THE Dunlop family from Killinchy in Co Down has been closely associated with racing and breeding for many years.

Alan senior bred Delphi Lodge, winner of the Grade 1 Power Gold Cup in 1998, and he and his wife Grace raced the 2011 Irish Grand National winner Organisedconfusion.

Their sons Alan and Bill have continued to produce nice stock from just three broodmares.

Their latest winner is Dunsy Rock, a mare which they put in training themselves with Gordon Elliott.

Following a very promising fourth place in a maiden hurdle on her debut last Christmas, the Poet’s Word filly won a similar race quite easily at Fairyhouse last month, landing a €7,500 Weatherbys ITBA National Hunt Fillies Scheme Bonus in the process.

Alan junior was not there as he is has been in Hong Kong for the past seven years, acting as a veterinary surgeon for the Jockey Club there. But his brother Bill, who runs the family’s agricultural machinery business, was on hand.

“We normally sell our stock as stores but we kept this filly as we felt she could be our next broodmare,” Bill explained. “We have a three-year-old full-brother to Dunsy Rock who I’d say will be going to the sales this summer.”

The Dunlops are great supporters of Boardsmill Stud, where Poet’s Word stands. “Dunsy Rock’s dam (Inishanier, by Jimble) is in foal to Poet’s Word again and our other two mares are due to foal to Arrest.”

Bill was at Fairyhouse for Dunsy Rock’s win and watched it in company with William Flood of Boardsmill.

The Dunlops have had other horses with Gordon Elliott and Bill says it was the trainer who told them to make sure Dunsy Rock was nominated for the Bonus Scheme “though we always put our fillies in it anyway. I think it’s the first bonus we’ve won.”

Bill is not sure what’s next for Dunsy Rock. They had been considering last week’s Grade 3 race at Limerick but felt it was a bit hot for her at this stage. Wherever she runs, it’s likely that Alan junior will again be watching from Hong Kong.

“Alan tries to get home once or twice a year and was hoping to go to Cheltenham but that would have involved a connecting flight in the Middle East and, with all the unrest there at the minute, he couldn’t be sure he could make it back to Hong Kong again.”