WHAT a historic place Punchestown Racecourse is, with all 500 acres owned by The Kildare Hunt Club. This is horse breeding country with the Irish National Stud just down the road, together with 115 more stud farms in the county. Many legendary horses have raced there over the years. While some of the cream of bloodstock stand in the many stud farms in the county I will just mention two horses that were bred on the boundary of the racecourse. Millhouse, ridden by Willie Robinson, bred by the Lalor family that had so many close calls against the mighty Arkle (bred by Kathleen Baker in North County Dublin) and ridden by Pat Taaffe, both jockeys natives of Kildare.

ESB was also bred beside the course by Sheila Burke that won the Aintree Grand National ridden by Dave Dick. I had the pleasure myself of owning a share in a chaser that ran at Punchestown some years ago by the well known National Hunt sire Supreme Leader. Berney Brothers Saddlery is in nearby Kilcullen and Tom was hunting on the day, and Tuttys well-known for hand-made riding boots and shoes are a stones thrown from the racecourse in Naas. The trainer of Frankel, Henry Cecil, had his signatory purple shoes made by Tuttys. Punchestown also hosts a point-to-point, the Irish Draught Show and the Huntsman’s Challenge to determine the best hunting horse sponsored by Berney Brothers. Both Hazel Valentine and Tom Berney made an excellent promotional film on the course.