Ol Man Dingle
A Co Armagh racehorse owner has paid tribute to his animal and its trainer following three race wins in a row.
Brian Caherty, the owner of the Cosy Bar in Newtownhamilton, purchased his horse – Ol Man Dingle – just before Christmas 2023.
The animal was sourced for Brian by its current trainer, Eoin Griffin, from Slieverue in Co Kilkenny.
Thanks to the training of Eoin and his team, Ol Man Dingle has now won three races in a row across the island of Ireland.
His first success was in Clonmel at a Maiden Hurdle on October 3 last year, followed by a Rated Novice Hurdle in Wexford on October 28.
Eoin then decided to give Dingle a short break, with the goal of targeting the Leopardstown Christmas Festival on Sunday, December 29.
Brian says the festival was a “big step up” for Dingle, where he ran in the SIS Supporting Irish Racing EBF Novice Handicap Hurdle over two mile four furlongs.
Dingle ran out a convincing winner, and as Brian put it “made us very happy people in Leopardstown on the day”.
Eoin is based at Beacon Hill Stables, located near Waterford, where he has helped train Dingle to compete.
Commending Eoin and the team, Brian said: “Eoin has done an outstanding job with the horse since he got him, and he and Natalie and all the team in Beacon Hill have put a lot of work into him and all the horses he has.
“Eoin’s record for a small trainer speaks for itself in his amazing ability to get these horses to an elite level.
“I own the Cosy Bar in Newtownhamilton and it’s safe to say the celebrations went late into the early hours of the 30th!”
It’s hoped that Ol Man Dingle will return to Leopardstown for the Dublin Racing Festival in February for another good run.
Keen to get more people involved in the sport, Brian launched Dunglen Racing in January 2024 to attract people that don’t have the resources that the bigger owners and trainers have.
“I have a view that would work for people and I am trying to create a syndicate system that can get people involved in the experience of ownership of horses at an affordable rate and for a fraction of the cost.”
According to the Racehorse Owners’ Association, a syndicate is a form of shared ownership where the members own or lease an interest in race horses in return for equitable title.
Brian added: “Not only do I have a view of getting people into ownership of the game but I also want to bring along in the near future a system that gives people more knowledge of how the racing game works.
“Once I have this first syndicate filled we plan on doing days where owners can go and visit stable yards, see how the horses are trained and, most importantly, get views from the trainers and jockeys.”