For all that Ian McCarthy’s humble, national hunting equestrian career, including riding at the Cheltenham Festival and ranked success, it’s with flat horses he’s getting his start. recognition.
The Galway man has been considered a guard of honor by colleagues when he ducked his head from the saddle at his local track last July, he has started his pre-training and business her own breakout in Derrinstown, County Kildare.
He is depositing two American pharoah minors under his Grangecoor Farm banner on March 23 at the inaugural Goffs Dubai Breeze-Up Sale as he builds on what has been a promising start from several others passed through his hands.
“Last year I had a horse that I prepared in advance, Hierarchy McCarthy said, on Sales of Guineas. “He went on to finish second in the Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes (G2) (for Hugo Palmer, David Howden and Qatar Racing) and sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2T), so he was very successful. labour. “
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“And Suzy is fast (whom he pre-trained for Gavin Cromwell) is probably the one last year when she won Queen Mary Stakes (G2). She is so special. Lots of famous coaches and owners support me, so I’m very lucky. “
Perhaps the standout action of the Grangecoor pair, certainly meant to attract the interest of local buyers, was Lot 36. The son of the American champion was not a very familiar face at Meydan in Polar River who passed the points for Doug Watson in 2016 and won the Emirates-sponsored UAE Oaks (G3) before finishing unlucky against the hit hero Japan Lani in the UAE Derby sponsored by The Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah Group (G2).
American Pharoah colt consigned as Lot 36 at Goffs Dubai Breeze-Up 2022 sale
Polar River Bay’s second pony was matched with a chestnut pony from sister Mizzen Mast for a level 2 win in the US Filimbi both daughters of Alabama Stakes (G1) and Kentucky Oaks (G1), who scored in 2001 Flute .
“They are two different types of horses,” says McCarthy. “Polar River is clearly a great mare, she’s not too big and this boy is the same way, although he makes up for the movement. He’s a good player and has a great personality. bright future.
“The other one is more of a roast horse with a bit of size and range about him, a lovely horse with a really good attitude. He puts his head down and does things very easily.”
Although many vendors and owners have been sourcing horses with clear Middle Eastern appeal, McCarthy says he has little to do with that stage of the plan.
“They were the first two American Pharaohs I had and it’s a coincidence that I have two of them here,” he said. “I actually got them broken, then they got checked out by Goffs for this, and the owner asked if I wanted to deposit them. They have nice pages and physically they are. are all kind of nice for here. Hopefully now we can get the job done.”
He added that it wasn’t too difficult to prepare the couple for their date in the sun.
“They don’t go back in time and we don’t need to make it so hard for them,” McCarthy said. “It was an ideal preparation.”
The 33-year-old is a rather serious, meticulous person and is usually around the age of 50 in the stables, with lots of horses coming and going at different stages of their careers.
His project seems to be doing well and his only hard answer is whether it can evolve into getting a training license.
“It doesn’t interest me. I just enjoy working with ponies, can trade more. That’s the side that always interests me, now I’ve built my own niche and I wanted to expand on that,” McCarthy said. “We have a ranch, sprints, laps and the best amenities. I like the fiery game, that’s what I’ve always been very excited about and based on having a good year next year. Last year, I definitely wished we’d always have a pair.”
“The priority is to have good riders on the ponies. It’s just to help them prepare well physically and mentally, more importantly, so they can cope with it. I’m very fortunate to have had it. have good staff.”
Without a clear background in racing, McCarthy quietly absorbed information from a number of good advisers. He was amused to note that the third-place finisher in the 2021 Randox Grand National, Any Second Now, is being prepared by Ted Walsh for the great race again, as he teamed up with gelding to win his racetrack debut at Navan in 2016.
“I rode some nice horses,” he recalls. “I served my time at Dessie Hughes’s. I had a wonderful upbringing there, he was a great horseman. I spent time with Ted Walsh and between the two of them, I learned. a lot of things. I’m probably a cruise jockey but I’ve been lucky enough to go close to 90 winners and Jennie’s Jewel maybe she’s a bit of a nut to me, she won a few black races and took me to Ascot and Cheltenham. “
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As he thought back to those happy days, a slight hesitation crossed McCarthy’s brow before he returned to the present.
“I miss it but I’m still busy doing what I’m doing,” he said. “I had a great couple of years there, met some great people, but the business is at home and I’m just focused on that. That’s how I’m expecting now.”
