“WELL, our people that are running the sport, they have really got to make some tough decisions, and when they make tough decisions the rest of us are going to have to row in behind them.”

In a rare interview with Ed Chamberlin, broadcast at the 25th Peter O’Sullevan Annual Award at which he was honoured, the Coolmore boss John Magnier spoke of the great success he has enjoyed, the loss of his mother and the impact of the death of Queen Elizabeth, hiring Aidan O’Brien, and the need for racing to make changes.

He was clear about a need for people to see the bigger picture, and for all sectors to unite behind racing’s leaders. He said: “There’s too many sectional interests pulling in different directions. It has to be agreed, whatever the policy is, by the powers that be, and then we just have to go with it.

History

Reflecting on his and his family’s involvement, Magnier told Chamberlin: “Our family have been in the horse business in various forms, like from half-bred to all kinds of traveling stallions, for nearly 200 years. So I didn’t invent the wheel or do anything like that. I remember we were going to dinner one night when I first started calling up to Ballydoyle on some other business, but at that time I got to know Robert Sangster. We decided that we might pool our resources.

“We had beginners luck really. We went to Keeneland and this was before the Arabs really, so we probably got a lot of good value. We got The Minstrel in the first year for $200,000. The Minstrel has to be right up there because that was the first year we went to the Derby.”

Of Piggott’s brilliance, Magnier said: “He was an artist at work and he had an aura about him. If he came into a room you knew he was there. He mightn’t say much, but!”

The maestro

Magnier clearly reserves the highest regard for his father-in-law, Vincent O’Brien. “He understood all aspects of the business, like the American blood lines for example. He understood the finance. He understood that if you didn’t have the owner, you are not going to get the horse. He was a man apart; you couldn’t help but learn from him. He was a genius really.”

One big potential deal that went awry was that of El Gran Senor. Magnier told Chamberlin: “It was an extraordinary thing how good that horse was. He actually would have sold for eighty million if he had won the Derby. You could see that he couldn’t possibly be beaten the way the race was unfolding, and then for David [O’Brien] to be faster was incredible.”

He added: “Well that’s racing. In actual fact, I had a bet on Secreto and Ladbrokes took my money, gave me the cheque, and I still have it in my office framed. So we were able to buy a drink that night.”

Emotional

Magnier was choked up when speaking of his mother, Evie, who died earlier this year. Paying tribute to Aidan O’Brien, he told a story that Christy Grassick had failed to employ O’Brien as a youngster when he couldn’t get a reference from Paddy Mullins, and how that decision was to ultimately lead to the youngster going on a different path, ending up in Ballydoyle!

One aim that Magnier still has is to win the Triple Crown, something that he came close to achieving with Camelot. The pain of that St Leger loss is still evident. “Yeah, that was tough to take alright. The history of the Triple Crown really is something that we’d love to do sometime. So we won’t give up anyway.”

Auction

More than 470 people attended the sell-out fundraiser for six of Sir Peter O’Sullevan’s favourite charities, and the Trust has donated close to £14,500,000 to date. This year’s auction of eight items, conducted by Goffs’ Nick Nugent, realised £104,500 for the Trust. The most popular items was Terence Gilbert’s painting of Lester Piggott in Nijinsky’s colours, which sold for £27,000. Pat Gallagher bought two lots, and paid £21,000 for an opportunity for four people to visit Coolmore and Ballydoyle, with two nights at the Cashel Palace Hotel.

For further information on how to purchase the Trust’s Christmas cards, with all monies going to the charities, send an email to: mail@reddotprint.org