I ALWAYS thought an awful lot of Pray Tell, even from a very early stage. He showed us serious work at home; he has some engine.

While he isn’t over-big, he has a great heart and just never gives up. He runs his heart out every time and is a straightforward horse to train when he is sound.

Unfortunately, he has had his injuries over the years, so it was unbelievable to get him back to win a Grade 3 at Cork last Sunday.

Point-to-pointing was a big part of my life, growing up in Araglen (Co Cork). We went racing as a family every weekend. There was always a work-horse at home on the farm, but when I was nearing the end of primary school, my father had a point-to-point horse or two.

He got a few winners over the years and really enjoyed the training. I suppose I always had an interest and it just developed from there.

We didn’t have a whole pile of them, never more than one or two on the go at any one time. A lot of people had a point-to-point horse at that time in the early ‘80s. It was great craic going off to a meeting every Sunday; we just loved it.

Left school

I left school aged 15 and a half and went to work on the family farm. My two older brothers went to America, so I stayed at home to help my father. It was a mixed farm, but we continued to keep the few point-to-pointers.

Around 2004/’05, I took out a permit as I had a mare that I thought quite a lot of. I thought she could be competitive on the track, so I went and did the trainers’ course above in the Curragh.

That mare, Collou, became my first winner under rules, when she won a Cork bumper in May 2007. She was ridden by Sean Allen, a neighbour of mine, who had done a lot of the work with her at home.

I later bred from the mare. She went on to produce Since Day One, a horse I sold to Rob James as a three-year-old. He was second in a couple of point-to-points before moving to Donald McCain. He went on to pick up blacktype when third in a Grade 2 chase at Doncaster.

Empors Sword, who is also out of Collou, won her maiden hurdle for us at Clonmel. She was ridden by Darragh Allen, a brother of Sean.

Having picked up an injury after that run, she had to be retired. The mare is currently in-foal to a stallion named Eagles By Day.

Letterofapproval was another very good home-bred horse, who won his bumper for us. Colin Motherway rode him to win at Cork, a track that has been a very lucky one for us.

We always had one or two broodmares at home over the years and continue to do so, right up to the present time.

Charlie Pay was another horse that I had high hopes for. Unfortunately, after winning a local confined point-to-point, he fell on his next start and never raced again.

Between Letterofapproval and Empors Sword, I went 10 years without a winner on the track. Even though I never had any more than two or three horses, we didn’t have much success for a long time.

Bought for €6,000

I bought Pray Tell at the Tattersalls Ireland November Foal Sale in 2016.

At the very beginning of that sale, there were a handful of yearlings. I hadn’t looked at him outside, but he really caught my eye in the ring. Although he wasn’t over-big, I had never seen any horse to walk like him. I bought him for €6,000.

In February 2023, he won his point-to-point as a seven-year-old in Knockanard. A week after, he was 20 lengths clear when falling at the last in a winners-of-one in Nenagh.

After that, I said I would try him on the track. He ran well in his bumper, before being placed in two maiden hurdles in the spring. He then gave a bit of leg trouble, so I had to give him a bit of time off.

When he came back into training this year, he needed his first few runs. The horse delivered on the promise he had been showing us on the gallops, when winning his maiden hurdle at Kilbeggan.

He then went to Listowel for his next run, where he won a handicap hurdle under James Smith. Although only third at Punchestown after that, the ground might have been a bit quick and he also hit a hurdle early on.

Both his wins came over two-and-a-half miles, so I said I’d run Pray Tell over three miles last Sunday. I expected him to improve for the step up in trip.

Gordon (Elliott) and Willie (Mullins) have such good horses, it was hard to be confident, but I was hopeful that we could finish in the first three.

I didn’t say much to anyone before the race but, to be honest, I was quietly confident that we could go close. The reception we received afterwards was just unbelievable.

Family occasion

Mallow Racecourse, as we call it, has always been very lucky for us. My mother and father were both there, as well as my partner Elaine and her son Connor and Jess.

Both my own lads, Alan and David, were there too, along with my daughter Maeve. They are instrumental in the running of the yard at home, as are Kevin Power and Sean and Darragh Allen, who ride out.

I think that people appreciated what an achievement it was for a small yard like ours to take on and beat the bigger yards. It doesn’t happen very often. My phone didn’t stop ringing for the whole day and, even now, I am still getting calls and texts.

I haven’t really thought about where Pray Tell will go next. He came out of the race perfectly and is relaxing in a paddock for a few days. I’ll make a decision shortly, but I am just enjoying the win at the moment.

He jumps his hurdles so slickly, you would imagine he would make a nice chaser. However, he will be a nine-year-old after Christmas so, if we are to go chasing, it would probabably be some time next year.

Des was in conversation with John O’Riordan