VALERIE Cooper received a standing ovation when called to the stage to receive the Racing Personality Award at last weekend’s Irish Racehorse Owners’ Awards in the Cashel Palace Hotel.

Mrs Cooper was recognised by the Association of Irish Racehorse Owners, not only for her success as a racehorse owner with the likes of Opera Hat, or as a breeder with Woodland Opera, but also for her many years as an acting steward and her contribution to the sport as a member of many racing boards and committees.

In a video recorded ahead of the awards night, the winner spoke about her privileged childhood in Co Cork, how she was allowed to drive a horsebox across Ireland at 14 years of age (“no licence, no insurance, all I had to do was be home in time for dinner”), and how she went on to represent Ireland at show jumping.

She met Tom Cooper and together they established the British Bloodstock Agency (Ireland) office, which continues to this day. Their ability to judge horseflesh attracted many clients.

Mrs Cooper owned her first winner in 1964, trained by Arthur Moore and ridden by Tommy Carberry, and those families remained lifelong friends, along with the Fowlers and Harringtons.

She said nothing made her more proud than to see their three children Alan, Patrick and Diana all carve out successful careers in the industry.

Shortly after her husband died aged just 64, Mrs Cooper was approached by the then Minister for Agriculture Joe Walsh and asked to join the Racing Board. She went on to serve on the board of the Irish Horseracing Authority and Horse Racing Ireland.

As a raceday steward, Mrs Cooper has driven from one end of the country to the other to give of her time and consideration. She is due to steward for the final time at the Curragh next Tuesday.

Last Friday, tributes to her contribution to racing were paid by Aidan Walsh, Meta Osborne, Jessica Harrington and Lorna Fowler.

Mrs Cooper summed it up: “I have enjoyed every minute of it. I can tell you I have had the most enormous pleasure out of the whole thing – and all the people I have met. It’s been a great journey, as they say. Thank you all enormously for it.”

THERE was a full house at the Cashel Palace Hotel last Friday week for the Irish Racehorse Owners Awards.

Organised by the Association of Irish Racehorse Owners, the event was attended by 200 people including Minister for State Martin Heydon TD.

Richard Pugh performed MC duties and galloped through the 16 awards with great efficiency. The awards, sculpted from wire and resin, were designed by Linda Hoyle, who divides her time between Yorkshire and France.

Several award winners also received portraits of their successful horses by Celbridge artist Jason O’Ceannobháin.

The awards ceremony was followed by dancing to Jason Fallon who has performed at Galway, Listowel, Killarney, Fairyhouse, Naas and Punchestown in recent times.

Greg and Audrey Turley, owners of Galopin Des Champs, took the Racing Dream Award. The Turleys have enjoyed great success with the Willie Mullins yard, landing the Triumph Hurdle in 2020 with Burning Victory, but Galopin Des Champs has taken them to new heights.

Gone to America

Most of the Galaxy Horse Racing Syndicate members were in New Jersey last weekend to cheer on Seddon in the American Grand National. Their star finished a gallant third but the horse had already done enough last season to earn them the Syndicate/Racing Club Award.

The syndicate was only established in 2017 and they enjoyed instant success with Mokhalad, a 14,500gns purchase who won seven races. In the summer of 2022 they bought Seddon privately and – trained by John McConnell - he has now won four races for them, including huge pots at the Cheltenham and Punchestown Festivals.

Also racing in America last weekend was owner Brian Acheson and family who race under the Robcour handle. Bob Olinger has been their best horse to-date and they have another star in Gerri Colombe, winner of three Grade 1 novice chases last season.

The Gordon Elliott-trained gelding is a serious Gold Cup contender and earned Robcour the Tattersalls Ireland Sales Selection Award.

Tahiyra may have bowed out last Saturday but her four Group 1 wins earned the Aga Khan the Owner-Breeder Award. Before the award was presented to Gilltown Stud’s John Garrett, MC Richard Pugh gave guests a whirlwind history of the Aga Khan’s racing success since 1960 and his benevolent impact on underdeveloped parts of the world.

