Hogan and McAuley to combine forces again Trainer Denis Hogan has taken charge of James McAuley's first horse as the owner returns from a break from racing over the coming months, with the pair to be represented at Dundalk this winter. Hogan and McAuley combined to claim Shoot To Kill at Killarney on July 16 and are currently sourcing a team for Dundalk's all-weather winter series. McAuley, whose ownership is divided between brother Stephen and uncle James Gough, combined with Hogan to buy and race 2020 July Cup runner-up Sceptical for just £2,800 prior to the gelding suffering a fatal injury. The partnership was also involved in a controversial Dundalk claiming race in 2020 and while McAuley subsequently trained his family's horses successfully in his own name, hasn't had a runner since February 2024. Hogan reports "James Gough and James and Stephen McAuley are local to Dundalk, they like running their horses up there, and recently claimed a horse and sent him to me. It is great to have them back in the yard and they are on the lookout for horses to run up there. "They are very good at buying and are also very good at race planning and if James (McAuley) sees value, he'll take it. He had enough going on with working in their hotels so went out of the training game for a period, but we're glad to have the lads back. We had some great years together."
