Feature Story - Race Horse Owners

Racehorse Owners - No. 1 of a series.

EUGENE RYAN and DON

The magical attraction of horse racing and racehorse ownership is universal; it can strike like a hammer or descend like a cloud. It is a bug.

While once it was considered an exclusively rich man’s sport, insofar as ownership, the proliferation of the entrepreneurial and executive classes, and the popularity of shared ownership (syndicates) opened the gates to many to the fun and excitement of actually owning a racehorse.

Eugene Ryan was twenty five when he bought his first horse. A bad “accident” on the hurling field put him in hospital for eight weeks and ruined a promising career with the County Wexford team. While in hospital he backed horses every day. When he returned to his regular job as Livestock Procurement Manager for Slaney Meats a chance conversation with a supplier found him the willing owner of an unsold yearling, which had been moved from Doncaster Sales to Bill Elsey’s training establishment in Malton, Yorkshire. By default, Ryan had a horse in training in one of the most famous “yards” in England.

It was a lucky association. The horse, named Carrigbeg Prince, won a few small races when the money was on and gave its owner great enjoyment plus encouragement to invest again.

Ryan bought his second horse at Goffs 1975 Yearling Sales - a backward Yellow God colt for £1,600 - with the intention of gelding him and putting him by for N. H. racing, but this message didn’t get through; the yearling was broken at a neighbour’s yard, where despite his massive size he showed plenty of speed. He too was sent to Bill Elsey.

As a two year old, now named DON, Elsey thought enough of him to introduce him to racing in a Gr. 3 event, where he finished a respectable third. He won a good maiden at Doncaster later in the season, and Ryan went into the Winter with another horse well paid for, with good expectations for the following year.
	Eugene Ryan's Don

Meanwhile on the Irish circuit, MARINSKY (Northern Dancer) who cost $225,000 as a yearling, won his only race at two and was marked as Vincent O’Brien’s main classic prospect. He and DON were to meet in the St. James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, June 1997.

But as all who follow racing know, strange things happen!

Don defeats Marinsky in the St James Palace Stakes
note Marinsky's head gear

MARINSKY.

Beaten on his first outing at three, at odds of 1/7

Savaged Relkino in the Diomed Stakes at Epsom.

Obliged to wear “Hannibal Lecter” gear in all future races.

Beaten by Don at Royal Ascot.

Disqualified from first place in the July Cup.

Banned from racing in England for life.

Died later that year of a twisted gut.

How Marinsky might have looked in the starting stalls
(if he were a human!)

DON

Developed into a magnificent-looking three year old. Lined up for the 2000 guineas at Newmarket, where he ran well and finished sixth.

Won the St. James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, beating Marinsky.

Won the Balmoral Castle Stakes at Ayr.

Beaten a head by Be My Guest in the Waterford Crystal Mile at Goodwood.

Won the Lockinge Stakes at four.

His win in the St James’s Palace Stakes won immortality in Turf history for Ryan, placing him in the ranks of the most famous names in racehorse ownership - H. H. Aga Khan, Sheikh Mohammad Al Maktoum, Lord Howard de Walden, S. S. Niarchos and Sir Alex Ferguson.

DON’S racing career provided his owner with excitement, fun and drama, and as usual Lady Luck played her part, for good and not so good.

The Vagaries of Dame Fortune -

DON remained an entire horse.

Thunderstorms over Ascot gave him the soft ground he needed to beat O’Brien’s certainty.

Ryan met Ardoon’s owner on his way to Ascot, doubled Ardoon with Don (on the information received) and collected a huge bet.

In the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury Jellaby looked a certain winner, but put his foot in a hole 100 yards from the winning post and threw his jockey. Don won.

The riderless Jellaby leads Don in the Lockinge Stakes

At Goodwood, Vincent O’Brien’s assistant wanted to withdraw Be My Guest (because of the ground) from the Waterford Crystal Mile, but couldn’t get through to Vincent (no mobile phones at that time!) Be My Guest ran and beat Don a short head.

DON lost by a head at Haydock after slipping badly on the home bend.

He contracted a Venereal disease his first year at stud.

Died of colic at six.

Though briefly told, the story encapsulates the pleasure and pain of racehorse ownership. DON’S owner, Eugene Ryan, is today Managing Director of Equip Ltd., a leading supplier of Catering Equipment in Ireland; he is still involved as an owner and as enthusiastic now as he was in his twenties. It will be hard for him to find again a horse like DON but he hasn’t given up looking. All of us who have endured in the Sport wish him well in his quest.