Trainer Open Morning

Terence O’Brien is looking forward to replicating his successful open morning from last year as he becomes the latest trainer to open the gates to the public, writes Tom Masters. 

Locals from all around Carrigtwohill, County Cork will be given the opportunity to see what goes on in the day-to-day life of an Irish trainer on the morning of Saturday 26^th August. 

And as O’Brien prepares to welcome around 100 visitors to his yard, he promises a day to remember for those with an interest in horse racing. 

He said: “It worked well for us last year and HRI were promoting it again this year and we thought we’d give it another go. 

“We need to showcase the racing industry, so I suppose it is important that all trainers open their doors and let the public in to create some more interest. 

“It will be a day in the life really, the staff will be saddling up horses and taking them up to the gallops, warming them up and bringing them through their paces. 

“Some will be doing a bit of work, other horses will be schooling, the second lot will be schooling over fences after their canter and they will come in and see them be washed down and just really what goes on during the day. 

“The horses will all be there, obviously they will be in the stables anyway but people will be able to see them, we don’t really have any stable stars this year really, Magnor Glory won a 100 grand handicap in Listowel last year, which was great but unfortunately, we won’t have anything like that this time. 

“We have a lot of nice horses; we are probably busier than we have ever been to be honest but we never refuse custom and they are always coming and going. 

“It will not be anything exceptional added on but they will get a good idea of what we get up to in a day.” 

And while O’Brien is not expecting prospective owners to attend, he is always willing to chat with anyone interested in getting involved in the sport and is encouraging people to stop by. 

“We’ll show them around and then have a Q&A session, there will be tea and light refreshments and then when it is all over, we are going to have a barbecue and a few drinks, hopefully people will enjoy the day and it will be a social event and it should be a good day out,” he added. 

“The forecast is looking pretty good, so it hopefully all goes well. 

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t looking for new business, obviously you are hoping that there is something for us at the end of the day, whether that be this year or next year. 

“Who knows how far down the line it will be before someone suggests to their friends or family or whoever that this guy has a great set up and that maybe we’d put a horse there or put a syndicate together.” 

“You just never know I suppose, I suppose it is probably just a shop window really and you never know when somebody might come and knock at the door, but you always hope that somebody might. 

“Last year we had a couple, to be honest it is not going to be a hard sell, I am not going to be there trying to sign people up for horses but at the same time, maybe they meet somebody in the pub somewhere and it happens that way and we can pick up some custom.”