This article is from page 8 of the 2006-08-08 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 8 JPG
A SPORTING coalition made up of opposing politicians was celebrating a Clare success in the winning enclosure at the Galway Races last Tuesday.
Former Fine Gael TDs Donal Carey and Sean Barrett were joined by former Taoiseach and Fianna Fail TD Albert Reynolds in cheering home their shared horse, Sorry Al, to victory in the two-and-three-quarter mile McDonogh Properties Chase.
The unusual winning team also includes three Ennis businessmen – Pat Quinn, Christy Guerin and Philip O’Reilly – all of whom make up the T&C Syndicate.
No stranger to horse racing, Donal Carey told The Clare People that the syndicate was set up to support former champion jockey Charlie Swan as he broke into the horse training sector. And the name of the winning horse is a source of amusement for the former Clare TD.
“I was trying to get Albert Reynolds on the phone so that we could pick a name but I couldn’t get him, so I decided to call him ‘Sorry Al’,” laughed the retired Clarecastle politician.
The six-year-old novice chaser has brought some success to the syndicate since they bought him two and a half years ago but Tuesday’s win at the famous Galway meeting was its biggest to date. He has won two chances and two over hurdles to date.
The 7/2 winner surprised punters in Galway by coming in ahead of the favourite ridden by Ruby Walsh. The Clare owned horse was ridden by jockey David Casey who fell later in the week and broke his collarbone.
Mr Carey said that the syndicate will probably run Sorry Al a few more times, but as he is a summer horse he will probably take a break for the winter months.
Speaking following the Galway race Charlie Swan said, “This place (Ballybrit) really lights up this horse and he loves that good ground.
“He’s in again later in the week, but we’ll probably take our time with him.”
A delighted Mr Reynolds explained, “He won over hurdles here last September but I couldn’t be here as my daughter was getting married. Charlie (Swan) told me not to worry, he’d had have him ready for the summer festival and he was dead right.”