Image © Healy Racing
County Wexford trainer Sean Osborne recorded the first double of his career at Ballindenisk as Ya Will Ya and Honey Come Quick both obliged in the hands of James Walsh. With three winners from just five runners, Osborne is on track for his most successful season since sending out his first runners in the 2007/2008 campaign.
“It was great crack yesterday,” he laughed. “We weren’t expecting anything like a double with so few horses riding out. But look, it all came right on the day.”
The homebred grey Ya Will Ya, who runs in the colours of Osborne’s wife Mary Claire, initiated the brace when making all in the five-year-old and upwards geldings’ maiden. The son of Kingston Hill had shown plenty of promise on debut when finishing second at Lingstown in March, sticking on gamely after a mistake two out. At Ballindenisk he showed the benefit of that experience, racing at the head of affairs throughout before edging ahead after the second-last to see off ex-track performer Tea In The Park by a length.
“He’s a nice horse,” Osborne said.
“He’d picked up a knock last year, so that’s why he was still here. I’m not sure what we’ll do with him. There’s plenty of people talking about him. We’ll see whether he goes to the sales or runs on the track over Christmas. More than likely he’ll be sold if the right offer comes. If not, he’ll run away.”
Honey Come Quick delivered the second leg of the double with the most visually impressive performance of the day. She had returned from a year off to win her maiden at Knockmullen House earlier in November, and she stepped forward again on Sunday, leading from before three out and stretching effortlessly clear to beat Queen Of The Gales by 24 lengths in the mares’ winner of two contest. Owned and bred by Sean’s father Seamus, who was celebrating his 76th birthday, the success carried added meaning.
“Dad wasn’t fit to travel to Cork. It was too far for him. But it made his birthday. She’ll go to the track over Christmas and we’ll try to get a bit more form into her. She’ll definitely be kept for the broodmare job.”
Osborne grew up immersed in horses, riding show jumpers, hunters and eventers, and was heavily involved with the Shillelagh Hunt and Pony Club. His father was always involved in horses and the family have long combined hunting and breeding. Training and breeding became the main focus. Osborne also has a single track winner to his name, when Ask Me Nicely scored in a Limerick bumper back in 2007.
“We breed all our own horses. We keep our own broodmares, and nearly everything we’ve sold the last few years has gone on and won. We have the mothers and the half-sisters and half-brothers here. It’s a small operation.”
Because of that small scale, Osborne’s horses are not heavily schooled away from home, and this plays a big role in their pattern of improvement.
“We don’t have the time or the facilities to be bringing them away for loads of schooling. Everything gets done here at home. We have a great gallop here, but when they get a run or two, they always improve plenty. You’d notice the difference straight away.”
Alongside the horses, Osborne runs a busy beef enterprise, with the day-to-day work at Park Lodge shared between close family and friends.
“We’re only hobby trainers really. We’re farming full-time. My wife Mary Claire has been helping a lot over the last few months, my sister Barbara also rides out, neighbours come in when they can. Getting staff is the toughest part. There’s just no one around with the right knowledge anymore. Without Mary Claire, Barbara, James Walsh and my good friend Ray Jennings I’d be lost.”
He also acknowledges the support of the O’Hara family, who have a mare in training with him and are a great help to the yard.
Osborne keeps around six broodmares and breaks all his own youngstock. His approach to stallions is based on practicality and value.
“You can’t be paying big money for the more fashionable sires when you’ve a number of mares. We’ll take a chance on a younger sire or a stallion on their second or third season. Most of our mares wouldn’t be over-quick, so we try to get a bit more speed into them. It’s rolling the dice and hoping for the best.”
James Walsh was in the plate for both winners at Ballindenisk, and Osborne is full of appreciation for the local rider.
“James is a neighbour. He’s been coming in and schooling for years. I didn’t have many horses in training over the last while but he stuck around, and it’s brilliant for him. Two rides, two winners. I’m delighted for him.”
Looking ahead, Osborne has plenty to be excited about, including Seeyasunday, who is due to run over Christmas, and The Real Diego, who shaped much better than his debut fifth suggests. There is also a full-sister to Honey Come Quick, who should make her debut over the festive period.
“We’d love a four-year-old winner before the season ends. That would be the job. We’ve a few nice ones to run and plenty of two-year-olds coming on. But we need to sell. If we don’t move the four-year-olds, we can’t bring the next batch in.”
Despite the recent surge of success, Osborne’s ambitions remain grounded.
“I’d rather just train my own and not be training for other people. We breed them here, we break them, we do it all ourselves. If we can get them sold and get a few winners, that’s the whole idea.”
With a 60 percent strike rate and his first-ever double, Osborne looks set for his best season in almost two decades.
“We’ve tried to give it up a few times,” he admitted, “but the addiction keeps coming back. Sunday was one of those days that makes it all worthwhile.”
