There are racecourses, and then there are racecourses that feel like they belong to the people who live around them. I’ve been fortunate enough to spend plenty of time at some of the biggest meetings in the country and beyond. Cheltenham, Aintree, Leopardstown – magnificent venues, steeped in history, where the huge crowds can make the occasion feel almost bigger than the sport itself.
But last week was my first visit to the Tramore Races. And I have to admit, I came away wondering why it had taken me so long. Having taken over in the Sports Department in the Munster Express at the start of the year, I’m regularly covering sport in Waterford, but my first trip to Graun Hill during the four-day August Festival gave me a completely different perspective on a venue that is so deeply woven into the fabric of the local community. I made the trip from Cork with my brother Rory, and we arrived on Thursday evening for the opening day of the festival. There was a great buzz around the place from the outset, but little did we know that we were about to have a particularly memorable introduction to Tramore racing.
The Seven Heads Group Syndicate celebrate Dream On Baby’s victory.
There was a horse running in the final race of the evening called Dream On Baby trained by Emmet Mullins. The mare carried the colours of the West Cork-based Seven Heads Group Syndicate. They are from my homeplace of Barryroe, just a few kilometres south of Clonakilty. Although my brother and I aren’t involved in the syndicate, we’ve been to a few meetings to support them when their horses have been running, including Cheltenham earlier this year.
Dream On Baby was sent off with plenty of expectations and she certainly didn’t disappoint. Under the masterful Maxine O’Sullivan, the horse settled beautifully close to the pace before sweeping to the front over a furlong out. From there, she put daylight between herself and the field, eventually powering home 12 lengths clear of Splashing Out in the Conor Lannen Country Store Ladies Maiden Hurdle.
Sponsor Conor Lannen made the presentation to Pat Tobin from the Seven Heads Group Syndicate after their horse, the Emmet
Mullins trained Dream On Baby ridden by Maxine O’Sullivan won the Conor Lannen Country Store (Ladies) Maiden Hurdle.
And suddenly, our first visit to Tramore had turned into a West Cork celebration. The near six hour round trip for those attending from our neck of the woods was worth it. The syndicate were understandably delighted and, before long, we were caught up in the celebrations. John O’Shea, the former Irish international footballer, was certainly doing his bit to add to the atmosphere, wrapped in the iconic blue and white scarf and the excitement around the winner was infectious.
It was one of those moments that you don’t necessarily plan for when heading to the races. Photographer Noel Browne summed it up perfectly afterwards. “No wonder you came today.” He had a point. It was the third victory for Dream On Baby and it pushed her career earnings beyond €75,000 with the victory. There was an added poignancy to the occasion too, as Maxine O’Sullivan subsequently announced her retirement from race riding. A former Cheltenham Festival-winning jockey, she bows out with 46 victories to her name.
For me, though, it was the experience of Tramore itself that lingered. At Cheltenham or Aintree, you can feel like a small part of a massive machine. At Tramore, you feel much closer to the action and, more importantly, to the people behind it.
Trainers, jockeys, owners, syndicates, families, local businesses and racegoers all seem to blend into one big community. There is nothing small-time about the enthusiasm. The four-day August Festival had plenty of quality racing, big-name trainers and jockeys and an atmosphere that could stand alongside any meeting in the country. But it also retained that wonderfully local character. My first visit to Tramore was supposed to be about seeing the races. Instead, it became about being part of them.
And when you can leave a racecourse with a local winner, a few extra pound in the pocket, and a few new memories, you know you’ve had a good day at the races.
Seán Holland
