In From The Cold (left) winning the Madrid Handicap at Naas last week© Photo Healy Racing
Mick Mulvany and Kieran Cotter both enjoyed success on the opening day of the Flat turf season at Naas last Monday and would welcome a quick return to action with their small yards in such good form.
In From The Cold landed the valuable Madrid Handicap for Mulvany while his other three runners were all in the money but the current cancellation of racing because of COVID-19 is obviously a big worry.
“It is a major concern trying to keep things going and wondering whether you are doing the right thing or not. The horses have to be looked after and we are carrying on exercising them as best we can.
“You’d love to see racing going ahead but it’s the uncertainty that makes it very hard to plan anything,” said the Trim-based trainer.
“We were planning that they were going to continue behind closed doors. The horses all ran well at Naas last Monday but we always budget to be out early and were ready.
“We have 17 riding out at the moment and there is a few more that we put a hold on. I normally only have about 15 but we have a few new owners this year. It’s a shame that racing is not happening for them.
“Every year we have been improving and getting more winners.
“We are a real family operation but we’re too big to ride work so Joey Murray and Kevin Smith both come in regularly to ride out for me. They are good jockeys and have been with me for a few years and we also have Gary Carroll.
“We do the mucking out and the feeding, the general maintenance and bringing them racing.
“My brother Laurence is a big part of the team, and my nephew Jamie O’Sullivan is a farrier and he also rides out. My own son Larry also gives us a dig out.”
“We have a big farm of land and also have cattle. There is always plenty of work to be done.
“We always have cattle for sale and with the marts closed at the moment we may have to sell to the factory even though the prices are bad. Things have to be kept going.
“Every business has its problems at the moment. You hope for the best and hopefully things might turn a bit quicker in this country than elsewhere.
“We have closed places in plenty of time where people might be congregating like pubs and restaurants. We may have to close people coming into the country as well because if we get it under control here then you don’t want people coming in and causing further infection.
“Italy and Spain are in an awful state, and I think the situation in England is worrying too. There is such a close connection between racing here and in England. If you are trying to make a stallion you need to perform in the English classics.
“When you see the likes of Boris Johnson and his Health Minister testing positive for the virus it doesn’t sound good and it must be fairly rampant.
“I’d imagine when racing does start back again it will be behind closed doors but how long can that be maintained if there’s no betting shops open to finance it.
“The uncertainty is the main problem for trainers. All we can do is continue exercising horses and keeping them fit. If we put a date on it, say the start of June, then trainers could make definite plans. A lot of people will be under pressure keeping staff and it may come to that as owners will find it hard to pay bills.
“If this continues for a while there will have to be a complete overhaul of the racing programme. It will affect everyone from the classics and big races down to two-year-olds being prepared for breeze up sales.”
Kieran Cotter has 15 in training just outside Portalington, and he was glad the Naas meeting went ahead as Woodford General took the six-furlong maiden in runaway fashion.
“We were fortunate enough that we got in an early blow. We would have been really frustrated if we hadn’t got to run that horse.
“He won well and there has been a bit of interest. It’s hard to turn down good money.
“We were to have seven runners in the first week (of the turf season) and fancied a few of them. They are fit and well so we’ll keep tipping away and they won’t take too much work," said Cotter.
“We are using the time to catch up on jobs like power washing in barns and steam cleaning. We have a small yard and are well used to battling!
“Myself, Danny Murphy, Mark Gallagher and Martin Reilly all ride out and we call ourselves the over 50’s club. We have 200 years of experience between us!
“Racing has always been very resilient. It looks like it will be gone for a while now but hopefully we can get back even behind closed doors.
“No doubt there will be a few casualties but we are lucky enough in that we are not too big and we own our own gallops and stables.”
