You and your family have been involved in racing for quite some time. Tell us about how you got interested in racing, and talk about the background to your interest in the sport.

This is probably different to the usual Owner column, in that I breed to race and with that comes a longer waiting game and higher risk, but when it falls right, it makes the good days worthwhile.

My late father bred Drumgora, who won the Champion Chase in 1981, and always held a restricted licence to train the homebreds. Michael still holds a licence and the horses in his care get five-star treatment. If I was a horse, I would want him to look after me.

Linden Arden had a fantastic win at Punchestown for you on Monday, how did you think the race panned out for him?

Linden Arden was suited by making the running in a small field for a maiden hurdle and settled and jumped. He ran much too keen in his previous race at Leopardstown at Christmas, when held up off a slow pace. It was a big relief as the conditions really suited him. Rated maiden hurdles are a great idea.

You bred Linden Arden yourself, what was he like as a young horse?

He always had a lot of quality and was straightforward, with no vices. Brian O’Connell broke him in. I know he has a long way to go in terms of even a fraction of her achievements, but he has similar characteristics to his mother, Solerina, in how he behaves and carries himself, and has her distinctive head and bright eyes.

Have you chatted to Willie about what you think might be next on the agenda for him?

Linden Arden came out of the race very well from talking yesterday with Patrick and Brian. He is likely to run in a handicap hurdle next. I see him as a soft ground staying chaser in time longer term, but he is a work in progress. Monday’s race at Punchestown was ideal in terms of being a rated maiden and he will find it tougher with his revised rating 12lb higher.

Multiple Grade 1 winners Limestone Lad and Solerina. I imagine they both hold a special place in your heart. Can you reflect on what they were like and some of the big days you had with them?

Solerina passed away at 24 years, but Limestone Lad is still enjoying life at 32. As Limestone was reaching novice hurdler – they both won three Hatton’s Grace Hurdles and Fairyhouse was their track – a favourite memory was when they both won at Navan on the same day in 2002, in similar front running style and I like to think they shared a real connection... maybe even swapping stories there and back in the box. That’s the beauty of breeding to race homebreds... they all have a personality from foals and you just try to make the best decisions for them.

Any story behind the colours and name of your recent winner?

Family colours from the 1970s and just a different cap (mine is black).

Linden Arden was named after a Van Morrison song ‘Linden Arden Stole the Highlights’ about an Irish-American hardman who got into trouble and was on the run. It was from an album ‘Veedon Fleece,’ which I also named one of my first horses after and he won at Listowel.

Have you any other horses that either have or have not been seen at the track yet or that you are breeding which you are excited about?

Solerina also bred Jamie Sommers, who won on the flat and over hurdles and fences and has a lovely Vadamos yearling, and is in-foal to Order Of St George. Halsafari (a big character who I hope is back next season) and Pairc Na Ngeal won three races each. Solerina has a five-year-old Vendanguer and a four-year-old Walk In The Park gelding that’s just broken.

Her last foal before she passed away was a Maxios filly, now three years old, who looks just like her, and maybe Solerina was trying to tell me something leaving a filly after a line of colts to continue the line.

Kiln Time out of Sweet Kiln won at Wexford this season and was second recently for Harry Kelly who does a great job. I hope to have Buck Rogers (named after the 1970s TV series), Maggie Walsh, who both were dual winners, and Halsafari back next season. Injuries are by far the biggest drawback and time is the best healer. I also have Akatara (the only non-homebred I raced) and Aunt Alice, who did well racing, breeding here.

I also bred Fayonagh, who won the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham. She had two full-sisters who died young, which shows how luck plays such a big part in breeding and racing.

National Hunt breeding to race is a very long waiting game and the main thing I have learnt is to think long term – it is easy to get disheartened at times, but if you have faith in the pedigree, it will produce results, even if there are many setbacks.

Breeding a racehorse instead of a commercial sales horse will help protect the industry and I do wonder if trends such as sales dominated by almost two stallions and bloodlines with a narrow focus are healthy – I don’t think it is.

You have been involved in racing for quite some time now, do you think from an owner and breeder perspective that the sport has improved? Is there anything you think can be done to improve the sport for lads like yourself?

I would like to see more opportunities for trainers/owners/jockeys with less than say 10 winners in a season. For all the promotion of great prize money in Ireland, I think it is too concentrated at a higher level and lower-level prize money has not kept pace with inflation over recent years.

The balloting for low-grade handicaps still needs attention. There are not enough horses to fill the graded races by comparison and some graded races might be better as limited handicaps.

Finding staff is a real problem in all aspects of industry and particularly for smaller operations.

Any advice for someone who wants to get involved in racehorse ownership but doesn’t know much about the sport itself?

I am a big believer in giving horses time and would be happy to start a horse off as a six-year-old. Think long term, definitely don’t go into it for financial gain and horses can need time to develop and lots of patience is required. Injuries are the biggest drawback for jump horses.