The Intriguing World of Ballydoyle
October/04/2009 Ireland Journal
Summary only available when permalinks are enabled.
On our last day in County Tipperary, Sinéad NíRiain arranged a special treat for us to visit Ballydoyle, the racing arm of Coolmore Stud, the internationally famous breeding operation, which is located close by. Both Jim and I grew up around horses, and at one time, we had 17 “normal” horses stabled on our farm. But the thoroughbreds at Ballydoyle are far from normal; they are, in fact, racehorse royalty, and they are overseen by Aidan O’Brien, one of the most important figures in international horse-racing and arguably the world’s greatest living trainer on the basis of his record-breaking performance in producing race winners. O’Brien has shaped a procession of champions at the Ballydoyle operation, where he lives with his wife, Anne-Marie and their four children. Sinéad and the O’Briens are personal friends, and she is consulting with Anne-Marie on a book project. Ann-Marie’s combination of talents — as a photographer, a former jockey and trainer, and as an integral part Ballydoyle’s opereations — make her perfectly suited to tell the story of Ballydoyle through her lens.
We arrived bright and early to the sprawling pastoral complex that belies the security, precision, and purposeful activity required to safeguard the valuable blue bloods that are transformed from yearlings to champions through a disciplined process of development and care.
We were especially thrilled to get an up-close look at Yeats, the remarkable 8-year-old Irish thoroughbred who is the only horse ever to win the Ascot Gold Cup four times in succession. The weekend after we met this legendary horse, Yeats ran in his final race in Paris, after which he was moved to Coolmore Stud, where he will become the sire of future champions.
We were warned about a trick Yeats enjoys playing on anyone who falls for his act: he will stick his tongue out as if he wants to play or lick your hand — exactly as he did in the photo below — but which just happens to be the gesture he uses to lure you in. If you get close enough, he’ll take a nip out of you!
As we carefully approached, sure enough . . . Yeats made a lunge for me, as if to say, “Just wanted to let you know who’s boss.” So Jim and I stayed out of his range when Sinéad grabbed this photo of us with the magnificent Yeats, who by the way, is the subject of several Facebook Fan pages. Click here if you want to visit one and see more photos of this glorious stallion . . . and even become his fan.
Next we moved on to the indoor arena, where yearlings were loosening up as they began their morning paces.
Shortly thereafter we were joined by Anne-Marie, who was kind enough to spend some time with us during a hectic day that included race preparations and important auctions.
When the O’Brien’s terrier, “Buddy,” showed up in the arena, we learned that this was a sure sign that Aidan was nearby . . .
. . . and as if on cue, Aidan dropped in to say hello and spend a few minutes before he was off in his jeep to oversee morning workouts.
It was fascinating to watch the meticulous training session unfold when we arrived with Anne-Marie to watch the “gallops” in process, as the first group of horses, alone or in small groups, rounded the track, under Aidan’s watchful appraisal.
As each session was completed, Aidan drew alongside of the horses and riders to give and receive feedback . . .
When the first group finished, and after divots were replaced and the turf was smoothed, the process repeated for each succeeding string of horses.
When the horses returned to their stables, each extra-large stall had been scrubbed and filled with clean straw, just a small part of the extreme pampering that is provided by the hundreds of full-time staff who attend to these elite horses so that they can realize their full racing potential.
This includes providing them with sessions at the farm’s on-site equine aqua center, a kind of therapeutic spa for horses, which Ann-Marie showed us . . .
. . . before inviting us into an office area for tea.
In reading about the 500-acre farm’s operation, I was struck by this quote: "Everything at Ballydoyle is about keeping the horses happy, doing their work without them knowing they're doing it." This is most certainly what we were privileged and intrigued to witness. Meanwhile, as he waited for Aidan to return in the stable yard, Buddy appeared to be unimpressed by the pedigrees of the elite thoroughbreds upon which everything is centered at the legendary Ballydoyle.
Before we left, Ann-Marie invited us to her home, where we prevailed upon her to show us some of the photographs that she has created for her book project. I was not surprised to see that her work is of professional caliber, wonderfully stylish, and opens a visual window on the world of Ballydoyle that could be and captured only by someone who lives its intricacies daily. I can’t wait until the book is published!
As we left the house, I caught one last look at Buddy, waiting patiently on the outside windowsill.
Rather than taking a jeep back to our car at the security gate, we decided to walk instead, so that we could enjoy the lovely autumn weather and the magnificence of Ballydoyle.
As I posted this item, my thoughts returned to our wonderful visit with Sinéad, the O’Brien’s warm hospitality, and our memorable encounter with the incomparable Yeats, who of course was named for Ireland’s most famous poet. William Butler Yeats happens to be my favorite poet, about whom I wrote many papers while in college. So I took a moment to look up a poem that I vaguely remembered from one of those papers: Just as I had thought, it is an appropriate coda to our unforgettable visit to Ballydoyle.