Barry Connell’s top-level success with Marine Nationale and Good Land last season went down well with true racing fans who knew how much Connell had put into the sport over decades. He was a popular winner of the Owner Award.

An owner since 1989, the Dublin businessman famously took up horseriding in his 30s, successfully applied for an amateur licence and rode plenty of winners, including two at Cheltenham.

He then progressed to training in his own name and built his own stables in Nurney, Co Kildare, investing millions in equine talent over the years. He has also consistently sponsored races for amateurs and supported racing charities.

Souede and Munir

London businessmen Simon Munir and Isaac Souede don’t make too many visits to Ireland but when they travel they almost always pick up a trophy. It was no different last weekend when they popped up in Cashel to accept the Overseas Award.

Munir became interested in racing when he was at school in Harrow with William Haggas. After dabbling in flat racing ownership, Munir hooked up with bloodstock agent Anthony Bromley and became much more focused on jump racing. His friend Souede has been involved for over 10 years and their ‘Double Green’ partnership has enjoyed remarkable success.

Nicky Henderson trains most of their jumpers in Britain but it is Willie Mullins who has provided them with their best days, thanks to Footpad, El Fabiolo, Impaire Et Passe and, most recently, Galway Hurdle winner Zarak The Brave.

The black and red silks of Al Shira’aa Racing are becoming a more frequent sight on racecourses in Ireland and France. The operation represents Sheikha Fatima bint Hazza bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, granddaughter of Sheikh Zayed, the founder of the United Arab Emirates.

Al Shira’aa Racing’s Irish arm is based at Meadow Court Stud on the Curragh and in charge there is Kieran Lalor, who purchased this year’s Group 1 Prix Saint-Alary winner Jannah Rose for his boss at Goffs.

The Frankel filly’s success earned Al Shira’aa Racing the Goffs Sales Selection Award.

The flat season is not yet over but Sue Magnier will again be champion owner for the 22nd time this year and that award was accepted on her behalf by son M.V. and his wife Emily.

The Services to the Industry Award was won by Mary Cooney, who is the owners and trainers restaurant supervisor at Punchestown, Wexford, Naas and Tramore. Guests were told of Mary’s helpful and friendly demeanour and, in a video message, Mary deflected the credit to the people she works with.

Naas Racecourse was a repeat winner of the Racecourse of the Year Award, edging the verdict from regular nominees Tramore, Ballinrobe, Downpatrick and Punchestown. Friendly, helpful, inclusive, atmosphere and facilities were words mentioned by those who nominated Naas for the prize.

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Award winners

Mount Falcon Estate Racing Dream: Audrey & Grey Turley for Galopin Des Champs

Bermingham Cameras Syndicates/Racing Club: Galaxy Horse Racing Syndicate for Seddon

ITBA Owner-Breeder: H.H. Aga Khan for Tahiyra

Crossogue Preserves Owner: Barry Connell for Marine Nationale & Good Land

ITM Overseas: Simon Munir & Isaac Souede for Blue Lord, El Fabiolo & Impaire Et Passe

Goffs Sales Selection: Al Shira’aa Racing for Jannah Rose

Tattersalls Ireland Sales Selection:

Robcour/Brian Acheson for Gerri Colombe

Howden Welfare: Corrine (Coco) Doran for Briar Hill

Connolly’s Red Mills Champion NH Owner:

J.P. McManus

Weatherbys Champion Flat Owner: Mrs Sue Magnier

The Irish Field Services to the Industry: Mary Cooney

HRI Ownership Sponsors: Guinness

Coolmore Stable Staff: Lois Chappel

Godolphin Racecourse of the Year: Naas

Ballylinch Stud Personality: Mrs Valerie Cooper

Hall of Fame: J.P. McManus

AN Taoiseach Leo Varadkar TD was among the many to pay tribute to J.P. McManus on the occasion of the leading owner’s induction into the Association of Irish Racehorse Owners’ Hall of Fame last weekend.

