And the young man from Kerry has the drive, horses and the facilities to make a significant impact in his chosen profession.
“I was always interested in horses and I used to ride out for Tom Cooper when I was at school and I got the full licence last year and thankfully things have gone very well,” he explained.
“Initially I got the restricted licence in May 2012 to train Bogini who won three for me. I only had a few at the time but after a while, I thought that I should give this a go.
“Up to then, I was prepping horses for the breeze-ups and when they didn’t sell, I’d get them home and try and get form into them to move them on. But there is a huge market for young horses with form and that flicked a switch in my head.”
He added: “I might have got £40,000 for a two-year-old at the sales and then when they went to another trainer, they might win a maiden and they would be sold again for maybe four or five times that figure so from a business perspective, that model didn’t make that much sense.
“What I was doing was selling readymade two-year-olds a couple of months off a run and then they might be cashed in if they won a maiden. It doesn’t always work out like that but I spoke to my father and we decided that I’d give training a go and so far, it has gone well and we have some very nice two-year-olds to run. The bottom line is that everything we have is for sale.”
Born in Tralee, O’Callaghan spent time working with Tom Cooper before moving onto Coolmore. He was the stallion man in Castle Hyde and he also dabbled in prepping horses at home for the sales. He added: “I always had a huge hunger for doing things right. My father saw that and he was happy to back me and together we set up Rangefield Bloodstock. My father, who is also called Michael, owns a good number of the horses that we have here.
“We set the company up to pinhook a few yearlings every year but it has evolved over the last few years to what we have now and my business model is to trade. But you must trade in the right stock and that is what we are trying to do now. We try and buy sharp, quality yearlings that if they manage to win a maiden, they are very saleable. Rapid Applause cost €25,000 and he won that when he won his maiden at Cork. He is a very nice prospect and looks great value now.
“This year we have a lot of two-year-olds to run and I bought a few more at Goresbridge and the aim is to try and get as many new owners into the yard as possible but for the moment, I want to keep the numbers to around 25 to ensure that the horses can get that bit more attention.”
OLDER HORSES
FASTIDIOUS
5yo b g /2833146360-132
Exceed And Excel - Felicitous
Michael O’Callaghan
He is a great work horse at home but he has also been very consistent on the track. This year he appears to have improved and he runs to his mark every day. Seven looks his trip and he likes to front run. I think he will win again soon and any ground bar extremes is fine for him. He has been a really good servant.
FOXTROT YANKEE
4yo b f 47-
First Defence - Birthplace
Michael O’Callaghan
She came to me from France and she was fourth first time out Longchamp. She was like a rasher when I bought her at the sales at Newmarket last year and we gave her a break. I like her and she isn’t that long back in and we’ll send her to one of the better tracks over a mile/mile and a quarter in about six weeks’ time. I think she will win her maiden and hopefully she can progress from there. She has a nice page and I like her. She would handle soft ground and she also handles the polytrack.
LADY RUTHERFORD
4yo b f 3840-
Hurricane Run - Mansiya
Michael O’Callaghan
She is blind in her right eye and she shouldn’t have handled Tramore when placed down there last year. She was fourth after that at Navan and she is a staying type. I put her away and I think she is well enough handicapped and she will go for a staying handicap in the next few weeks and I think she can pick one up. She is not too ground dependant.
MEIHUA
3yo ch f 0065-527
Duke Of Marmalade - Real Cat
Tan Kai Chah
She is a grand filly that has been placed a few times. Jim Ryan sent her to me and I think she might improve a bit when she races on the grass. She has the ability to win a race off her mark and if she managed to win one, she might just be able to add to that. The blinkers have helped her to concentrate and she might get on a roll if we got her mind in the right place. She will appreciate a step up in trip.
MR BOUNTY
4yo b g 943456-31445
Bahamian Bounty - Zamindari
Michael O’Callaghan
He has handicapped himself. He has been a bit difficult to train as he has had problems with his wind. He ran well earlier in the year at Dundalk and then we brought him to Kempton over six where he dotted up. He has run well since and five, six or seven should be fine for him and I think we can win another one with him if everything goes his way. He needs to break well and he likes to be ridden handy. He is an honest horse who rarely runs a bad race. He runs at Down Royal on Friday evening.
QUEEN OF POWER
3yo gr f 2-517
Medicean - Danamight
Michael O’Callaghan
She is the best three-year-old I have but the whole occasion of the Guineas just got to her and I would be inclined to draw a line through her run that day. She got very warm beforehand which isn’t like her and Fergal looked after her when her chance was gone. It was a big step up for her but she is a very good filly and the handicapper dropped her 1lb for that run and she’ll go to Ascot now for the Sandringham Stakes and the better ground over there will help her. Even though she finished seventh at the Curragh, I am sure that she is better than that and hopefully she’ll perform to her best at Ascot. The ground was very sticky for her as well at the Curragh. We’ll keep her to seven for the moment but I have no doubt that she will get a mile and a quarter and will prove in time that she is a group filly.
