How did you get into racehorse ownership?

I would have been in the Phoenix Park racecourse in a buggy not long before it closed down. I was always gone racing as a young lad. My grandad brought me racing all over the country. I suppose in my early 20s I began to get more passionate about it. It took over every other sport really.

How did the syndicate come about?

Mick Mooney, the agent, got it going. He approached me about getting involved with a horse. It was Maria Kelly who found the horse for us. She is very knowledgeable. She was riding out for Tom Taaffe at the time and recommended Ceanndana. She liked everything about him. He was good value, he had a great attitude, and was quite compact so was unlikely to get injured. He had actually moved then to Ross [O’Sullivan] by the time we got to see him. We had gathered up 15 lads at that stage and we were ready to go.

Where did the name of the syndicate ‘Hows Your Father’ come from?

We actually came up with the name at a kitchen table over a few coffees. I think it’s best left to people’s imagination. We like to have a good time so it’s just a bit of craic really.

Tell us about the win in Downpatrick, It must have been a great feeling to finally get into the winner’s enclosure with him?

Yeah, it was brilliant. The locals were great too, there was a family day on. There was a great buzz. A lot of people dream of having Cheltenham winners, I always said that just one winner down the country would do me. When that feeling came it was amazing. To have my son there as well was fantastic. He was over the moon. Keith [Donoghue] was fantastic, he gave the horse a great ride, and then when the presentation was being made he made sure my son was front and centre. It was fantastic. It was so special. The horse was knocking on the door there last year. He had a difficult year as a five-year-old and you are thinking that this day will never come. Fair play to him though, he put it all together in Downpatrick. I would also like to mention a couple of the jockeys who have ridden him previously. Conor Orr was brilliant on him in his first couple of runs and suggested the cheekpieces which has made such a difference. Also, Shane O’Callaghan was very unlucky on him. He knocked on the door a few times and it just didn’t happen for him.

Then from one of the most northern tracks to one of the most southern, Ceanndana was in the winner’s enclosure once again at Killarney this week. It must have been a very special feeling to win at a festival like that

Ah look, we had a great time, We are over the moon with him. He toughed it out so well. He showed once again that he has a fantastic attitude. The reception at the racecourse was brilliant and the buzz around the town after was great. My folks were down as well and it was just a special day. It is what racing is about.

I see Ross said that the horse may jump a fence, is that next on the agenda for him?

It is something that we have always had in mind. We said that once he won a hurdle race that we would jump a fence with him. He is not the biggest horse in the world but he seems like a really good leaper. Our hand could be forced now, depending on what mark he has after this, but hopefully the handicapper isn’t too hard on us as he only won by half a length.

Let’s talk about Ross O’Sullivan. He has been steadily improving over the last couple of years and is climbing his way up the ladder. What do you think it is that brings him success and hence appeals to yourselves?

He is an absolute gent and very accessible. Katie [Walsh] is lovely as well. He is brilliant at managing people. There are all sorts in our syndicate. Some of us are really into racing, some of us are just there to be involved for the craic and he is able to communicate with everyone and make everyone feel a part of the process. He has introduced me to other owners and I have met some lovely people through him. He is running such a brilliant show down there. For people like ourselves who are from Dublin and are trying to get involved in the sport, it can be a bit daunting. There is not a lot of Dublin people in the racing community but Ross has taken us in and he has been brilliant.

You are also part of a podcast called the Under Starter’s Orders Podcast, how did that come about?

There were four of us involved originally. Chris Telfort got me involved. It started off during Covid and it was really lovely to have something to do on a Thursday evening. I think I got involved in the second podcast. We really gel well together. I’ve become really good friends with the lads. We switched to video when we got closer to Cheltenham and it went really well. I have ended up doing a couple of other podcasts as a result.

Has the syndicate any plans so to reinvest again with another horse?

Lads are starting to get a bit giddy all right. I would love to go again. I have dabbled in racing clubs as well with my son. It’s great for him, he feels like he owns the horse. I will definitely go and buy again. I’m not sure if everyone in the group will but we do feel like we have gotten lucky with this. If we get a few more wins out of him, we will probably go in again, I would imagine.

How have you found the race day experience as an owner? Is there anything horse racing can do to improve the experience?

The racecourses have been great. The likes of Naas and Punchestown are brilliant, Downpatrick was fantastic. Sometimes you have a bad experience that might be as much down to how the horse has run as the actual facilities on the track. I think racing could look at a few more food vouchers for the bigger syndicates. If you don’t have the voucher, you can’t even buy food so then you are outside queuing up for a burger and you want to be with your mates as well. So maybe that is something that they could look at.

What advice would you have for someone looking to get involved in horse racing?

If you are getting involved in a jumps horse you need to be patient. You can’t just pull of a big gamble at the drop of a hat, It doesn’t work like that. We were learning about him all last year. You need to take your time. You also need to have the right people involved because it is a long-term project. You have to do it for the passion, the buzz, and the day out and it is all worth it when that day does come. If you can get people who have been involved previously that’s always a big help too.