemboy’s Savills Gold Cup victory was one of two Grade 1 festive successes for the Supreme Racing Club.

Aramon provided a very pleasant surprise for his owners in the Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle when he came home a comfortable 10-length winner. He proved that was no fluke when just touched off by stable companion Klassical Dream in another Grade 1 event in February.

FORTUNATE

One of Aramon’s syndicate members, Paul Conway, a Health and Safety Officer in a quarry near his home parish of Templederry, Co Tipperary, said: “It was hard to be confident going into that race as Aramon had been beaten twice by Triplicate but the race was a truer run race than his two previous starts and he just loves a fast pace. Willie seems to think the faster they go, the more he will like it.

“I have been very fortunate as I also have a share in the mare Robin De Carlow, who won four of her first five starts for us, including a couple of listed hurdle races.

“She was very disappointing last time out in a Grade 3 novice hurdle at Cork on very tacky ground and that run was too bad to be true. We’re hoping that was a blip and she can bounce back to winning ways.”

Back in 2012, Pique Sous provided the Supreme Horse Racing Club with their first runner at the Festival.

The grey gelding was partnered by Ruby Walsh and finished third in the Champion Bumper won by Champagne Fever. Seven years later, they will make their way to the festival with serious ambition. Aramon and Kemboy give them real hope of breaking new ground with their first festival winner.

In fact, the Supreme Racing’s dark blue racing silks with light blue stars are set to make daily appearances at the 2019 festival, as alongside their Grade 1 winners, the very useful Cadmium, Shanning and Robin De Carlow are also likely to board the transporter for the trip to Cheltenham.

The club’s colours were decided upon as a result of the original Anglo-Irish partnership between Jim Balfry and Steve Massey. Massey is a devoted Chelsea fan while Balfry is a big GAA supporter and his beloved local club, Caherline in Limerick, sport similar colours, so blue and white it was!

As a Limerick man, 2018 was a year that Jim Balfry won’t forget in a hurry. To round it off with two Grade 1 successes for his racing club was the cherry on the cake.

So far, their colours have been carried to victory no fewer than 130 times. A Cheltenham winner would put a big exclamation point this racing success story.