ITBA AWARDS: Eimear Mulhern honoured with Hall of Fame Award 31 January 2025 Free

TAOISEACH Micheal Martin led the tributes to Eimear Mulhern, who was honoured with the Hall of Fame Award at the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association’s National Breeding & Racing Awards at The Heritage in Co Laois on Saturday night.

A successful breeder and consignor for many years at the highest level through her Abbeville Stud, Mulhern has given considerable service to the bloodstock industry over the years, serving on the boards and committees of Horse Racing Ireland, Irish Thoroughbred Marketing and Leopardstown Racecourse.

She was the first female chairperson of the ITBA and has been chair of Goffs since 2005, overseeing the company’s merger with Doncaster Bloodstock Sales almost immediately after her appointment 20 years ago.

In a specially recorded message, the Taoiseach said: “As chair of Goffs, a founding member of the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing committee and one-time chair of the ITBA, you have acted as a global ambassador for racing and the industry. Your induction is testament to the huge respect for you among your many friends and colleagues, and your many achievements over the years.

“And you acheived all of that with great humour and personality and wit. I toast your success and thank you for all you have done for Irish sport and wish you many more years of success to come.”

Derek Iceton of Tara Stud spoke of how Mulhern changed the course of the ITBA from being a ‘club’ to a powerful lobbying group, using her political skills to get things done and change how the industry was perceived in wider circles.

Goffs CEO Henry Beeby described Mulhern as outstanding, charismatic and talented enough to be President of Ireland.

Leading breeders Philipp Stauffenberg and Kirsten Rausing both spoke warmly of the award winner, describing her as a wonderful ambassador for Irish racing and breeding.

The Aga Khan is the largest shareholder in Goffs and his daughter Princess Zahra said: “Eimear is calm, resilient and very determined. She has been a great friend to me and my father, who was very clear that he wanted her to be chairman of Goffs. She has set and held the course.”

Beverly O’Keeffe, who has worked alongside Mulhern at Meadow Court and Abbeville Studs for 35 years, also spoke of her boss in glowing terms and remembered Mulhern’s late husband, John. “He will be watching from above tonight, raising a glass of red wine and saying ‘It’s about time!’”

Speaking to MC Leo Powell, Mulhern said she was overwhelmed and humbled ever since she received the letter from the ITBA informing her of the honour. “There are so many people in this room, who are so deserving of this award and I am so grateful to the Awards Committee for choosing me tonight.”

Asked about her connection with thoroughbreds, she said: “Horses are what I am, my passion since I was 14, they are in my DNA. The farm means everything to me. My brothers are here tonight, but I have a second family at Abbeville. They are my backbone, my friends in good times and bad, professionally and personally. I can’t thank them enough.”

She also acknowledged the deep influence her father, the late Charles Haughey, had both on her and on the industry. “He would be very proud this evening. He believed in Ireland, Irish people and the bloodstock industry. When the visionaries of that time came to him (as Taoiseach) with the idea of the stallion tax initiative, he too saw how Ireland could become the centre of excellence for the whole world in thoroughbred breeding, and so it came to pass.”

The day John Mulhern trained her father’s Flashing Steel to win the 1995 Irish Grand National remains her best day in racing, but there have been many memorable moments. “I bought my first mare for 4,000gns and she bred two Group 1 winners - I thought it was easy!” she recalled. Another handful of Group 1 winners have followed, most notably Gimcrack Stakes winner Approve and Folk Opera, the granddam of the prolific Romantic Warrrior.

Looking ahead, Mulhern said her hope for the future was to breed another top-class horse and to see Goffs continue to thrive.

Michael Kinane - the man who has done it all

HOW many people have ridden, bred and bought a Derby winner? That is just one claim to fame for Michael Kinane, recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award and described as “a man who has conquered every aspect of the racing and breeding world he has ventured into”.

Arguably Ireland’s first truly international elite flat jockey, Kinane was champion in Ireland 13 times, thanks mainly to the backing of trainer Dermot Weld. Overseas owners and trainers came knocking on his door and he began to win big races all over the world, though it was Weld who provided him with some of the biggest moments of all, through history-making wins in the Belmont Stakes and Melbourne Cup.

Eventually, Kinane moved on to Ballydoyle, where Aidan O’Brien provided him with a conveyor belt of all-time greats of the turf, including Galileo, Yeats and Rock Of Gibraltar.

