Racehorse ownership is often viewed as an exclusive world, reserved for the few with deep pockets and even deeper connections. But for many, it begins much more simply, with a love of the sport, a Saturday flutter, or a chance conversation at the track. In recent years, syndicates have opened the gates to a wider audience, allowing everyday racing fans to experience the thrill, comaraderie and exhilaration that comes with having a runner on the day. Few stories capture that journey better than this one.
From working behind the counter at Boylesports to standing in packed enclosures celebrating festival winners, Brian has carved out his own path in ownership. What started as curiosity soon became a passion, evolving into the creation of a thriving syndicate that now brings friends, family and locals together under shared colours. In this candid conversation, he reflects on where it all began, the people who shaped his journey, and the unforgettable moments that have made racehorse ownership far more than just a hobby.
Where did the interest in horse racing come from?
Initially, I worked for Boylesports for three years after I left school, I always had an interest from a young age, but I suppose from working in Boylesports, I started to learn about the form, reading into it and understanding the different aspects of it all. I was part of a large syndicate with Anthony McCann, which was my first kind of taste of racehorse ownership, and it was a great starting point.
What was the idea behind starting a syndicate?
Quite early on after meeting Eoin Griffin, I had an idea of where I wanted this to go, I asked Eoin plenty of questions about how it all works and he gave me a run down on what was needed, I said to him that down the line this was something that I wanted to get in to and maybe set up a few syndicates for people that I see similar to myself, in terms of having a good interest in racing but wouldn't know the route to go about getting involved in a syndicate. I did quite a bit of research online about how it all works and what I needed to do to get up and running, thankfully it's just grown from there.
How do you encourage people to get involved in the syndicate?
I see an opportunity online to get new people into the sport. I think there is a big appetite for horse racing, especially from where I am based in the North of Ireland, in Armagh. Just from going racing, chatting to new people, it brought me to wanting to get people involved in ownership. It's about making people aware that this is an affordable option for everyone. I know plenty of people who love to have a bet on a Saturday, but it's getting them to understand that they could actually be part of it all and have an understanding of how the training process works and the amount of work that goes on behind the scenes that they might not know about.
How does the Syndicate work?
Each horse is individually syndicated, rather than it being a Club, you buy into each horse or multiple if you wish. So, it would be case by case with each horse and they are all syndicated at different levels, budgets and with how many members are involved in each.
Is there a story behind the name of the syndicate and the colours?
The colours are my local football club colours, St Michael's in Newtown. With the Dunglen name, it's very original. My mother was from a place called The Glen, and my Father is from Dungormley, so I’ve just combined the two of them to form Dunglen! I think it's worked out alright anyways!
How do you source your horses?
We have a gentleman who would attend the point-to-points regularly for us. He's sourced a lot of horses for Eoin over the years, and he keeps an eye out on the point-to-point field for potential horses that might suit. I would attend the sales regularly, and I bought two yearlings there last yea,r which are currently being broken in, hopefully we might get a bit of luck with them also.
Why did you decide on Eoin Griffin to be your trainer?
I had been involved with Anthony McCann in quite a large syndicate at the time, and I’m still very good friends with Anthony. I just happened to meet Eoin at the races one day and had a short conversation with him, and it just went from there. I had two horses of my own at the time at home. I sent them to him; they didn't work out, but we sold the filly on for breeding. Eoin contacted me one day to say that this horse has come up for sale potentially, so I went down to look at him and lo and behold, it was Ol Man Dingle, and it all took off from there.
You have struck up a great relationship with jockey Ricky Doyle. Could you tell me how important he is to your establishment?
Ricky is extremely important; jockey's feedback to me has always been a massive factor. I would regularly be in contact with Ricky about different decisions or his opinion on different horses or different races. Last year's campaign worked out perfectly for Ol Man Dingle, Ricky has been very good for us, and it works both ways, long may it continue!
