LONGHOUSE Music, the prolific point-to-point winning mare, featured in a photograph last weekend in The Irish Field. She is one of many good horses to have graduated from John Duggan’s Longhouse Stables in Birdhill, Co Tipperary.

The publication of the picture prompted his nephew Kieran O’Neill to share the four-decade long success story of Longhouse graduates.

“What started as a hobby nearly 40 years ago has developed into a very successful rearing facility in Birdhill for young stock. Prior to using the Longhouse prefix, many successful horses were trained or reared at Longhouse Stables. The Lady’s Master was trained there by Matthew and John Duggan to win the Galway Plate in 1982. He won 26 races, including six point-to-points and ran in the 1983 Aintree Grand National when ridden by a certain Mr W.P. Mullins. He even won a chase at the age of 16 in Limerick Junction when ridden by Frank Berry.

“Following on from the success of The Lady’s Master, a number of other winners followed. Mark You Ten, a daughter of Raise You Ten, won five times on the track, twice in one week, and on the second occasion she was ridden by the now very successful North Yorkshire trainer John Quinn.

“Many more notable performers have passed through the Birdhill nursery. Well Presented, a son of Presenting bred by the Duggans, won the Grade 2 Nas Na Riogh Chase for Jessica Harrington when he had the future Champion Chase winner Newmill back in fourth. He also was second in the Grade 1 PJ Moriarty Chase at Leopardstown, while his half-brother, the very talented but fragile Cnoc An Einn, looked to be a very exciting prospect when winning his bumper in Galway for Paul Duggan, trained out of Longhouse Stables. After a number of injuries, and being nursed back to full health, Liam Burke won three handicap hurdles in a row with him in John Duggan’s silks.

Bensalem

“The classiest of the runners to pass through the Longhouse nursery would no doubt have been Bensalem. The Turtle Island gelding was purchased by John Duggan at the Tattersalls Ireland November Foal Sale in 2003, and it proved to be money very well spent. After winning his four-year-old maiden at Dromahane for Liam Burke, ridden by Derek O’Connor, a half-share was sold privately to London businessman Alan Marsh through agent and former jockey Tom Morgan. The agreement was that the horse was to be trained in Britain by Alan King.

“After winning five of his first six starts there, he appeared to have the world at his feet. Sadly he contracted a very severe travel sickness when travelling back to England after finishing a gallant second to Quevega in the Punchestown World Series Hurdle when giving her 5lbs. Despite being hours away from having to be put down, the vets worked miracles and managed to save him. He became the first horse in 14 years to carry more than 11st and win the Grade 3 Stewart Family Spinal Research Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in 2011. What added to an unbelievable occasion was the fact that Paul Duggan, John’ nephew, was looking after Bensalem in Alan King’s at the time, before being promoted to head lad a couple of years later.

“The use of the Longhouse prefix has brought a lot of luck - after a slow start. Long House Saint was the first horse to carry the prefix. An Antonius Pius gelding, he proved disappointing at first but went on to win a Kilbeggan maiden hurdle, and after being sold on to America he won a $40,000 chase.

Shrewd purchase

“Long House Hall proved to be another very shrewd acquisition. The full-brother to the talented, but ill-fated, Willyanwoody went on to be second to Diamond King in the Coral Cup for Dan Skelton, carrying John Duggan’s colours. Sold privately afterwards, he achieved a chase rating of 146 and, along with another former Longhouse inmate The Dutchman, he was entered in the 2018 Grand National before unfortunately suffering a fatal injury.

“From a yard that probably never had more than 10 horses at any one time, and nearly always adopted a one in, one out policy, to have Longhouse Hall and the 148-rated The Dutchman entered in the world’s most famous steeplechase was a fantastic accomplishment.

“The period between May 2018 and January 1st, 2020 was a fruitful time for the Longhouse horses. Longhouse Music won 15 out of her 19 starts in point-to-points, while Longhouse Sale, a September Storm gelding, won his first eight starts, commencing with a four-year-old maiden point-to-point at Dromahane for Sam Curling, followed by seven in a row on the track for the Skelton team.

“Longhouse Poet won his maiden point-to-point very impressively in the hands of Derek O’Connor at Boulta in January 2019 before being sold privately to Sean and Bernardine Mulryan, moving to Martin Brassil’s yard. He showed his class when beating this year’s Albert Bartlett winner Monkfish in a very strong bumper at the Punchestown Festival last year. Even though things did not go to plan at this year’s Cheltenham Festival, we have not seen the best of him yet and hopefully he will develop into an RSA prospect for 2021.

“Longhousesignora also chipped in. A Milan home-bred, she opened her account for Sam Curling and Barry O’Neill in a Stradbally mares’ maiden back in 2017. Sold on to Venetia Williams, she won a valuable mares’ handicap chase series final at Hereford in December.

Human talent

“As well as equine talent, a number of talented individuals have also put in a shift in the Longhouse yard. David Duggan, who was a flat apprentice to John Murphy and John Oxx, started his career there and is now training and trading horses successfully at Belmont Park in the USA. Up and coming star of the National Hunt training ranks - and king of social media in Britain - Fergal O’Brien did a stint, as did Paul Duggan and Ciaran O’Brien who went over to be head lads at Alan King’s Barbury operation.

“What of the future? It looks bright with some beautiful stock by top-class sire Getaway, future top sire Hillstar, and progeny by Sageburg entered in the upcoming store sales. The hugely talented Sam Curling, who has an unbelievable strike-rate with his pointers, has a very promising Schiaparelli five-year-old, Longhouse Fashion, who was ready to run before the lockdown but he will be seen in the autumn. As with Longhouse Poet, it’s not the end of the world if they do not run at four.

“John concentrates on producing racehorses, not sales horses. Next year’s stores look a particularly decent bunch, with a Walk In The Park three-parts sister to the mighty Douvan, a classy-looking Califet filly, and a Soldier Of Fortune filly really catching the eye. Hopefully Longhouse Music will prove to be as successful a broodmare in the future as she is pointer, and then the whole cycle starts again.”