As his career entered its final stage, Kinane took a quieter role with John Oxx and, unbelievably, there was one more superstar still to come - Sea The Stars. Kinane rode the horse six times in 2009, winning six Group 1s and retiring after that flawless season.

Through his association with Coolmore, Kinane had a share in the broodmare Funsie and she went on to breed Derby winner Authorized. He has bred a number of other stakes winners since then.

However, he is best-known in recent years as a bloodstock agent for the Hong Kong Jockey Club and, acting on their behalf, he bought an Acclamation colt at the 2019 Orby Sale for 300,000gns. Named Romantic Warrior, that horse has now won 10 Group 1 races all over the world (including the Hong Kong Derby) and is the highest earner in the history of horseracing.

Tributes were paid to Kinane by Dermot Weld, John Oxx, Aidan O’Brien, Ted Walsh, all of whom referred to the rider’s professionalism, coolness under pressure and ruthlessness in the saddle.

Kinane now lives in Portugal, where he is enjoying his golf. Accepting his award, he joked that his riding career also had plenty of disappointments, which prepared him for life as a breeder. “If you don’t like someone, buy them a broodmare!” he quipped.

Although he admitted he was not directly involved in the breeding of Authorized and wouldn’t have taken the dam if he had seen her first, the thrill of breeding a Derby winner was even better than riding one. “When you ride a winner, you are in the moment and it’s on to the next one. To breed a Derby winner is a unique feeling, a fantastic achievement and one of the best things I ever did. Even to breed a winner now is a great feeling.”

Asked how he picked out Romantic Warrior at the sales, Kinane laughed: “The Hong Kong Jockey Club gave me a crystal ball! But it hasn’t worked since!”

James Keogh moved by Wild Geese Award

JAMES Keogh is the latest recipient of the prestigious Wild Geese Award, which recognises the successes of Irish people in the bloodstock world abroad.

From Newmarket-on-Fergus in Co Clare, Keogh did not come from a racing family, but as a schoolboy he developed an interest in the sport through Tom Costello and Michael Blake. He enrolled in the Irish National Stud course in 1981, before heading to Kentucky, where he got a job with Gainesway Stud.

There, his talent was spotted by John Gaines and he rose through the ranks before branching out on his own, under the Grovendale Stud banner. Grovendale is now a leading consignor at the major US sales, with recent graduates including top sprinter Cogburn and 2024 Horse of the Year, Thorpedo Anna.

Just as importantly, Keogh has never forgotten his roots and he is famous for the support and advice he gives to any young Irish person who arrives in Kentucky.

Paying tribute to him last weekend were Michael O’Hagan, Tony Lacy, Tara Watts, Russell Ferris, Dermot Ryan, Jim Fitzgerald, Chance Timm and Tom Ryan.

Clearly moved by the occasion, Keogh said: “The late great Captain Tim Rogers was the one who encouraged me to go to America at 21 years of age. He promised me a job at Airlie Stud if I came back, but it wasn’t to be.

“In Kentucky, the Irish all look out for one another, we cheer for one another and, at certain times, we police one another!”

He said he was “exceptionally well blessed” to be married to photographer Anne Eberhardt for the past 38 years and their daughter Georgia “is just the apple of my eye”.

Keogh is also very fond of hunting and admitted it was true he had once ridden his hunter through the famous McCarthy’s Bar in Lexington. “Guilty as charged, but he was a nice horse and you wouldn’t want to tie him up outside!”

‘Breeders are facing serious transport threat’

GUESTS at last Saturday’s glittering black-tie event included Minister Martin Heydon, along with Nina Carberry MEP and Senator Fiona O’Loughlin.

ITBA chairman Cathy Grassick commented: “We are here tonight to recognise the outstanding achievement of Irish-bred horses, both flat and National Hunt, during 2024. This is our opportunity to celebrate their outstanding successes in a year, [during] which Irish thoroughbred talent was on display to a global audience once more. It is also an opportunity to acknowledge those who have made a lifelong contribution to Irish thoroughbred breeding and our people awards are well deserved and a testament to the wonderful people we have working in our industry.”

Turning her attention to industry issues, Grassick said: “Thoroughbred breeders in Europe are currently facing one of the most serious threats ever to the future of this industry, with the proposed amendments to the European transport regulations. The failure to provide derogations to these proposals for thoroughbred breeders - such as those afforded to competition sport horses and racehorses - is a serious issue, for which we must all strive to urgently find a solution.