TWO-YEAR-OLDS
BLUE FRAGRANCE
2yo gr f 39
Verglas - Dazzling Day
Mr Jim Ryan
She ran a lovely race the first day at Naas in what looked a very good maiden. I was delighted with her and I thought she’d go close at the Curragh last Saturday, but even though she is by Verglas, she couldn’t handle the ground at all. She is better than that and I think she will have no trouble winning her maiden on better ground. Fergal looked after her at the weekend and she will get seven.
CASE STATEMENT
2yo b c
Showcasing - La Gessa
Michael O’Callaghan
He ran at Fairyhouse on Thursday (unplaced) and he has plenty of ability but he needs a bit of decent ground. I think he is well up to winning his maiden and hopefully I have a good enough guide with Rapid Applause. He should progress well throughout the year.
INDIAN TOMAHAWK
2yo b c
Sleeping Indian - Elhida
Michael O’Callaghan
With a name like that you’d like to think he’ll be good and we’ll more than likely wait for the first seven-furlong maiden for him. He floats on the grass and is a very good-looking horse. We think a lot of him and he could be smart.
I WILL EXCEL
2yo b c
Exceed And Excel - Da’s Wish
Michael O’Callaghan
Another horse with a good name and I took him out at the Curragh last weekend due to the bad ground. He is a horse that we like a lot and I might start him off in a listed race at Naas on Monday. He could have gone to Tipperary over five but I don’t want to blow his mind and I feel starting him off over six would suit him better. He always tries to please you and the more relaxed he has become, the more he has started to show us. His work has been very good and I wouldn’t be one to start them off in a listed race, but I think he is up to that level. He floats over the grass so I just hope the ground dries out over the weekend. He is improving every time we gallop him and he could be anything.
RAPID APPLAUSE
2yo b c
Royal Applause - Madam Ninette
Equine Partners Syndicate
We thought he’d go close the first day at Cork and he won well. He is a very nice horse and he is the biggest two-year-old in the yard. He was doing everything right and he was putting on weight for all his work and he didn’t surprise me when he won. He’ll go to the Curragh for The Railway Stakes on Derby Day. He wants good ground and Fergal said that we could drop him to five but the Curragh is the plan. He has a real high cruising speed and we have never had him off the bridle at home.
YULONG BAOYU
2yo b f
Myboycharlie - Al Basar
Zhang Yeusheng
She is a nice filly for good owners and she is a really lovely good-moving filly. I will start her off over seven at one of the nice tracks. She will improve for her run and whatever she does this year will be a bonus but she should be competitive in maidens this year.
UNNAMED
2yo b c
Bushranger- Noyelles
Michael O’Callaghan
He is a brother to Lilys Angel and I like him. Early on, he looked like a sharp horse but he was a bit weak so we gave him a bit of time. His work is pleasing us and he has a bit of class. I am in no rush with him and he will stick to the nicer tracks later on in the summer.
2yo b c
Danehill Dancer - Parvenue
A Syndicate
He is a real good-moving horse and he looks like one that we’ll start off over seven furlongs. He is a really good-looking horse and is a nice type to look forward to.
2yo b f
Makfi - Sally Wood
Michael O’Callaghan
She is a homebred filly that we like. She showed me plenty early on but she got a bit weak so we gave her some time off and she is back now working well. I think she will be competitive in maidens over seven.
2yo b c
Intikhab - Cuilaphuca
A Partnership
He is a very nice horse that I bought at Goresbridge last week. He has a lot of class and I will start him off over six at Leopardstown. I am still learning about him but he looks a nice prospect.
2yo b c
Clodovil - Mastoora
A Partnership
He is a bullet and is a very fast horse. He will start off over five and I don’t think ground will bother him. We’ll get him going over five and as he has so much pace, you’d be hopeful that he’ll be competitive in a maiden.
2yo b f
Showcasing - Al Corniche
A Partnership
I got her in Goresbridge and typical of her sire, she is a very good mover and is well-topped. She is a quality sort of filly and we’ll ease off her now and give her a chance. I am in no rush with her.
2yo b f
Azamour - Boo Boo Bear
Michael O’Callaghan
She did a very good breeze at Goresbridge and even though she is by Azamour, her dam side is all speed. We’ll get her going in a six-furlong maiden and I like her.
2yo b f
Showcasing - Hasten
A Partnership
She is a real two-year-old type. She is sharp and she did a really good breeze. She isn’t too far off a run and I like her. I’d say that she’ll be competitive in maidens.