18+ | Commercial Content | T&Cs apply | Wagering and T&Cs apply | Play Responsibly | Advertising Disclosure

Martin bows out of training ranks at Dundalk

Pat Martin (left) with son Jack, jockey Mikey Sheehy and 2022 winner Patrick StreetPat Martin (left) with son Jack, jockey Mikey Sheehy and 2022 winner Patrick Street
© Photo Healy Racing

Pat Martin finished third with his final runner at Dundalk today, where the retiring-trainer reflected on a 40-plus year career and his future plans to assist Gavin Cromwell going forward.

Licensed to train since the 1980s, the Navan-based trainer was successful in Navan’s prestigious Proudstown Hurdle in 1988 with Mary O’Malley and had, for many years, enjoyed regular success.

Indiana Gal landed him a blacktype success in Dundalk’s 2009 Listed Carlingford Stakes and at that same course today, sent out two runners, with his final runner Still She Blooms finishing third in a seven furlong handicap.

Martin reflected “I’ve had this in my head for the past two months and, as it happened, I went over to Gavin Cromwell’s to gallop a horse recently and just realised how good the big guys are.

“Gavin’s system was excellent - I was very impressed, so felt we were struggling to do this. We don’t have the quality or the facilities which they have, so the penny dropped with me then.

“I have plans to have a break as I am mentally tired, and Gavin (Cromwell) asked me to come in so I’ve done that and survived! It has been an eye-opener and he is an exceptionally good trainer.”

He added “I probably should have made this decision a couple of years ago but you try as hard as you can. I have made the right decision and have no regrets.”

“My first winner was Kasparova in 1984 in Tipperary, who was owned by an Irish chess champion. He was a man I met through chance doing gardening, and he ended up being my best man. A lot of our first horses were all chess related.

“I was always able to knock in eight to ten winners a year but the game has changed and 2024 has been a struggle, so this is the right decision to stop. The standard has gone up and for us to win a race, we need to get everything right on the day. That’s just the way things are gone.”

Reflecting on his career, he added “we had lots of horses who won lots of handicaps. Owner Tom Brennan was my best supporter and as it happens, Tom is four years dead today so it is a poignant day to stop. Indiana Gal was my best Flat horse and she went on to be the dam of a champion out in Japan.”

1st
8/1
Tote €9.00 €2.00
2nd
1.25L
13/2
€2.50
3rd
0.75L
14/1
€3.90
4th
nk
12/1
bf
1L
2/1Fav
About Tom Weekes
A lifelong racing fan, Tom began writing point to point reports in 2002 and has reported for irishracing.com since 2003, when he joined Irish Racing Services - since taken over by the Press Association. Has ridden a point to point winner and won the 2018 Irish Field Naps Table.

Market Movers