Meet The Rising Stars Among Irish Flat Racing Trainers The Flat racing scene in Ireland is dominated by Aidan O'Brien at the top level and toppling the Ballydoyle supremo is no easy challenge, but there are some up and coming names among the training ranks who are eager for their own slice of the pie. Handlers such as Stephen Thorne, Paddy Twomey and Adrian Murray are building strong teams and continuing to grow, raising ambitions and, on occasion, taking the measure of the established order. We're taking a look at a trio of Irish trainers that are very much on the up. Stephen Thorne Stephen Thorne is the brains behind Shamrock Thoroughbreds. A little over a year ago, Thorne decided to go it alone after having spent a good chunk of time - seven years - as part of the successful Ado McGuinness operation. Thorne, who shares Jack Davison's Salestown base in Co Meath, made a fast start as he landed the Irish all-weather trainers' championship in his first winter season. Thorne, who comes from a tillage farming background and has a higher diploma in accounting, came through the Godolphin Flying Start programme before spending time in South Africa under the tutelage of trainer Mike de Kock at his Durban base. "I did a placement with Mike de Kock on the Flying Start programme in Dubai and I begged him for a job," he told the Racing Post. "I was in awe of the way he prepared and trained horses - a master of his trade. I was in Durban for 12 months with more than 100 horses and shadowed his two assistants. It was a huge learning curve." He also spent time in Lambourn with Ralph Beckett before joining McGuinness' successful operation. Thorne set up Shamrock Thoroughbreds, a syndicate whose colours are now synonymous with premier racedays in Ireland, and many of their inmates now race under his license. Securing Stephen Mooney as assistant is something Thorne labels his 'biggest coup' and, with planning permission in the offing to build his own facilities north of Dublin, Thorne's name is one Irish racing fans can get used to hearing. Paddy Twomey Paddy Twomey has multiple Group 1s on his impressive CV via the likes of Pearl Galore and La Petite Coco and he was on the Royal Ascot scoresheet this summer with Carmers in the Queen's Vase. The Cork-born trainer is now based in Golden in Co Tipperary at Athassel House. Safe to say, Twomey has been destined for a career in racing since childhood - he bred his first Group 1 winner from a mare bought with his Communion money at just 13 years old! A graduate of the pinhooking business, he took out his restricted license in 2012 and had his first winner within days when Hunting Goddess scored at Dundalk. He gained a full license in 2016 and has steadily evolved his facility - initially a stud farm without a gallop - into a purpose-built yard where quality is paramount. Twomey pins his plans on precision, not volume, vowing to have fewer runners than other major stables, but to achieve consistently high quality performances, with every horse under his care destined to gain the maximum level of performance. With 2025 already bringing his first Royal Ascot winner, Twomey's journey remains on a forward-going trajectory. Take our State of Racing Survey for a chance to win a €50 Amazon gift card Adrian Murray Adrian Murray's story is a little different from Thorne and Twomey but nonetheless engaging for that. Murray has gone from being a 'hobby' trainer in point-to-points to taking on and beating the likes of Aidan O'Brien in major races. A cattle farmer from Co Westmeath, Murray always held a passion for horses before he trained a point-to-pointer in 2007 who went on to win at Kilbeggan. He focused on the jumps over a decade, having winners intermittently, but his star has risen since he turned to the Flat. A link-up with Brazilian-born Robson Aguiar, the jockey who relocated to Ireland, would prove inspirational. Aguiar moved into bloodstock and formed an alliance with Murray, before the former teamed up Kia Joorabchian and what has become Amo Racing. The likes of Go Bears Go and Bucanero Fuerte are stars that have shone for Murray in the Amo Racing silks and, while plenty of their stars go to major yards in Britain, a selection also come to the trusted Murray at his base in Mullingar. The likes of Arizona Blaze, Valiant Force and Power Blue from his yard trade blows with the biggest names in the sport.
