Ellmarie Holden has enjoyed a decent season so far, in which she has secured two four-year-old winners, one of which was the well-regarded Sir Gerhard.
Holden, who hails from Co. Kilkenny, took a four-year-old maiden at Boulta in late-November with her then four-year-old, Sir Gerhard.
Winning in comfortable fashion by 12 lengths in the hands of Derek O’Connor over Minella Drama, the son of Jeremy subsequently was one of the big attractions at the Tattersalls Cheltenham December sale where he was snapped up by Gordon Elliott for a grand sum of £400,000.
“We bought him as a store horse. Obviously, the pedigree stood out and he was a big good-looking horse as well.
"He did all the right things at home. We always knew he was a good horse, he was growing away all the time.”
"He did all the right things at home. We always knew he was a good horse, he was growing away all the time.”
Holden’s other four-year-old winner came in the shape of Docpickedme at Ballycahane recently.
The son of Getaway held on for a one-length victory over Patroclus in second spot.
He followed a similar path to Sir Gerhard, as the chestnut gelding headed for the Cheltenham Sale at the Festival last week where he was bought by J D Moore for of £75,000.
Also trained by Holden, Kilandra who is a five-year-old son of Elusive Pimpernel took a five-year-old geldings’ maiden at Ballyarthur on Sunday last in the hands of Derek O’Connor, and is now likely to be sold.
“If we can go to a sale, we will go to a sale. If we can sell him privately, we will sell him privately.”
Holden is looking forward to both the near and distant future, as she prepares to unleash some of her newcomers that are coming along for her at home.
“We have roughly 30 horses riding out, we have a couple of bumper horses going forward for the summer, as well as a couple of flat horses.
“We have a nice horse coming up running at the weekend, a Westerner (Sir Jack West, entered at Kirkistown and Dromahane), and we’re hoping for the best.”
The Co. Kilkenny-based handler has five people riding out for her full time, along with a couple of riders who come in a number of times a week including Derek O’Connor.
“Derek (O’Connor) would be in there once or twice a week and my cousin Daniel Holden comes in as well any day he is around,” said Holden as she looks forward to the remainder of the season.
