Hometown? Kanturk, Co. Cork, Ireland.
How did you end up where you are now? Somewhat unintentionally. I had graduated from University and was planning to return to the US for more work experience. Christy Grassick suggested that I might enjoy a short stint in Australia, so with a degree of apprehension, I travelled down here. That was 8 years ago. I find the relentless nature of the Australasian racing and breeding industry very stimulating.
What have you found to be the major difference between racing/breeding in Australia and your home country? The idea of the 'narrative' of racing in Britain and Ireland seems to have been discussed regularly in recent years. In Australia, the 'narrative' of racing is incredibly easy to follow and horse racing is part of the social fabric of Australia as a result. Each and every Saturday of the year, the best racing is hosted the capital cities of the major states – Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. Consequentially it is easy for participants to engage with the sport, aswell as being relatively easy to promote as a spectacle to the consumer. The coverage in mainstream media, both print and television, is incredible, so the exposure of the sport to the general public is extensive on a weekly basis. This must be a huge factor in why the racing industry in Australia is such a vibrant one.
Name one home comfort that you miss? My family and friends. The distance from Jerrys Plains to Kanturk means that trips home are a little less frequent than one might like!
Favourite sport or hobby outside of racing? I wasn't much good at rugby at school, but I love the game. I used to play a lot of tennis, and play quite well, but my frustration at not being as good as I once was has been a serious hindrance to my game in recent years!
What would you say is your proudest accomplishment? I got married recently, so that has to rank very highly! In a racing sense, I've been lucky enough to meet some great people at Coolmore, including The Ingham Family who have been very good to me. Annual consideration of the mating of their mares at Coolmore is something I very much enjoy and I got incredible satisfaction out of Japonisme, a horse raised at Coolmore, winning the G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington last November. Their cerise colours are iconic in the context of Australian racing and to have made a (small) contribution to the breeding of their first G1 winner since the sale of their Woodlands empire, and seeing the thrill that it gave them, is something that I won't ever forget.
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