The Supreme Horse Racing Club was formed to make ownership available to the ordinary person on the street, regardless of budgets. Willie Mullins trains horses for the club, and his advice and experience has been a massive part of the club’s success. The club aspect is very important, says its manager in Ireland, Jim Balfry, as it gives owners an extra option if their particular horse is sidelined through injury.

What was your best day at the races and why?

It was Pique Sous winning the Queen Alexandra Stakes at Royal Ascot last year. We nearly lost him eight months previously due to colic. What made the race even more special was that Willie Mullins lost a long-standing staff member the previous week due to a brain haemorrhage. Pique Sous’ victory had all the ups and downs associated with racing.

What is the biggest drawback about being a racehorse owner?

Entry costs and it’s my biggest beef with racing. There could be three meetings at the weekend, and if you enter your horse at all three meetings, you’re charged for three entries regardless whether you run or not – there’s no recompense if you don’t run. If the money is not in the kitty, you can’t make the entries. And it’s expensive - especially if they’re three graded races.

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

The Supreme Racing Club has a box at Punchestown and we’re always well-treated there. One of the main problems, especially for first-time owners, is that in the Owners & Trainers bar, there’s no one to liaise with and to introduce them to others. Perhaps racecourses could be more amenable to catering for first-time owners visiting their track.

Most tracks treat you well based on the facilities they have to offer. Ballinrobe and Sligo are small rural tracks but there’s been huge improvements at those courses recently.

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

Our owner base are National Hunt enthusiasts and it’s the more affordable side of racing for us.

What qualities do you look for in a trainer?

The qualities you want are openness and honesty. You also want a trainer to maximise the horse’s ability no matter what level that ability is and to be able to place him accordingly. The trainer needs to know what he has in his possession and find suitable races for them.

What improvements could be made to racing in Ireland?

Big screens are always a huge plus but they tend to only appear on big days. Viewing for people who are moving on in years is poor, especially if they want to watch the racing from the stands rather than in the bars. Not everyone brings binoculars to the races anymore so it would benefit everyone.

Also, there aren’t enough facilities to sit down and rest – there aren’t nearly enough seats and benches at racecourses.

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

Better Owner & Trainer facilities that provide sandwiches, soup and hot drinks, not just a bar. It wouldn’t cost a fortune to provide it but it would have to be policed properly. It’s nice to have a place to meet other owners, so everything owners need should be in that area.

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

It’s not really an issue, but generally the horse and jockey and trainer profiles take precedence, and there is not enough emphasis on the owner.

What significance do your colours hold?

Steve Massey, who runs the English side of the syndicate, is a Chelsea supporter – so he wanted blue. I’m a Leeds United fan so I wanted white. Little does Steve know, the blue and white we eventually settled on is actually my local GAA club, Caherline, colours too!

How did the syndicate gets its name?

When we set up, we wanted to be the best syndicate around. We had the experience based on being part of several syndicates in the past, so I knew all the pitfalls.

When buying a horse, what do you look for?

We leave that to Willie and Harold Kirk. It’s often important to have dual-purpose horses. Willie and Harold are an excellent pair at picking out suitable horses for us.

What horses do you currently have in training?

We have 30 horses in training including Pique Sous, Avant Tout (ran at Punchestown three weeks ago and is a two and a half-mile chaser in the making), and Open Eagle (sure to go on to win).

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

Loads to come, some of which are due to come out over the next few weeks:

Sharp’s Choice (contender for the Tattersalls bumper at Fairyhouse at Easter), Torrent De Mottes (French-bred), and bumper candidates Hot On Our Heels, Myska, Hear The Thunder, and Appy Days.

What’s next on the agenda for some of the club’s star horses?

Very Much So will hopefully be heading to Cheltenham. All going well, we’ll have Tarabiyn and Verawal in the Fred Winter. Pique Sous will be aimed at Royal Ascot again, this time for the Gold Cup. Avant Tout, who finished fourth on debut at Punchestown, would have won if there was an additional furlong. He’s going to be aimed at the Albert Bartlett.

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

Firstly, take it up as a hobby. Get into a syndicate like the Supreme Racing Club, which can get you into racehorse ownership at an affordable level. Commit for 12 months to get educated and then make up your mind.

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

UPCOMING FREE DATES

Dundalk Friday, February 27th

Downpatrick Wednesday, March 4th

Limerick Sunday, March 15th

Down Royal Tuesday, March 17th

Gowran Park Saturday, March 21st

Jim Balfry was in conversation with Joe Finegan