AT GALWAY RACES
by W.B. Yeats (1865-1939)
HERE where the course is,
Delight makes all of the one mind,
The riders upon the galloping horses,
The crowd that closes in behind:
We, too, had good attendance once,
Hearers and hearteners of the work;
Aye, horsemen for companions,
Before the merchant and the clerk
Breathed on the world with timid breath.
Sing on: somewhere at some new moon,
We'll learn that sleeping is not death,
Hearing the whole earth change its tune,
Its flesh being wild, and it again
Crying aloud as the racecourse is,
And we find hearteners among men
That ride upon horses.
We arrived bright and early to the sprawling pastoral complex that belies the security, precision, and purposeful activity required to safeguard the valuable blue bloods that are transformed from yearlings to champions through a disciplined process of development and care.
We were especially thrilled to get an up-close look at Yeats, the remarkable 8-year-old Irish thoroughbred who is the only horse ever to win the Ascot Gold Cup four times in succession. The weekend after we met this legendary horse, Yeats ran in his final race in Paris, after which he was moved to Coolmore Stud, where he will become the sire of future champions.
We were warned about a trick Yeats enjoys playing on anyone who falls for his act: he will stick his tongue out as if he wants to play or lick your hand — exactly as he did in the photo below — but which just happens to be the gesture he uses to lure you in. If you get close enough, he’ll take a nip out of you!
As we carefully approached, sure enough . . . Yeats made a lunge for me, as if to say, “Just wanted to let you know who’s boss.” So Jim and I stayed out of his range when Sinéad grabbed this photo of us with the magnificent Yeats, who by the way, is the subject of several Facebook Fan pages. Click here if you want to visit one and see more photos of this glorious stallion . . . and even become his fan.
Next we moved on to the indoor arena, where yearlings were loosening up as they began their morning paces.
Shortly thereafter we were joined by Anne-Marie, who was kind enough to spend some time with us during a hectic day that included race preparations and important auctions.
When the O’Brien’s terrier, “Buddy,” showed up in the arena, we learned that this was a sure sign that Aidan was nearby . . .
. . . and as if on cue, Aidan dropped in to say hello and spend a few minutes before he was off in his jeep to oversee morning workouts.
It was fascinating to watch the meticulous training session unfold when we arrived with Anne-Marie to watch the “gallops” in process, as the first group of horses, alone or in small groups, rounded the track, under Aidan’s watchful appraisal.
As each session was completed, Aidan drew alongside of the horses and riders to give and receive feedback . . .
When the first group finished, and after divots were replaced and the turf was smoothed, the process repeated for each succeeding string of horses.
When the horses returned to their stables, each extra-large stall had been scrubbed and filled with clean straw, just a small part of the extreme pampering that is provided by the hundreds of full-time staff who attend to these elite horses so that they can realize their full racing potential.
This includes providing them with sessions at the farm’s on-site equine aqua center, a kind of therapeutic spa for horses, which Ann-Marie showed us . . .
. . . before inviting us into an office area for tea.
In reading about the 500-acre farm’s operation, I was struck by this quote: "Everything at Ballydoyle is about keeping the horses happy, doing their work without them knowing they're doing it." This is most certainly what we were privileged and intrigued to witness. Meanwhile, as he waited for Aidan to return in the stable yard, Buddy appeared to be unimpressed by the pedigrees of the elite thoroughbreds upon which everything is centered at the legendary Ballydoyle.
Before we left, Ann-Marie invited us to her home, where we prevailed upon her to show us some of the photographs that she has created for her book project. I was not surprised to see that her work is of professional caliber, wonderfully stylish, and opens a visual window on the world of Ballydoyle that could be and captured only by someone who lives its intricacies daily. I can’t wait until the book is published!
As we left the house, I caught one last look at Buddy, waiting patiently on the outside windowsill.
Rather than taking a jeep back to our car at the security gate, we decided to walk instead, so that we could enjoy the lovely autumn weather and the magnificence of Ballydoyle.
As I posted this item, my thoughts returned to our wonderful visit with Sinéad, the O’Brien’s warm hospitality, and our memorable encounter with the incomparable Yeats, who of course was named for Ireland’s most famous poet. William Butler Yeats happens to be my favorite poet, about whom I wrote many papers while in college. So I took a moment to look up a poem that I vaguely remembered from one of those papers: Just as I had thought, it is an appropriate coda to our unforgettable visit to Ballydoyle.
AT GALWAY RACES
by W.B. Yeats (1865-1939)
HERE where the course is,
Delight makes all of the one mind,
The riders upon the galloping horses,
The crowd that closes in behind:
We, too, had good attendance once,
Hearers and hearteners of the work;
Aye, horsemen for companions,
Before the merchant and the clerk
Breathed on the world with timid breath.
Sing on: somewhere at some new moon,
We'll learn that sleeping is not death,
Hearing the whole earth change its tune,
Its flesh being wild, and it again
Crying aloud as the racecourse is,
And we find hearteners among men
That ride upon horses.