How did you get involved with racing?

I had a mare called Top Lassie, and she bred a horse called Ballinruddy, but he wouldn’t run out of your way! I had him in training with Paul Flynn. We were off schooling one day and Paul said to me: “You’ll buy a mare,” and I thought, oh God, I have enough horses!

I went back to the yard the following Monday, and they showed me a mare. I bought her from Paul for €1,000 and he gave me €100 for luck. She was the luckiest mare I’ve ever had! Euro Maker was the first foal I had out of her, he’s by Policy Maker.

I have a four-year-old full-sister to Euro Maker as well, also with Adrian (Murray, trainer). That’s my second foal out of Nuqood, she was bred by Shadwell and ran on the flat. She’s shaping very nicely. We’re going to call her Honey Maker. Adrian asked me where I got the name, and I told him ‘Never you mind where I got the name!’

Will you tell me where you got the name?

I had a swarm of bees in the house, and the honey started to run down the side of the house! I don’t like to bother them. I live on my own and I don’t bother anyone, but I go over to the local pub on a Sunday for two or three pints. Last Sunday week someone said to me: “I hear you have eight mares in foal,” and he asked “Who’s going to foal them?” I said: “I’ll use the same system as I did last year, the mares will foal them!”

Have you got many horses in at the moment?

I have 22 horses at the moment. I breed half-breds and I have some good Draught mares. I was getting €2,500 for foals last year. There’s no point in having rubbish. I keep the racehorses so that I can run them. A friend of mine couldn’t get one of his mares in foal, and I ended up taking a chance buying her. Life is a gamble!

I have a great vet, Paudie O’Reilly, and he came in to have a look at her. He injected her into season and told me to get her covered the following Saturday. I took her to Santiago and sure enough, when we scanned her, she was in foal!

It sounds like you’ve got plenty to keep you busy!

I am busy, but I have great neighbours. I was going to go to Ballinrobe with Adrian the other day, but my neighbour drove me and we had a lovely day together. His grandchildren like to come down and see the horses as well. The parish priest called over to wish me well after Euro Maker’s win. If he wins another race, and I hope to God he does, he wants me to parade him in the village and have a bit of a fund raiser. I think a lot of Euro Maker.

How did you end up having horses with Adrian?

Adrian and I go back 50 years. I was always great with the Murrays and they’re great friends of mine. He doesn’t rob me and I have great time for him. He’s a great trainer and looks after the horses very well.

How was your day at Ballinrobe on Monday?

I hadn’t been up to Adrian’s yard for about six weeks, and we were going to run him in Cork last Monday week. We decided then that he wasn’t ready and then we made the plan for Ballinrobe. They’re lovely people in Ballinrobe, they made us feel so welcome. There’s no doubt that it’s a beautiful track.

After the winner’s presentation my neighbour and I were brought into the VIP lounge. They sent me a lovely photograph of Euro Maker going over one of the hurdles. We got a lovely ornament from Ballinrobe, shaped as the head of a horse.

It’s up on the mantelpiece now, but I’ll have to get a badge made to put on it so that whenever I do pass away, someone will know what it was! I met they owners of Policy Maker at Ballinrobe and they were thrilled for me. They’re very nice people. Even Paul Flynn rang to congratulate me.

Have you got a plan for Euro Maker’s next run?

He’s no bad horse. From what I can see he’ll make a very good chaser. I was up with Adrian earlier in the week and he said he’ll run again in three weeks’ time. I wouldn’t mind going back to Ballinrobe again. It’s a lovely track.

You must feel a great sense of achievement winning with a horse you bred yourself.

It’s a great achievement to get them in foal! Nuqood has a great pedigree, and I got her for nothing. Last Monday was the four-year anniversary of my brother Ned’s passing. I used to have horses with him, so it was a great coincidence that the horse won. He must have been looking down on us. We had a customer for Euro Maker, but I’m moving on in years and I want a bit of pleasure out of things.