What inspired you to get involved with thoroughbreds?

My family ran the Goresbridge Horse Sales business for years, so I grew up in a horse industry. That was my playground as a child, so I suppose horses are in the blood. My family owned a horse named Height O’Fashion, a very famous racehorse who got within an inch of Arkle, she was only beaten by a head.

My father kept a couple of broodmares, but it was half-breds that our business was mostly. It was in the latter years they started to sell thoroughbreds. My cousin, Dick Donohoe, is a trainer based in my father’s home place in Gowran and I’ve had shares in a couple of his horses over the years with my brothers.

Tell us about buying Vischio.

I was diagnosed with a blood cancer about four years ago, I was going in for a stem cell transplant and I was going to be in hospital for Christmas. I was trying to decide what presents I’d get for my four kids, and I had an opportunity to indulge because I wasn’t going to be around.

My oldest son is very keen on horses and greyhounds, as is my husband. I thought it would be great to have a horse, so I spoke to my brother Michael Donohoe, who is a bloodstock agent for BBA Ireland. He was at the sales at Goffs and Vischio was for sale. I didn’t realise the history when Michael talked about this horse being trained by Dick at the time.

The previous owner was a guy named John F. Kennedy, and he had died of cancer eight months previously. I said to Mick, “oh my God, we have to buy that horse”. I gave him my budget and he went halves with me. He rang me a few hours later to say that he’d purchased Vischio for €17,500, which I felt was a steal. I was thrilled, and the rest is history.

Over the course of the last three years, we’ve had fantastic success and, more importantly, we’ve had many really good, happy days out as a family.

She’s had some setbacks in the past in terms of not jumping off. How did she overcome that?

She’s kind of quirky, it takes time to get to know her and to understand her. Dick is as good as any trainer out there; I believe that he would train any horse. She always delivers, but she has become very mulish in the last number of months. Danny (Mullins) is a super jockey, he gives more than just his professional time, he gives everything, he’s been up with Dick, trying to figure out why she wouldn’t start, and trying to sort her out.

The fact that he started the last race with his legs out of the stirrups was incredible, to have the balls to do that. He cares so much, and he’d love another crack at a race with Vischio. She’s probably the one of the best horses Dick has ever had.

Vischio seems to have lots of emotional significance in your family.

She’s not just any old horse, it’s continuing the legacy for John, who didn’t get a chance to see her deliver. John’s brother is a man called Arthur, and the first day we ran he turned up, so I told Arthur that he’s part of the Vischio family with us and he’s been there at every race. The first day she won for us, he was very emotional because John wasn’t there to see the horse do that, so I said, “there’s John doing his magic up there”. It’s great to have her in training with Dick, we can always go up and see him and Vischio.

I don’t feel I’ve been through a tough time. I’m in remission at the moment, and I just feel blessed in terms of where I am. I have an amazing life with our business, Goatsbridge Fish Farm, we’re growing and that keeps me busy. We’re very active as a family in sport, Ned just won the county championship with Thomastown and Vischio has been another string to our bow, in terms of what we have to look forward to in our lives. She’s our superstar and I feel nothing but gratitude. I don’t live my life around my diagnosis, it’s on the side and I get on with things. I don’t dwell on it, because who knows what the future holds, if we could predict that, we’d probably keep the horse!

What led to your decision to sell?

She’s just eight, and she’s kind of served her time with us. With the sales happening this week, Michael wants to sell her on, but there’s so much emotion involved.

To find a horse that’s going to deliver what she has again, might never happen! How many horses have won nine races? We’ve gotten on top of her mulishness now in terms of jumping off.

We have a reserve and, between now and then, we are considering any options where we could possibly keep her and breed from her, but from a business point of view, you wouldn’t even dream of it, it’s crazy.

For us, it’s not about the money, it’s about the fun we’ve had and the connections we’ve made. She’s more than just a racehorse.

Ned, what’s been the best part of this journey for you?

For me, having the family connection has been the biggest thing, the personal element of it. Vischio has been a symbol of us coming together as a family. The listed race at the Curragh was definitely a highlight as well.

She was kind of an underdog, and I think she had to find about 20lb to win it, so we weren’t really expecting her to win. We got the horse originally because Mam was sick, so that all comes back to you on those days, it was brilliant. It takes your mind off it and gives you something to look forward to as well.

On Friday evening, Vischio went through the ring at Goffs November Sale and was bought by Jack Cantillon for €52,000.