Shock at passing of Ray Coyle RIP

THERE was much sadness at the news of the death of successful farmer and businessman, founder of Tayto Park, Ray Coyle (70).

He is survived by his wife Rosamond, son Charles and daughter Natalya, who has represented Ireland in three Olympic games.

From Tara, Co Meath, Ray Coyle started his career as a potato farmer and is best known for founding Largo Foods in 1982. The company grew to include a range of leading crisp brands including Tayto, Hunky Dory, Perri and King.

In 2010, he opened the Tayto Park theme park and zoo in Ashbourne, Co Meath which has attractived over five million visitors.

The Irish Field extends its deepest sympathies to Mr Coyle’s family and many friends. May he rest in peace.

Brassil named among funding recipients

SOME €350,000 will be distributed across 13 sports by the Olympic Federation of Ireland which this week announced the recipients of the team grant and 15 individual Paris Olympic Scholarship awards.

The Women’s Hockey team were awarded the lion’s share with the team grant of $100,000. The 15 individual grants of a total of $250,000 were awarded to athletes from 12 sports who will each receive €15,000. Among them was Galway’s Sive Brassil (Modern Pentathlon).

The scholarships aim to support the athletes in their preparation for Paris, and to assist on the qualification journey. Athletes were nominated by the national federations.

Team Ireland Chef de Mission for the Paris Olympic Games, Gavin Noble said: “Thirty-five individual nominations were received from 19 member sports for the Paris Scholarship fund.”

Stars go eventing

DUAL Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Al Boum Photo has been retired and will embark on a new career in eventing.

The Willie Mullins-trained 10-year-old last ran in the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris at Auteuil, where he was pulled up by Paul Townend.

He will forever be remembered as the first horse since Best Mate to win back-to-back Gold Cups at Cheltenham in 2019 and 2020.

He won at Tramore for the fourth successive year on New Year’s Day, but struggled subsequently at Cheltenham and Punchestown before his French trip.

Joining him in retirement is stablemate Melon. He finished runner-up at four successive Cheltenham Festivals, chasing home Labaik in the 2017 Supreme, Buveur D’Air and Espoir D’Allen in the following two Champion Hurdles and Samcro in the 2020 Marsh Novices’ Chase.

Melon (10) and like Al Boum Photo, owned by Joe and Marie Donnelly, finished second in a Grade 3 at Killarney just last month.

Willie Mullins tweeted this week: “Al Boum Photo and Melon retired today. Fantastic horses for Marie and Joe Donnelly and our yard. Al Boum Photo gave us two Cheltenham Gold Cups which was very special and Melon was such a consistent performer. We wish them all the best in their new eventing careers.”

Drammen Nations Cup

AS we went to press, the Irish show jumping were in action in the Longines EEF Nations Cup in Drammen, Norway. Chef d’equipe Taylor Vard selected the team of Thomas Ryan with Springfield 2, Jeremy Sweetnam with Brown Star Z, Harry Allen with Over Lux (ISH) and Commandant Geoff Curran with Glengarra Wood (ISH). Ireland has won the Nationc Cup at the venue for the last three years in-a-row.

A report will appear in next week’s issue.