ARTICLE BY JOE SEWARD

Kieran a professional punter is the founder of Horse Racing Buddy and also instigated the new racing club. They have a superb competition to win a 50% share in a racehorse for €50 a ticket. She’s a beautiful 3-year-old filly, her Sire Baltic King has produced lots of winners and himself scooped over £184,000 in prize money. The dam Ruacana Falls is closely related to the iconic sire Northern Dancer. The competition winner will also win a free day visit to the yard of her County Cork trainer Brendan Murphy based in Kanturk.

“The beneficiaries of the Competition will be the Injured Jockeys Fund”.

Brendan comes from a well-known Horse racing family. But his initial foray into Sport was via several forms of motorsport competing from the age of 13 up to 25 across the UK and all over Europe (Karting & Rallying) Brendan told me how invaluable that experience has been since he’s switched Codes. “The experience I gained in those years, I have adapted to horse racing.” “Everything in motorsport is felt through your hands feet and seat of your pants and the same applies when riding a horse it’s all about being smooth and gentle ” Brendan’s flagship stable performer has  been the ultra-smart Annie Fior who got him off the mark as a trainer wining at Leopardstown last season. She won at the Foxrock Venue off a lowly mark of 59 and went on to win twice in Gowran Park. She gained invaluable black type with her 3rd placing at the  Curragh in the Group 2 Kilboy Stakes earning her a career high rating of 98 on Irish Oaks Day at headquarters which was a huge day for the yard. Brendan bought her at the Goffs UK Sales in 2017.He initially put her in training with Thomas P O’Connor  before switching her to fellow Kanturk trainer Michael Winters . During this period after carrying out major refurbishments to the yard Brendan’s application to train was successful. Annie Fior started life in England at West Ilsley with Dungarvan native Denis Coakley for whom she won her maiden at Chelmsford in the colours made famous by Finsceal Beo . Her  progress under Brendan through the ranks last season was a revelation. She is now in foal to the Coolmore stallion Sioux Nation who won the Norfolk and Phoenix Stakes as a two year old and won the Group 3 Lacken Stakes as a three year old .

Brendan  said  ” I’m pretty sad as my girl Annie Fior shall no longer be seeing the race track as she is now going to be MAMMY FIOR ”  “Annie has made a lot of dreams come true for me, my family and our team here and she will live a retirement of luxury here with us forever more” .To take her from a lowly  rating of 59 to be a Group 2 black type mare rated 98 is the equivalent in Football of going from Division 3 into the upper echelons of the Premier League.

Brendan (34) currently has 26 horses in his care; He’s hoping to run up to 16 horses this season.

 Despite being in foal, Brendan had hoped to run Annie Fior again up to a month after covering her but unfortunately the suspension of racing has prevented him from doing so. They still had time on their hands in which to run her safely, but he felt it was time to call it a day. 

The 3 year old filly in the competition hasn’t been named yet and there will be a naming competition in the coming weeks with some very nice prizes for the person who comes up with the winning name.She is in full work and will be ready to go when racing resumes on June 8th and will be entered up at that juncture. Brendan told me about three of his promising team for the season ahead.

SATISFY ;”A horse I am determined to get right   She is a very big horse with enormous abilities but has been very unlucky and difficult to keep sound. I would go as far as saying I am sure she is the best I have ever sat on.”

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BALLYCAINES; “Another horse I believe to be alot better then we have seen so far is a full brother to Annie Fior and I honestly think he has the ability to be better then she was”.

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TRUE COMMITMENT;  ” 3yo gelding by Fionsceal Fior out of the Juddmounte Farm bred Skyscape. This lad is a horse with plenty character and finesse.  True Commitments sire Finsceal Fior is a sire who has captured the attention of many larger breeders through out the 2019 season thanks to the grit determination and ability shown by Annie Fior.  Finsceal Fiors bloodline is impeccable by the ultimate sire Galileo and out of the dual Guineas winner the mare Finscael Beo .

Like all trainers Brendan is already hoping for the next headline act “I’m looking forward to the foal we have here by Sioux Nation out of a pivotal mare and it’s an absolute cracker” Brendan has high hopes for the Coolmore Stallion Sioux Nation..

The winner of the competition will receive a lifetime membership to Horse Racing Buddy, a share in the money that is made by the future selling of the filly and all bills paid for in the maintaining and owning of the horse. For €50 it is definitely worth a ticket considering it is all going to the Injured Jockeys charity.

For any other queries about Brendan, The Racing Club itself or the Irish Injured Jockeys can be found at the links below .

 www.horseracingbuddyclub.ie.

https://www.facebook.com/sirbamurphy