How important is Eoin's team to the success of your horses?
The work that Natalie has put in at Eoin's, especially with Lough Nigara, he's not the easiest to deal with at home or train, and she's the only one that can go into the stable with him, she's the only one that he will listen to! From a welfare point of view, there is absolutely no stone unturned when it comes to the welfare of the horses at Eoin's. The staff there are fantastic, and they go above and beyond with the care they give.
What would you say the Ownership experience has given you so far that you didn't expect?
I suppose the background to it all, getting to know how it works, and more so getting to meet people in the industry, getting to know the people in HR,I and the help that HRI give to us has been great. Any questions or recommendations I have, they have always had the answer. There is plenty of help for people out there getting started on their ownership journey.
Has your ownership journey sparked more of an interest in your family and friends?
Massively, with family and friends, my father had an interest in horses, but never attended meetings. Any day I say I’m going to a meeting, he's coming with me; he won't miss a day now! When Ol Man Dingle won at Christmas in 2024, there were 40 of us travelling to the races, mainly family and friends from the local town. Anywhere I go now, I always get stopped and asked how are the horses going? It's bought a great interest locally, even more so with the talk of potentially having two horses going to the Cheltenham Festival.
What was it like when Ol Man Dingle won at the Leopardstown Christmas Festival?
There's no feeling like it, I suppose. When he won at Clonmel and Wexford they were great days, but when you have the crowd of people and the atmosphere of a big meeting, it just adds to it all. It's mixed emotions watching the race, unfortunately, there is nothing you can do to control it, however when it all works out, there's nothing like it. I got a great kick out of Lough Nigara winning the other day, he had been knocking on the door and I had been wondering if he would he ever get his head in front! The lads involved I had given them a picture of how it was going to work out and was trying to sell it to them, thank God it worked out and they were all delighted!
Lough Nigara pulled it all together at Punchestown on Monday. Are there shares available with him?
So initially there were 10 lads involved, and unfortunately, due to circumstances, two had to drop out. So, there are a couple of shares left in him, hopefully there might be a bit of interest in him now.
Are there any plans for the future of the syndicate?
We have a nice lease filly coming through, and my idea with her is to make it even more affordable for people, by not putting down an initial lump sum. She was sourced through a breeder via Eoin. She has been in training since September. We are taking our time with her, but she should be ready to run in the early springtime. She is progressing well, and there are 5 or 6 shares left in her.
I have built stables at home, and my philosophy was to bring the horses home when they are on a break and look after them. I plan on trying to buy 1 or 2 younger horses a year to sustain the syndicate over the next 8 or 10 years.
What is the feeling like of having a winner as part of a syndicate?
I'd rather be involved as a syndicate than a sole owner, there is nothing like sharing the winning experience with a group of people. I am fortunate to have a good network around me, and I can celebrate the successes with them, but having a winner as a syndicate is a great feeling. Ned, Eoin's father-in-law, who is involved with Lough Nigara has been involved in the sport as an owner for over 10 years, and that was his first winner. The kick I got out of seeing the enjoyment he got out of the experience as a winning owner was special. He must have shaken my hand at least three times between the horse crossing the line and the presentation! He was over the moon, and that stands out for me, it gives me great pleasure in bringing that feeling to people.
If someone wanted to get involved in the syndicate, how would they go about it?
We have our website that we have just finished, and we are active on all social media platforms. The main point of contact would be obviously by phone; I would be happy to chat to anyone any time. I would be at a lot of race meetings and would happily meet up with anyone at the races who would like to know more about the options we have, and we can go from there.
What would you say to someone who has thinking about getting involved in Ownership but hasn't taken the leap yet?
Lift the phone and contact someone, whether it's me or someone involved in racing. Eoin has been a big part of my understanding of how it all works; he's mentored me with the information needed that I would never have known, so speak to someone and ask them as many questions as you can. If it's for you, it's for you and give it a go.
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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