SUZY Barkley teamed up with Monique Lyle five years ago to further develop the idea which Monique had been working on since 2012. In simple terms they wanted to find suitable homes for ex-racehorses, matching the horse to the skill and ambition of the rider. This business goes under the name of the British and Irish Thoroughbred Agency (TBAITA). Customer service is the driver of the agency. Monique has developed a wide network of people eager to work with an ex-racehorse, she is a highly qualified instructor and prides herself on assessing the skills of the riders to ensure there is a fit between horse and rider.

Suzy has developed strong relationships with various Irish trainers, who turn to her for assistance in rehoming retirees. This assistance involves a lot of logistics and considerable investment of both time and money to transition a horse to a different lifestyle. Then at the same time, assessing the strengths and weaknesses of a horse, all allowing the agency to properly place the horse with the right rider. The feedback from the people who have engaged with the process is wonderful and can be seen on their website – testimonials of happy riders, healthy horses and a system which delivers great results.

Paddock accident

One such happy rider is Gala Rowe-Setz, a paediatrician in the Belfast Children’s Hospital. Gala is used to witnessing traumatised people and perhaps that might be part of the bond she has established with Pat Costello, or “One-Eyed Pat” as she calls him. This six-year-old Zoffany gelding was bred by Frank Hutchinson and raced for Frank in partnership with Mrs Paul Shanahan and Mrs M.V. Magnier, and trained by Henry de Bromhead. The then colt sustained an injury to his eye in a paddock accident and lost the eye as a yearling.

The ITBA Wild Geese award is a prestigious annual award given to an Irish person successful abroad in the thoroughbred industry. The winner in 2013 was the original Pat Costello, a native of Dunamaggin but now the most famous Irishman in Kentucky. Pat (the man) is a co-founder of Paramount Sales, one of the leading consignors in America. When Pat was manager of Crescent Hill Farm, he too was involved in a paddock accident and lost his eye. But not his sense of humour. This irony was not lost on owner Paul Shanahan and hence the name of our hero Pat Costello (the horse).

Paul says: “The slowest horse I was ever involved with!” While Pat tells me that the owner’s favourite day was the day Paul was able to phone him up to tell him: “Pat Costello has been gelded.”

Despite his deep pedigree and his handsome physique, Pat Costello (the horse) was not a successful racehorse. Six starts produced a 41-rating. His eye issue did not inconvenience him. You may remember the Con Collins-trained Is King which had a nice habit of winning on classic days at the Curragh, his name deriving from the line “In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king”. As a sprinter he may have had less to contend with than had The Dancer who managed to be placed in the Epsom Oaks despite her loss of an eye.

An affinity

Gala Rowe-Setz is of Irish-Austrian heritage but grew up in South Africa. “I could ride before I could walk,” she says, and professes to have spent most of that time riding thoroughbreds. “I have an affinity for them and my two horses before Pat were also ex-racehorses. I find they have so much personality and so every day is different with them”.

The highlight in 2023 with the then five-year-old was to be placed third in the dressage class at her local show, but the bar will be raised in the future: “As Pat gains more experience in show jumping and eventing I will aim him at the Northern Ireland Festival in 2024 and who knows, maybe Balmoral in 2025.”

When asked about the process of finding Pat, Gala just says: “All credit to Suzy and she deserves all the publicity she can get.” Gala created the Instagram account one.eyedpat which is a cult classic. It features some amazing photography, an uplifting choice of soundtrack, and images of one very happy ex-racehorse. It also reveals with great honesty the horse-human bond and its ability to uplift. Please check it out and let one-eyed Pat tell you himself.

Details of the British and Irish Thoroughbred Agency (TBAITA) can be found at britishthoroughbredagency.co.uk.

Check out the one-eyed Pat Instagram account at one.eyedpat