Tallow's the place for future talent

The West Waterford Foxhounds host their annual meeting at Tallow on Sunday, and this fixture has often proved a great pointer to exciting new chasing talent with the likes of Boston Bob, Realt Dubh and Days Hotel cutting their teeth on the left-handed circuit in recent years.

Grand National winning trainer Jimmy Mangan has hosted the meeting for “about the last 20 years” on a 50 acre site about a mile inside the Cork border on the banks of the river Bride.

“It’s very free-draining land and it’s never heavy,” said Mangan, who is as enthusiastic as ever about the game and sees no sign of the current economic problems in the country effecting point-to-pointing too severely.

“I would say the crowds and the number of runners are even bigger this year. There was such massive crowds at Dungarvan and Killeagh, and even Carrigtwohill did well despite a horrible day last Sunday,” said the Conna handler.

“Monty’s Pass won at Tallow before going on to win the Grand National for me, while Merry Gale and Idiots Venture were other good horses to run here. The first four-year-old maiden of the year is run here and at Belharbour on the same day, and it often throws up a good horse. Realt Dubh ran in it a few years ago.

“Because of that, all the top buyers come to Tallow. Aidan Murphy is planning to come over on Sunday as this is a place to find good horses.”

Mangan added, “Point-to-points are absolutely flying at the moment, and that’s the way we want to keep it. Point-to-pointing is such a vital cog in the racing industry, and you can sell a point-to-point horse now easier than you’d sell a bumper horse.”

The costs involved in running a point-to-point meeting are something that’s increased over the past few years as Mangan explains. “The overheads are high, the likes of insurance, sure everything is money now. But there is a great volunteer aspect to the game and people are great for giving their time and help.”

Mangan’s stables are used as a weigh-room for the Tallow meeting, while local trainer Sean Aherne provides space for lorries to park, and another neighbour Michael Dineen also provides car parking space.

The point-to-point Chairman Bill Ronayne, secretary Mike Tobin and assistant secretary Neilus Mulcahy all play a big part. “It’s all voluntary work and they are unbelievable people,” says Mangan before finally adding, “I’m looking forward to running Conna Castle on Sunday. He won the Powers Gold Cup for us beating Big Zeb and, even though he’s 13 now, he’s in great form. My daughter Jane will ride him.”

Alan Magee