Gillian Callaghan
I'm from Allenstown between Navan and Kells in Co Meath. I grew up there with my three older brothers and we were all involved in horses and ponies growing up. My dad bred and produced a lot of half-breds, so we broke ponies, hunted and did the usual pony club. They would have been produced and resold, and we worked hard at it. My dad still does a bit now as well. My brothers helped out in the yard and my older brother, Greg Harford, was into racing first. He was an amateur rider and he started off with Michael Cunningham and in his later years went to Noel Meade. He was a pretty successful amateur there. I used to go pointing and racing with Greg and that was how I got into racing.
When I left school, I went to college and I studied for a Diploma in Business and Marketing. I worked for a couple of years in Human Resources part-time and part-time with the horses. Along the way, I met my husband Barry and he was involved with horses as well. He was involved with the Dunderry Racing Syndicate and Dun Doire who won in Cheltenham (Grade 3 William Hill Trophy Handicap Chase at the Festival in 2006). They had a lot of success with him. At that time, Barry was living near Trim and had a few point-to-pointers there. That's kind of where it started off, I trained a few pointers from there.
I was very lucky as my father-in-law bought a yearling and I ended up training him and running him in point-to-points. He was called Mount Bulben and he got me going. He won point-to-points, he won two bumpers (at Thurles and Limerick in 2011), and he went to the Cheltenham Sales. We sold him to Barry Connell and he subsequently went on and won a Grade 1 for Barry (Growise Champion Novice Steeplechase at Punchestown in 2013) when Gordon Elliott trained him. He was definitely the start of the career.
We then moved to my granny's old yard on the home land. We put in a four-furlong gallop, we did up new barns in Allenstown - there's 14 stables, a walker and lunge ring coral for lunging. I got the restricted licence and we continued on training there. We've had plenty of nice horses along the way and we had a bit of success over in England. A couple of horses that stand out are Ongenstown Lad who won seven races for us. His win at Cheltenham (in a novices' hurdle in October 2011) was brilliant. Mad Brian was a great staying chaser, my brother Fergal was involved with him and he is still very much involved in racing.
Life got busy and family started coming along! Family took over and I have a busy husband involved in GAA, so a couple of years ago I decided to concentrate on pre-trainers and any horses I had myself. That's the way I have kept it since. I do a bit of pre-training. We buy a couple of foals every year and we have been doing that for a good number of years now, and we have a couple of broodmares. My brother, who has a great eye for a foal, is involved in buying them. We keep them until they are store horses, sell on a few and we keep a few to train as well. I'm happy the way it is going. We have a nice few pre-trainers in, there's probably 12 there all together between pre-trainers, some for the store sales, and a couple to run over the summer.
Gillian and connections of The Dasher Conway who was the second leg of a double at Kilbeggan last week© Photo Healy Racing
The first Irish double with The Dasher Conway and Run For Harry at Kilbeggan last Friday evening would be right up there in my training career. We had a double in Cartmel before (in June 2015), it was actually three winners over three days there. Redclue won two races over three days and Thatshowhedidit also won over there. The Dasher Conway seems to come into himself at this time of year, he's definitely a summer horse. He'll mix it between hurdles and fences. There are a few nice races over summer festivals for him. He might take in Galway and he ran a nice race in Killarney last year as well (third in a Listed handicap chase). He might have a shot at that again. There could be one in him over hurdles over the summer. Run For Harry might get an entry for Tramore next weekend. He is a big horse and it is a tight enough track, but he came out of Kilbeggan okay. Hopefully, he'll keep going over the summer as well. In his last run at Bellewstown, he ran on very well to the line. We just rode him a bit differently on a sharp track. Keith Donoghue gave him a nice ride and he stayed at it very well. Hopefully, there is a bit of improvement in him. He's a very big horse, so he will improve with a bit of time as well. Keith has been a great help over the years since day one. He has ridden plenty of winners for us over the years. He still rides work and schools horses for me which is a massive help, so it was great to see him have such a good season last season and he has started the new season in great style. He thoroughly deserves it, he has been such a hard worker over the years.
I'm quite content as we are. The pre-training is great and I'm definitely open to more pre-trainers. I really enjoy the pre-training and for work/life balance it is a bit easier when you are bringing kids here, there and everywhere. In fairness, my mam and dad are hugely involved. My dad helps me out loads with the horses and the yard and then my father-in-law and mother-in-law and all the nieces and nephews are all there, so it is very much a family affair. I suppose that is what it is all about. My own kids help out in the yard and my husband Barry helps out a lot. It is great to have family there to enjoy it. Sharon has been a great help in the yard and has been with me the last number of years. She is a great worker and has a great knowledge of horses.
Horses were always my thing. Everything has been very positive for me in the industry and everyone is looked after very well. There are so many opportunities within racing on all sides of it. I wouldn't deter anyone from getting into the industry. If you put your head down and work hard, you will get the rewards. Our motto is always to go where the best opportunity is for the horse. We love all those summer meetings and you are always well looked after at those summer tracks like Downpatrick and Kilbeggan.
Gillian was in conversation with Michael Graham.
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