A FORMER army captain is asking members of the Kildare racing and breeding community to consider voting for him in next Saturday’s General Election.

Cathal Berry is running as an independent candidate in Kildare South and this is his first time running for public office. He has a family and army connection with racehorses and this week he had a meeting with Michael Grassick, chief executive of the Irish Racehorse Trainers Association, to be briefed on the racing industry’s challenges.

Berry told The Irish Field: “I’m originally from Waterford where my family bred and raced point-to-pointers. I went to the Curragh camp at 18 years of age and I worked closely with horsemen during my 20 years in the army.”

Kildare South encompasses Newbridge, Athy, Kildare town, Kilcullen and Rathangan, so there are a lot of votes to be won in the thoroughbred community. “I’m told the industry employs 5,000 people in Kildare, so I am asking them for support. If elected I will give my absolute support to the industry. I will use my influence to make sure Kildare South gets its fair share of any state support.”

Among Berry’s supporters is Tom Stapleton of P & T Stapleton, the Johnstown company which provides landscape services to a lot of equine businesses. “I served under Cathal in the army and he is an exceptional person,” said Stapleton. “If he sees a need, he will go and do it, and he tends to be the best at anything he does.”