SPEAKING in these pages for an ownership feature back in July, James Fenton was very excited for the year ahead, as he is every year, with the access he has to some of the best bred fillies in Ireland.

Off the record, he was especially excited about one mare in particular. It was a struggle to get the name, but eventually he caved in.

“Shewearsitwell. She goes for a bumper at Galway. But listen don’t print that! The members will go mad if it goes into The Irish Field and they can’t get any sort of price!”

As it happened the word was well out by the time this daughter of Shirocco reached Ballybrit. Sent off a shade of odds-on, she duly obliged for Willie and Patrick Mullins, landing her first €5,000 Weatherbys ITBA NH Fillies Bonus.

“A lot of the credit goes to Cathal Ennis. I went to Cathal’s with the pedigrees, had a look at seven mares, and she was one of two I took.

“She came down to Fermoy, down to my uncles Dave and Shane Fenton. Dave pre-trained her for Willie and Shane did an excellent job with her. Her jumping can be accredited to him and Shane Butler, the two Shanes. She went into Willie’s, and he just worked his magic.

“I’d say after Galway Patrick wasn’t as keen to go jumping as Willie but I didn’t get involved in that, it’s best to let them at it! She went to Sligo and she was electric and then it was a case of which novice hurdle to go for. There were two novice hurdles at Listowel but I thought it was a fair indication of the regard Willie has for her to put her into the Joe Mac, a Grade 3 on only her second run over hurdles.

“It was a massive call by Willie but he’s the man that knows. In my eyes when it comes to fillies, no trainer can touch him.”

As it has transpired, there is a lot, lot more to look forward to with Shewearsitwell than just the prospect of a nice-priced winner because according to Simon Rowlands’s analysis (page eight) she’s already good enough to be a leading contender for the Mares’ Novice Hurdle at Cheltenham after her smooth win in Grade 3 company at Tipperary last Sunday.

Golden run

She also started a golden run of mares bonus wins for Fenton’s Closutton Racing Club, as alongside Robinnia, the pair have accounted for four wins and a total of €20,000.

“It’s a fantastic initiative, not least this year with the Covid effect on prize money,” Fenton explains. “Regina Byrne of the ITBA and everyone involved has done a brilliant job with it. You have this €5,000 bonus which is just a really warranted incentive and what it has done for mares is just absolutely fantastic.

“The proof of the pudding is there in the schedule – look at the Mares’ Chase that’s after being announced this week at Cheltenham, that’s massive. It’s brilliant for breeders and brilliant for the likes of me because I get a better selection of mare. But the other side of it is, some fellas are hiding other mares now. I’d be asking ‘What’s that one?’ and they’d be saying ‘Oh you don’t need to see that one at all!’”

Access

For just €120 you could have joined the Closutton Racing Club and had access to six mares in training with Willie Mullins. Sky Sports Racing’s Alex Hammond is one of the lucky club members this season who have seen five wins from just six runs. The €20,000 of mares bonus money has been added to the HRI account alongside general prize money and at the end of the year, all of it is divided and paid out to members.

Fenton is the bloodstock arm of the club and works with breeders around the country to source mares. He explains: “People get on to me and I ask them to WhatsApp their pedigrees and picture. I try to match both. If I can see the potential there, then I go out to see them.

“I’ve been up to Cathal Ennis a few times, Ken Parkhill as well, Frank Motherway, some of the biggest breeders around. I’m able to provide a commodity – a link to Willie Mullins – that can improve their pedigree. It’s good for everyone and it gets people going racing. I think that’s very important for the game.”

Fenton is directly involved with other racing clubs linked to Willie Mullins; Lions Mouth Racing and Blue Bloods Racing, so he has plenty to look forward to this season. He also has his own broodmare.

“I have her in foal to Harzand,” he says. “Anyone who asks me about it, I always say I hope she has a filly. I just love working with fillies, it’s what I’m into and the opportunities have never been better.”

On a personal note, Fenton has been ill this year, and wanted to thank everyone for wishing him well.

He said: “I had a very sick year, I was quite ill for a while and everyone in the racing community, all the breeders, were very good to me wishing me well. I’m very thankful to all the well wishes. I got the all clear on Tuesday and I woke up on Wednesday like a new man.”