JOHN McConnell has enjoyed a fine season, highlighted by his first group winner on the flat last month at the Curragh, when A Case Of You produced a taking display in the Group 3 Anglesey Stakes. There have been enquiries about the Hot Streak colt who races in McConnell’s own colours, but he remains under his care and he would love to keep him to race next season.
McConnell’s National Hunt horses have been flying high as well.He has no fewer than seven horses rated in the high 130s and he is optimistic that they will represent him well at the big spring festivals next season.
“We have room for 70 horses and while we are busy, we can always find room for a nice horse,” explained McConnell.
“We’ve had a good year and we appear to have a nice bunch of jumping horses. We have a mixed yard and that is important for us as Dundalk will keep us busy over the winter. It has been a lucky place for us, and we always try and keep a nice team for Dundalk.
“But I suppose from now on, everyone’s attention will be on the jumps season and we are very fortunate to have some really nice horses. Most of them prefer nicer ground and a good few of them have had a busy and productive season already. Some will have a mid-season break and we’ll get them going again around Christmas time with a view to running as many as we can in the big spring festivals next year both here at home and in England.
“We have great owners and staff, and everyone has been great during Covid. It has been very strange, but our owners have been fantastic and hopefully they will get back racing sooner rather than later. They pay the bills and have kept racing going.
“We have great facilities here and we also have the beach down the road. That is fantastic for keeping horses sweet and is hugely beneficial when they need a day away and we bring the horses there whenever we can.”
Regarding jockeys, McConnell said: “We have some good young riders at home and Ben Harvey will get opportunities and is very good schooling at home. I have been using Simon Torrens and Brian Hayes over the last while and we’ll use them when they are available.”
Anna Bunina
4yo b f (NH: U11247, F: 221121-)
Poet’s Voice - Russian Society
Ms Caroline Ahearn
She is a smart little filly. She isn’t big, but she is back right again now, and she has won twice for us over the summer. She ran well in the Lartigue, but she came back sore after that and I rushed her to squeeze in her last run at Cheltenham and that was a mistake. She is better than that and Richard Johnson said that she’d be competitive in those good mares’ races over there. So, we’ll aim for the Mares’ Novice at Cheltenham and we’ll give her a little break now and have her back possibly for a nice novice around Christmas time. The flat is an option for her at some stage as well as she has a lot of ability. She is rated 135 in Britain and I think she is solid at that. Two miles is as far as she wants to go.
Anna Bunina is a smart filly who McConnell is aiming towards the Mares Novice Hurdle \ Healy Racing
Bella Union
4yo b g (unraced)
Mahler - Missusan
Ms Caroline Ahearn
He is a nice four-year-old, and he is a half-brother to Go Another One. He goes really nicely, he appears to have a nice bit of ability and I’d say we’ll start him off in a bumper in the spring on a bit of nice ground. We had planned on starting him off earlier this year before everything was shut down. The extra time has really stood to him and he’s a horse which we like.
Cabin Hill
7yo b g (136-P78)
Mahler - Bacherole
John McConnell Racing Club
He won a bumper last season and it is just taking him a while to get the hang of jumping now. He is getting better with every run and he will find his own level once he gets a mark.
Construct
5yo b g (NH: 115-0274, F: 529-722)
Maxios - Airfield
Derek Kierans
He has been running well on the all-weather and he is a proper 130-plus hurdler. He does stay very well, and he is only coming to himself now. The plan is to go novice chasing with him. He isn’t a winter ground horse; two and a half miles on nice ground is what he wants, so we’re looking towards the spring when he could be a very nice horse to go jumping fences.
Doesthislikethis
5yo br g (unraced)
Arcadio - Holy Ville
Horseracing Buddy Club
He is leased to a new racing club and I think he’ll do well for them. The plan is to start him off in a bumper in a month or so. He’s a horse that we like, and he worked well last season, but he picked up an injury and had to miss a bit of time. His work at home is very solid now and we like him.
Drumbear
4yo b g (unraced)
So You Think - Rule Britannia
Jim Porter and Colin Herron
We like this horse, and he is a huge individual. He shows us a lot of ability and the lads have left it up to me as to whether he goes for a bumper or a point-to-point. He is one to look forward to and he is not too far off a run.
Fred The Foot
8yo b g (35140-P426)
Scorpion - Rainy Season
Ms Caroline Ahearn
He gave himself a knock when he ran the last day at Clonmel. He hasn’t quite clicked yet over fences, but he is getting there, and I think there is a nice pot to be won with him. He ran well in the Pertemps Final last year and he does stay very well. Once he gets his act together over fences, he’ll be fine, as he has a big engine. He has age on his side too.
