Kelleher celebrates notable four-year-old success

 

The daughter of Westerner, whom Kelleher purchased for just €4,500, travelled sweetly throughout, holding a prominent position before being headed after two out, and she was still very much in contention when Even Tho departed at the last.

Once left in front, she stayed on strongly to score by 11 lengths under Kelleher’s nephew, Luke. It was a deserved success after earlier misfortune in her previous runs, and Kelleher was quick to acknowledge that the mare had been threatening a big run for some time.

 

“She was really unlucky on her last three starts,” he says. “She’d have bolted up in the spring only for unseating two out, and at Turtulla the loose horse caught her eye and took her out of the race. We always liked her, she’s a very special mare. She finally did her job on Saturday.”

 

Although he believes he trained a four-year-old winner 'many years ago before records began online', Kelleher freely admits that his operation isn’t set up to press young horses early.

 

“We train the old way,” he explains. “We don’t rush them and we like to give our horses time. That’s why this is probably our first four-year-old winner in a very long time on the competitive circuit. We’re a small outfit and we do it our own way.”

 

Kelleher may not campaign many four-year-olds, but he has proven his ability to produce a quality young horse. Former inmate Absolutely Doyen, who was second in a four-year-old contest at Ballindenisk last December, was sold to Fergal O’Brien and later joined Paul Nicholls, for whom he has now won three in a row.

 

Burds Of A Feather is now bound for the Tattersalls Cheltenham sales this Friday, and while Kelleher admits he would love to keep her a bit longer, the realities of the business dictate otherwise.

 

“I’d love to take her to Limerick over Christmas and she’d win a bumper doing handstands, but you can’t say no to money. She’s going on the boat. Hopefully she sells well, we think the world of her.”

 

The victory also reflects the depth of family involvement behind the Kelleher yard, whose horses have been running well both in points and on the track recently.

 

A small-scale operation with space for eleven horses, they typically keep eight or nine in training, including three unnamed three-year-olds and recent runners such as Moig South-fourth Delusion Of Grandeur. and Loyal Praetorium, who finished second at Clonmel recently and is set to contest a Limerick maiden hurdle over Christmas.

 

It is, quite literally, a family-run establishment, as Kelleher explained.

 

“I’m 62 in January and I still ride out every morning. My brother Mike is 63, and my first cousin Tommy Linehan is 60.

"The three of us do all the slow work. Luke comes in two or three mornings a week to do the faster work and jumping. Mike’s daughter Lucy, who is a vet, gives us a dig out at the weekends. It’s a real family show.”

 

Luke, who partners all of Kelleher’s runners between the flags, was recording a fifth success in the saddle aboard Burds Of A Feather, and continues to progress.

 

“He’s a good rider and improving all the time,” Kelleher says proudly. “He went away and did his engineering degree before taking out his licence, so he has his qualification and a proper job, but he still makes time for the horses. He does a four-day shift pattern and rides out with us on his days off.”

 

Alongside the horses, Kelleher works nights as a psychiatric nurse, now 43 years in service.

 

“I do the horses in the morning, get a rest, and then go to work.”

 

Kelleher was not in attendance at Dromahane to welcome Burds Of A Feather back into the winners’ enclosure as he was in London along with youngest son Ger to visit another son, Tim, who works there in finance.

 

“I actually missed the race on Saturday as I was in London visiting my son. We were having a boys’ weekend and ended up celebrating in the Sky Garden, 35 floors up!”

 

Kelleher is also deeply involved in the wider point-to-point community, serving as chairman of the Point-to-Point Handlers Association. It is a role he takes seriously.

 

“I work closely with HRI and the IHRB. We got the prize money increased this year from €1,750 to €2,000.

"A lot of people might not realise it, but only for the Handlers Association working with governing bodies, that wouldn’t have happened. We’re always pushing for the small man, costs are rising all the time and we can’t afford to lose the smaller handlers.”

 

Despite the pressures of modern point-to-pointing, Kelleher remains committed to bringing through young horses without spending big.

 

“It’s expensive now, and we can’t afford big-money stores, but we like to buy a few three-year-olds, train them and sell them. That’s our game. Burds Of A Feather only cost €4,500 and that’s what it’s all about.”

His ability to produce durable, consistent horses is nothing new. His great servant Macs Legend won nine point-to-points and three hunter chases for the yard, becoming a flagbearer for the family operation over several seasons.

 

Kelleher, who currently has four horses with hunter certs, reports that the talented Burds Of A Feather came out of her race well and is definitely heading to Cheltenham, while he hopes that his small traditional yard can get another few winners on the board this season.

“She’s very special,” he says again. “We’ve been unlucky with her, but she showed what she can do. Hopefully she gets the recognition she deserves at the sales and brings a bit of luck to the yard.”