“As thoroughbred broodmares fall under the high health status, we must work with our counterparts around Europe and appeal to our European parliamentarians to support us in our endeavours. We are delighted to have MEP Nina Carberry here tonight and we are very lucky to have someone with her depth of industry knowledge to support us in the European parliament.

“A huge body of work on this matter has already been carried out by our ITBA veterinary consultant, Des Leadon, and also by Joe Hernon, chairman of the European Federation of Thoroughbred Breeders’ Associations.”

Grassick also praised the efforts of the ITBA Next Generation, which last year launched four internships, including one named after Una Tormey, the ITBA chief executive who died a year ago.

This is Grassick’s final year as ITBA chair and she took the opportunity to thank Eimear Mulhern for being a role model, mentor, friend and client. “She set the bar high with her many accomplishments and I still have a long way to go to catch up.”

Grassick will be succeeded by Cathal Beale in the role.

She also thanked the ITBA executives Peter O’Reilly, Danielle Deveney and Hannah Marks for their work during the past year and the Events Committee for organising another memorable awards night.

John Connaughton celebrated for achievements

WESTMEATH native John Connaughton was the well-deserved recipient of the Small Breeder Award, thanks to the exploits of Group 2 winner Bay City Roller.

Connaughton, who will turn 93 in March, was lauded for his achievements in breeding and racing a string of high-class horses, produced at his stud at Barretstown outside Mullingar, where he has never had more than eight mares.

Some 15 years ago, Dunboyne Express won two Group 3 races for Connaughton before being exported to Hong Kong, where he won a string of Group 1 races under the name Dan Excel.

Bay City Roller not only gave Connaughton another big win on the track, the colt also ensured that his Blue Point half-sister was popular at the sales, fetching €850,000 at the Goffs Orby Sale.

A day after Romantic Warrior won his 10th Group 1 race, his breeders James and David Egan of Corduff Stud and T.J. Rooney, were honoured with the Older Horse Award.

This year’s Next Generation Award was presented to young breeders Barry Kennedy and Anna Murphy of Rigsdale Stud, breeders of Maria Branwell and Lexington Belle.

Brenda Shortt received a special presentation for her ongoing contribution to the industry over the last 36 years.

Known to many on the sales circuit as ‘Mammy’, Brenda describes herself as a “nurturer”, who enjoys providing assistance to anyone who needs it, especially those who are getting started in the industry.

Last year, Brenda underwent surgery for skin cancer. Thankfully, the prognosis is good and she will have further treatment in the coming weeks. It was perhaps a good omen that Brenda led up the sales-topper at Tattersalls Ireland on Tuesday.

The Two-Year-Old Filly Award was presented to unbeaten Lake Victoria, the dual Group 1 winner bred by Coolmore.

Ana O’Brien of Whisperview Trading accepted two awards – the Three-Year-Old Filly of the Year Award for Porta Fortuna, and the Two-Year-Old Colt of the Year Award for Expanded.

The Two-Year-Old Colt Award was, in fact, shared with Sunderland Holdings Inc, breeders of the unbeaten The Lion In Winter.

Princess Zahra Aga Khan travelled from France to pick up the Three-Year-Old Male Award for Calandagan.

Noreen McManus was honoured for her achievement in breeding two 2024 Cheltenham Festival winners from the same mare, Sway. The dam produced Kim Muir winner, Inothewayurthinkin, and Mares’ Chase heroine, Limerick Lace. The full siblings were trained by Gavin Cromwell and it was Limerick Lace, who earned the award as National Hunt Racemare.

The McManus colours were also carried to Cheltenham success last year by Corbetts Cross. The NH Chase winner was bred in Ballinasloe by Gerry Murphy and he picked up the Novice Chase Award. He bought the dam at Goresbridge for €450.

Goresbridge’s most famous thoroughbred graduate is probably Hewick and the King George VI Chase winner earned the Chaser Award for William Quinn from Co Wicklow.

Ballyburn’s brilliant novice season saw his breeder Robert McCarthy of The Beeches Stud pick up the Novice Hurdler Award.

Award Winners

Special Presentation:

Brenda Shortt

NH Racemare: Limerick Lace