CONGRATULATIONS to trainer Patrick J.F. (Malachy) Hassett on reaching his 80th birthday yesterday, March 17th.

Based in Quin, Co Clare, Patrick is known to many for not only horses but also for his pub, Malachy’s Bar. Many’s an equine related matter that was settled over a pint at Malachy’s!

Patrick trained his first winner on September 5th, 1979 at Tralee when Wandering Gal won the Brandon INH Flat Race under Donie Hassett. His first point-to-point winner was Taravic in Dromoland in April 1983, again ridden by Donie.

“We landed a grand gamble in Tralee that day with Wandering Gal,” recalled Donie this week. “And I remember Taravic too, a horse he got from Paddy Mullins.”

One of Patrick’s most memorable winners came at Galway in 1985 when he provided a youthful Willie Mullins with his first Galway bumper winner.

Patrick is a bit of a character, as a couple of gardaí discovered over the years. On one occasion, the trainer was pulled for speeding while carrying two horses in a horsebox.

“Do you realise what speed you were going?” enquired the guard. “I do, guard,” replied Patrick. “I was trying to show the two in the back what it’s like to go fast!”

Another time he was stopped while bringing a horse to Dublin at around the time Shergar had been kidnapped. The guard quipped: “Is that Shergar you have there?” The trainer replied: “If you can make that lad Shergar, I’ll make you sergeant!”

Happy birthday, Patrick!