Go Another One
8yo b g (23F-11433)
Stowaway - Missusan
Ms Caroline Ahearn
He won two for us over the summer and he was placed in the Mayo National. He has won 12 races for us and he is a real stable favourite. He has lost a bit of pace, but he does stay very well. He will have an easy few weeks and he will be back for the spring with the Kim Muir and the Irish National on his agenda. He has been a real star for us and there are more races to be won with him.
Go Another One is a real stable star for McConnell \Healy Racing
Hand In My Pocket
5yo b m (22-13321)
Mahler - Galzig
Ms Caroline Ahearn
She got her act together and won well at Listowel and that form has worked out well. She stays very well and wants three miles. The EBF Novice Handicap Hurdle Final at Fairyhouse will be her target. She can’t handle heavy ground and she’ll be back for novice hurdles after Christmas. There is more to come from her and she will jump a fence as well.
Mahler Mission
4yo b g (2-)
Mahler - Finnow Turkle
Colm Herron
We bought him earlier this year. He was a late June foal and the time off in the spring/summer has really stood to him. He will handle heavy ground and he was second in a point-to-point for Cormac Doyle. He is a few weeks off a run, and I think he should win a hurdle race or two before we send him chasing.
Make Good
5yo b g (NH: 6-022, F: 05541)
Fast Company - Rectify
Paul J Newman
He isn’t overly big but he has really come into his own lately. He will mix it on the flat and over hurdles and he has been running well over the latter. We’ll look for another maiden hurdle for him shortly. He has won on the flat for us this year and he’ll make into a grand handicap hurdler over two and a half miles.
Pearl Of The West
6yo b m (NH: 0/1P40-, F: 6D34/22-)
Teofilo - Creese
Derek Kierans
She was injured in the Galway Hurdle the year before last but she is on the way back. She is a high-class mare and the plan is to go novice chasing with her. She will be back hopefully around Christmas time and all those good mares’ chases are options for her. She ran off a hurdles mark of 138 when last seen and I thought she’d run well in that, but she picked up an injury and has been absent since then.
Pearl Of The West is on the comeback trail and is set to go chasing \ Healy Racing
Play The Game
7yo b g (NH: 1073-3B16, F: 37/0/44-)
Lawman - Neutral
Derek Kierans
He runs at Naas today and we think he has a decent chance off his current mark (88, having been as high as 102). In time, I think he could develop into a decent novice chaser. The form has worked out well from the race he won at Listowel and he is another of ours which likes a bit of nice ground. He could go for the good two-mile novice at Leopardstown at Christmas. Two miles is as far as he wants to go. He is rated 134 over hurdles and he could do well for us on better ground over two miles in those good novice chases in the spring.
Some Neck
9yo gr g (61F6/52PF-)
Yeats - Maternelle
Some Neck Partnership
He has had issues with his jumping but he remains a high-class horse. Ben Harvey has done a lot of work with him and he might run at the weekend at Navan. Depending on how that goes, we are hoping that he could be a nice horse to run in some of those good staying chases. The banks races are also options for him – he was a 140-plus horse in the past. He is one that I am looking forward to getting going as his work has been good.
Streets Of Doyen
6yo b g (9-6U31111)
Doyen - Satco Street
Ms Caroline Ahearn
He has won four in a row but he has had a busy time and will have four to six weeks off now. He is laden with stamina and we will look at the Albert Bartlett for him. In saying that, you rarely get genuine good ground over there, so we might wait for Aintree and/or Fairyhouse for him. He only does enough, and he has really thrived of late. I think he is open to more improvement. He is a light-framed horse and we bought him from Stuart Crawford after he won a bumper. He wasn’t right for a while earlier in the year but he has improved all summer and he is a nice horse to have for those nice races in the spring.
Room To Roam
6yo b g (90-86727)
Fast Company - Lady’s Locket
Adders Partnership
I was delighted with him at Galway (second to Paranoid in a handicap hurdle) although he has been a little bit frustrating. He is in at Navan at the weekend and that race might suit him. I’d love to win a race for his owners who really enjoy the game and are very enthusiastic.
Winning Rascal
5yo b g (3-)
Brian Boru - Winning Counsel
Denis Reddin
He was third in a point-to-point a few weeks ago. He was a real eyecatcher that day as he nearly came down at the third last and he flew home to finish third. He could be a lovely horse next spring on nice ground. He is owned and bred by Denis Reddan and he is one to look forward to.
Yamato
7yo b g (NH: 852-73F0, F: 405450)
Big Bad Bob - Himiko
Singing The Blues Syndicate
He took a heavy fall at Gowran Park and I think he remembered that when he ran since at Fairyhouse. Once he gets his confidence back there should be a day in him over two and a half miles. He can run on the flat as well.