How did you get into ownership?

Michelle knows Tyrrellspass trainer Ger Hussey through her equine physiotherapy work and when flat handicapper Maccliff became available, Michelle and Ger put the Le Chéile Partnership together with friends Frank, James and Darren. Later Macaban City joined as the second horse.

Michelle, like Frank, has been involved in breeding thoroughbreds for many years. Michelle’s mare Flagship Queen was a winner over hurdles trained by Tony Martin and Frank has a mare Skippy The Hippy who has produced three foals to date, one of whom is in training with Ger.

What was your best day at the races?

Both Maccliff and Macaban City have each won a race and had numerous places, mainly at Dundalk, so both wins were an amazing achievement for a small team. Macaban was Ger’s first winner ridden by Mark Gallagher at Dundalk and Maccliff, ridden by Siobhan Rutledge, won over one mile in Dundalk.

Even though Maccliff was Ger’s second winner it was quite a sweet one as we had tried hard for so long with her. They are both very individual horses with distinctly different personalities so it was really great to see both get a win.

What is the biggest drawback about being an owner?

Unfortunately the Covid restrictions meant that we couldn’t go racing for quite a long period of time, so it was that lack of access to racing. Thankfully, the horses could still continue to race and restrictions have now eased so we can now get to see the horses run again. However, we don’t always get to run our horses because of the lack of races that might suit, combined with the balloting system, particularly for horses in the lower bracket. Many races divide which gives us more opportunities.

There certainly appears to be far more entries for lower grade races than there are spots for racing; there could be up to 70 or more entries for a race in Dundalk which can only facilitate a maximum of 14 horses in each race. Even if that race divides, it still means that over 40 horses will not get a run in that race.

On the plus side, flat racing tends to give more chances of running frequently than jumps racing.

Which racecourse in Ireland treats owners the best?

We enjoy many racecourses but the facilities and organisation at Dundalk are to be commended and it’s great be so close to the track, close to the action and, depending on the race distance, being able to see the horses break from the stalls – almost within touching distance!

And the carrot cake at Dundalk is a real treat! Dundalk is a well-designed facility that really caters well for owners with regard to viewing and entertainment/catering.

Flat or jumps, which do you prefer?

Within the partnership we have a mix of preferences for flat and jump racing. Flat racing has less risk and generally the horses get to the track at an earlier age. They also tend to run more frequently.

Jump racing requires a long-term plan, carries more risk and tends to have more variables like ground, trip, etc. You also need a higher quality of horse to be competitive over jumps. So for now our preference is flat racing.

What do you look for in a trainer?

We love the involvement that we get with Ger as our trainer and often go to watch the horses work. Our priority is horse welfare, both when the horse is in training and in its post-racing career. Ger runs a small, non-commercial operation where welfare of the horses is paramount and everything from daily turnout to the type of bit they wear is taken into consideration. They must be comfortable and stress free at all times and allowed to be horses as much as possible with access to regular turnout and direct interaction with other horses. Ger used to be with the late Cecil Ross.

We are regularly kept informed of any developments concerning the horses’ health and well-being and, when the horses are going to the local gallops for a piece of work. Ger will always let us know in advance of work days and plans for races/entries.

What improvements would you like to see racecourses do for owners?

Dundalk has really set a good standard from the owners’ perspective.

Some courses might need to consider enhancing the viewing aspect of their track – simple things like railings and signage obstructing viewing, to having sufficient TV monitors to watch the race particularly when the track is not that close to the stands.

How do you think the current crisis will impact on racing in general?

Although some owners, especially larger commercial owners may reduce their numbers, the smaller owner with a genuine love of racing will probably weather the storm. After all, racing has been through world wars and other catastrophes and came out the other end.

What can trainers or HRI do to encourage owners to keep horses in training at the moment?

Our focus is welfare so we would like to see that the relevant bodies join forces to provide and develop a HRI-funded retraining and rehoming scheme that would ensure all horses exiting racing are given a chance at a new career. This has the potential to encourage new welfare-conscious owners to get into racing but it is important that owners and trainers work together on this objective. It would also help to improve the public image of racing given the recent negative publicity.

There has been a massive increase in the number of horses starting new careers both before the advent of the racehorse-to-riding horse initiative and since. This is a really welcome development in racing and we feel strongly that a life-after-racing plan for each racehorse should be a focus for each syndicate\owner before taking on the responsibility of ownership or before any trainer takes on the training of that horse.

The significance of your colours?

James devised the colours for the Le Chéile Partnership as a massive GAA supporter – the colours represent two of his local Offaly GAA clubs. The orange and black on the body of the silks represents Tubber GAA club and the blue and gold on the sleeve and cap represents the Ballycumber GAA Club colours.

How did your syndicate get its name?

Michelle came up with the name Le Chéile which in Irish means “together” – bringing together a bunch of friends with a common love of horse and racing.

When buying a horse, what do you look for?

Ger sourced both our horses. We would hope to purchase at some stage in the future most likely from the horses in training sales or a claiming race

What horses do you have in training?

We have Maccliff and Macaban City. Frank also has Dusty’s Highway in training with Ger and Michelle has Ballykeeran in training with Hilary McLoughlin.

What’s next on the agenda?

Maccliff is on a break and Macaban City will be a frequent visitor to Dundalk over the winter. As long as the horses are fit and healthy we will continue to enjoy their progress and getting together with friends to enjoy the journey.

Have you any young horses to look forward to?

For now our limit in the partnership is two horses. We are planning a trip to Britain for the Goffs HIT sale next year.

What do you do with your racehorses when their racing days are over?

Ger has a reliable contact in Britain who sources new homes for former racehorses and has sent a number of horses there all of whom have succeeded in new careers. One of the benefits of a smaller yard is the ability to source homes for horses. It is important for owner and trainer to be singing from the same hymn sheet regarding rehoming to in order to avoid disagreements.

Michelle has also taken on a former racehorse from Ger, Gentleman JJ, who she is hoping to compete in racehorse-to-riding horse classes.

What would help to make Irish racing more competitive for the smaller owner/trainer?

Regular access to appropriate races is fundamental for any racehorse. A second all-weather track catering for plenty of lower grade flat racing would be a big help or more scheduled racing days at venues like Dundalk would be really welcome. Perhaps a race per meeting over the winter in Dundalk restricted to trainers with less than five winners in the previous 12 months – this would provide a good opportunity for both trainers and owners.

What advice would you give to someone thinking of becoming an owner?

Make sure you can comfortably afford it, consider forming a partnership/syndicate to spread the costs. Unless you’re a diehard jumps fan, buy a flat horse. You will have fewer injury worries and more racing opportunities. Also, remember that the horse is your responsibility at the end of its career, so include in your budget catering for retraining and rehoming.