Champion National Hunt owner for the 20th time last season, McManus was described by trainer Willie Mullins as “the most influential owner of our times” and also lauded by the Taoiseach for the support he gives to other sports, his community and country.

In a recorded message, Coolmore boss John Magnier said: “Not everyone knows what you do for racing behind the scenes at a fair cost to yourself. One day I suggested to you that you needed to get rid of some slow horses. You said ‘What about the person who looks after that horse? What are they going to do tomorrow?’ J.P., you are wired differently to the rest of us.”

HRI chief executive Suzanne Eade, jockeys Mark Walsh, Rachael Blackmore and Derek O’Connor, Gordon Elliott, Ruby Walsh, and Charlie McCreevy also spoke about the impact McManus has made on racing and on them personally.

Great days in racing

McManus was unable to be there but did participate in a video recorded at his Martinstown Stud where he spoke about some of his great days in racing. As he patted triple Champion Hurdle winner Istabraq in his stable, McManus mentioned three of his 73 Cheltenham winners which stood out for him. They were Istabraq’s first Champion Hurdle, Synchronised’s Gold Cup and the success of Mister Donovan in the 1982 Sun Alliance Novices’ Hurdle.

“I’ve often said that if Mister Donovan hadn’t won, I don’t know if I would have had any of the others.”

His son Kieran McManus was in the Cashel Palace to accept the Hall of Fame Award and also the leading National Hunt owner trophy.

Asked whether his dad loved the horses or the betting more, Kieran said: “He loves the sport and all the people involved. From those who mind the horses, train them, ride them, or even just have an opinion on them. He enjoys what racing brings to everyone.

“Dad is always happy after a day’s racing – win or lose. He never took it personally. You could say he can take the bad better than the good. We never saw the downside of racing. It’s through people who have been lost that we’ve seen tragedy rather than anything that happened on a racecourse.

“Racing has always brought our family together. We never have to make an effort or plan to meet up. We always had racemeetings where we would meet family and friends. Racing is the common denominator for all of us here. It brings us all together and long may it continue.”

THERE was no bigger cheer on the night than the one given to Lois Chappel from John Kiely’s yard, winner of the Stable Staff Award, a new category.

Guests watched a film of Lois riding out in atrocious weather and heard owner Brian Gleeson describe how the care and attention given by Lois to A Dream To Share played a major part in that horse’s Grade 1 bumper double last season.

Asked how she felt to be nominated for an award, Lois said: “I am delighted. It’s a shock – I didn’t expect anything. Thank you to all the owners who nominated me. We’re only a small team but we are fairly mighty!”

ANOTHER new category added this year was the Welfare Award and it proved to be one of the most well-received presentations on the night.

Corrine ‘Coco’ Doran won the Welfare Award for her retraining of Grade 1 winner Briar Hill. The AIRO commissioned a wonderful short film which documented Doran’s experiences with the horse since she acquired him in 2020.

Through the Treo Eile clinics and shows, Briar Hill has found a new calling and he is also proving to be the perfect schoolmaster for novice riders at a local equestrian centre. Watch out for him at next year’s Dublin Horse Show.

Guinness won the Sponsors Award for their longstanding support of races such as the Galway Hurdle (60 years) and Kerry National. Unfortunately there was not a free sample of the black stuff for everyone in the audience.

“There has never been a room of people better equipped to deal with sporting disappointment than racehorse owners.” – MC Richard Pugh reflecting on Ireland’s hard luck story in the Rugby World Cup.

“We are only a small team but we are fairly mighty.” – Lois Chappel from the John Kiely yard.

“Go with the attitude that you and horse will have a positive experience” – Galaxy Horse Racing Syndicate.

“My earliest racing memory was watching Any Gossip win a race on television [Galway 1990] and my older brother John was so upset when he realised Dad wasn’t riding it!” – Kieran McManus.