Westmeath people have 'an ingrained love of racing'

Westmeath people have "an ingrained love of racing", according to local TD, Willie Penrose.

Dot Love, Michael O'Leary, Cecil Ross are just some of the Westmeath names associated with horse racing locally

And just some of the names listed by by Deputy  Penrose in Dáil Éireann last week as he spoke of Westmeath's involvement in horse racing.

Deputy Penrose was speaking on the Horse Racing Ireland Bill 2015, and in the course of his speech, he gave a glowing endorsement to Kilbeggan writer and historian Stan McCormack’s book, Racing Through the Midlands, recommending that the minister for agriculture, Deputy Simon Coveney, buy a copy.

“County Westmeath is decorated by high achievers at high levels, from horse owners, breeders and trainers to jockeys, stable mates and stable hands,” he said.

“One cannot but laud the wonderful recent publication by Kilbeggan native Stan McCormack of a book with the title Racing Through the Midlands. The Minister should buy a copy.

“Mr McCormack is well up in the racing industry and did a great job in the book. It refers to various issues, including the Newbrook racecourse in Mullingar, the famous races at Kilbeggan, the point-to-point races at Castletown Geoghegan and The Pigeons in Doory near Ballymahon.

“It also highlights many successful breeders, trainers and jockeys who achieved significant success in many important races and famous equestrian occasions.

“Some of these in my home area include Cecil and Alan Ross and their late father Billy, Adrian Murray, the late Jimmy Tormey, Ciaran Murphy, and Dot Love, who trained Liberty Counsel to win the Irish Grand National. Martin Lynch from Castletown Geoghegan nearly won the Aintree Grand National.

“These are small trainers who did their best and fought to survive during the recession.

“Tommy Cleary is another trainer in Athlone whose son is a very good jockey.
“Anne Fallon is also a trainer.

“Owners include Gigginstown House Stud and Michael and Eddie O’Leary, and hardly a week goes by in which one does not read about one of them. They also have great supporters who travel to Cheltenham and elsewhere.

“Christy Maye and Martin Dibbs bred Comply or Die, which won the National.

“Sean Reilly, a neighbour of mine, bred the great mare Shadow Eile.

“There is also the late Ned Newman and his son Gerry in Leney, Ballinalack.

“Other notable names include the late Cecil Ronaldson and the O’Neill family of Rathganny in Multyfarnham. Mr. What won the Grand National in 1958, and L’Escargot, who was bred there, won 17 years later when he beat Red Rum in 1975.

“Other names include the Nugents, the Boyd-Rochforts, Tally-Ho Stud, the Clearys of Bishopstown, the Dobsons, and the Downes family of Russellstown Stud.

“Peter Downes, one of nature’s gentleman, was an expert on all things equestrian. The late Colm Murray had an encyclopaedic knowledge of the racing industry.

“The Minister will know Mr Breon Corcoran, the chief executive of a new betting entity. He is a Mullingar man from Ballinea, and we are very proud of him.

“I have only referred to a sample of the County Westmeath people associated with the sport of kings, although they do not regard it as such because they are ordinary folk who have an ingrained love of racing.”