Killarney Coolree and Leigh Roche won for trainer Jennifer Anne Lynch with groom Barry Cash Healy Racing© Photo Healy Racing
Our family home was in Kenagh, Co.Longford and my earliest memory was a photo of showjumping legend Eddie Macken and Boomerang hanging in my bedroom.
My mother, Susan O’Malley along with her brothers, my uncles George and Stewart, were regulars on the showing circuit competing ponies. I have a lovely black and white photo that takes pride of place of their 14.2 half Connemara Little Richard. Uncle George went on to work for Patricia Nicolson and Eddie Macken in Germany, and on returning home to Ireland in recent years he is a regular at shows, judging.
Between 1986 and 1998 my immediate family emigrated to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. My parents were employed by the Equestrian Club and we were based at the Racecourse, which was in Malaz at the time. The move put an end to showing, but we made the switch to training endurance horses and showjumping. My younger brother, Greg was by far the better pilot, he was sharp and a natural. He soon turned to motorcross racing and was school boy champion on a number of occasions. Our youngest sister, Michelle, went on to join the Irish Army shortly after completing her Leaving Cert.
Before my time the family had success with racehorses, my grandad bought Mourne Prince out of young Jim Dreaper’s yard, and uncle George won two point-to-points on him and was second in a hunter chase won by the late John Fowler.
For me, the first association with thoroughbreds was a placement at the Irish National Stud course once I completed my A ‘levels'. After graduating my father suggested I do the trainers' course .Sadly he passed away not long afterwards and it may have taken me 22 years since I had that conversation with him for one reason or another, but I got there.
I worked with Aidan Howard breaking and pre-training horses and took out my licence in 2021. Clara's Approach, at Naas, was my first winner later that year and this year we had success with Dagoda, who won twice at the Curragh, Coolree and Milliethemollie who won at Dundalk earlier this month. Our final runner of the year, Irish Rumour, was nabbed on the line at Dundalk last week and we're hoping that her turn isn't far away.
23 9 23 Curragh Dagoda and Leigh Roche win the John Ormonde Wexford Sand Handicap © Photo Healy Racing
I have a small circle involved in the yard, which is at Clifton Lodge in Maddenstown, headed by Barry Cash and they keep it tight. Similar to how I grew up watching my mother run the yard, I’m regimental and we all work alongside each other. Being based on the Curragh is an advantage for a number of reasons that are well documented, but I have great neighbours one being A&N Bloodstock (Antonio Da Silva and Nikki Scallan) and we’re looking forward to consigning our first breeze-up horses with them in the new year.
My grandfather George O’Malley senior had a successful showing career, one of which includes a day at Longford Show when he and Uncle George were sitting on the ramp when Ned Cash, Barry’s grandfather, came over and asked would we show a horse in the championship. Frances Cash was already in it with a middleweight called Ferrybridge, that had won in Dublin. Jack Deacon was judging and Grandad came into the ring with this Ozymandias three-year-old at a jog, just letting out his trot. Jack pulled them in, while Frances was still going round, so grandad got the championship with their other horse!
Barry and I probably won’t be winning any showing championships in the near future, but we’ll keep building on what we’ve achieved so far as well as looking after the strike rate!
Jennifer was in conversation with Mark Nunan
