Few days in racing carry the weight, or the magic, of a winner at the Cheltenham Festival and for the C.M.D Syndicate, Final Orders’ triumph in the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase was one such moment. We caught up with Kevin Barron to reflect on a day that will live long in the memory of everyone involved.
Where did the interest in horse racing come from?
I always had an interest in horse racing from a young age. I worked with Tom Foley for a couple of summers, who was a local trainer to us at the time. When I finished school, I studied an equine course and went to work for Arthur Moore for a couple of years. I ended up with Garvan Donnelly, who is now assistant trainer to Gavin Cromwell, and that’s how we ended up with Final Orders.
How was the C.M.D syndicate formed?
A couple of years down the line after I had finished working with Garvan, the syndicate was formed. I always wanted to give Garvan a horse, he happened to still be training at the time. I approached him and said I was keen to put a syndicate together, and could we find a dual-purpose horse that we could have a bit of fun with. Not everyone would have known each other at the start, but they have all become good friends through this journey. I was kind of the link between everyone!
Who is involved in the syndicate?
The majority of members involved I would know, at the time I sent a text message out to anyone who I thought would be keen to get involved, and the first 9 people plus myself, who came back to me were the ones who got a place in the syndicate.
How did you source Final Orders?
We purchased Final Orders in 2019 from the Tattersalls Autumn HIT Sale for 14,000 Guineas. He was a flat horse in training with Simon & Ed Crisford at the time, we picked him up relatively cheaply. Garvan trained him for a couple of seasons until he became an assistant trainer to Gavin Cromwell. We decided to send the horse to Gavin to continue training with him.
Is there a story behind the name of the syndicate and the colours?
There are 4 members from Carlow, 3 from Meath and 3 from Dublin, so that’s where the C.M.D comes from, Carlow, Meath & Dublin! We just happened to pick the colours in Garvan’s one time after we bought the horse, there was no real significance at the time, we think they’re nice though!
What would you say the Ownership experience has given you so far that you didn't expect?
I suppose it’s given us so many good days out. I was saying this at Cheltenham, it’s not always about winning, we’ve had so many great days without having a winner. We’ve had runners in the Irish National and Galway Plate, which is magic in itself. I don’t think we expected to have so much support and interest from people who aren’t involved with the horse. This horse is known all over, the number of people who follow and talk about him is unbelievable. Ownership has brought us to places that we never thought we would be. We were at Cheltenham a couple of years ago doing an interview with Fran Berry, we never thought we would be in a position like that. Even this year Racing TV were looking to do an interview with us. Never in our wildest dreams did we ever think that would happen to us!
Final Orders was exceptional at Cheltenham. What was it like to have a winner there?
It’s hard to sum it up to be honest, it was just so surreal. I suppose it was like winning an All Ireland final! It was just an unbelievable feeling for all of us to be there as a syndicate, and our family and friends travelled over to support us as well. I’d love to do it all over again!
Were you nervous watching the race?
I suppose we knew that the ground was coming right for him and he was in good form, and we were getting good reports from Gavin’s, so there was a little bit of nervousness and hope that he would run well. I think around the second last & the last fences were when we realised we were going to be in the shake up, then all hell broke loose!
What was the whole experience like as an owner with a runner at Cheltenham?
It’s great, there’s a fantastic buzz around the place. You go there all together and watch all the other races, and seeing other owners have winners, it’s fantastic. It’s the Olympics of horse racing, and you’re getting to mix it up with these amazing people and equine stars, it’s just brilliant. It’s all a bit surreal, and I’d just love to go back and do it all again. It was a bit of a blur at the time, but we are just so lucky and privileged to own a horse like him.
What has it been like since you came back from Cheltenham?
Even now, when anyone rings, or we see anyone, it’s the first thing they ask about, ‘how’s the horse?’. It was just an unbelievable experience. I think we are living the dream of every syndicate member that has ever been involved in a horse. I remember going to Cheltenham years ago with a few friends of mine and looking into the parade ring and thinking, imagine having a runner in Cheltenham, now this year we were there with a runner and a winner at the Cheltenham Festival, it’s just what dreams are made of. The horse has created a buzz from Carlow, Meath & Dublin, and further again, it’s just unbelievable.
What has it been like having Gavin Cromwell as your trainer?
Gavin has been brilliant, he has a brilliant team behind him. It’s a tough game, and I understand that, and we are very lucky that we are always welcome to the yard at any time. We get constant feedback about the horse, and he’s just a great man to have a horse with.
What is the feeling like of having a winner as part of a syndicate?
We are all still buzzing to be honest! You watch the race again and it brings a smile to your face every time. It’s a dream come true for us all, the race is on repeat constantly, I’ve lost count on how many times it’s been replayed and I’ll never get bored of it! I don’t think that I would get the same enjoyment out of it now if I were a sole owner, we all enjoy it together along with family and friends. There’s a huge camaraderie within a syndicate, which extends out to the wider community, friends and family.
What would you say to someone who has been thinking about getting involved in Ownership but hasn't taken the leap yet?
I would highly recommend getting involved. I would say you need patience in this game. Final Orders wasn’t always straightforward at first. Even though he has won 11 races for us over the years, it doesn’t happen overnight. You need patience and time and trust in your trainer, and most importantly, enjoy the good days because there can be lots of bad days too!
If you're interested in exploring racehorse ownership opportunities and discovering the stories behind the sport, contact us on [email protected] to find out how to get involved.
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