Image © Healy Racing
Saturday proved a landmark day for County Armagh handler Craig Kileff when Fane Court got up in the shadow of the post to provide him with his first point-to-point winner in the six-year-old and upwards maiden at Kirkistown. Even sweeter was the fact that the horse is owned and trained by Kileff, and was ridden to victory by his son Thomas, who was recording his third success in the saddle.
In one of the most dramatic finishes of the afternoon, Fane Court, having appeared outpaced turning for home, found a renewed effort after the last to run down the long-time leader Unfortunatecharlie on the line. It was only Kileff’s third runner as a handler, making the success all the more notable.
“It was very special,” Kileff admitted. “Watching Thomas ride him was the important bit for me. The pair of them never gave up. They worked all the way to the line, which was beautiful to see.”
Fane Court, previously trained by Ross Crawford, joined the Kileff team earlier this year.
“Ross recommended him to us and said we’d have a bit of fun with him. His previous owners were scaling back, so Ross thought he’d suit Thomas and myself,” Kileff explained.
The Kileff operation is a modest but well-organised two-man team, with Craig and Thomas fitting the horses around their full-time work.
“We only rent a little bit of ground here. It’s just the two of us. Thomas is with Ross every day, and we do our own horses before work, after work, or at lunchtime if Thomas gets a break. We just fit them in around our lives.”
Kileff’s has a long-standing connection to racing. Originally from Zimbabwe, he spent his youth working in racing establishments.
“I worked at Herringswell Bloodstock Centre in Newmarket, where they started horses for Michael Stoute and Henry Cecil, and later spent a couple of seasons at Warren Place.
“When I was in Zimbabwe, I worked for a trainer called Ginger Halfpenny, unfortunately I was too heavy to get my jockey licence, however I always loved the training side of it.”
Kileff later farmed in Zimbabwe, but his family relocated to Northern Ireland in 2003 following the land seizures under Robert Mugabe.
Both Kileff’s children, Hannah and Thomas have been deeply involved in horses from a young age, competing in pony club and polocrosse.
“Hannah isn’t involved anymore, but Thomas competed in polocrosse to a very high level, before turning his attention firmly to racing.”
“He’s loving it,” Kileff added proudly.
Beltoy, Kileff’s other horse with a hunter certificate, also ran with credit earlier on the Kirkistown card, finishing a close third in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.
“We fancied Beltoy. We thought he’d run very close. We weren’t sure about Fane Court because he’d been off the track for a long time, but both horses ran well.”
Kileff likes to give the horses some variety and uses a mixture of facilities near home including Ross Crawford’s gallops, and local schooling grounds at Moira.
“We use Ross’s gallops, a sand school, and we have a big hill here where we can canter them when conditions allow. It’s a mix of everywhere, really.”
As for plans with Fane Court, options are being kept open.
“Fane Court came out of Saturday’s race very well – he could have ran again on the Sunday!
“We’ll sit and assess things. We might put him on one of the online auctions and see. If we can replace him, we haven’t made any decisions as yet.”
Kileff, who also works as a sales representative for Bluegrass Horse Feeds, obtained his handler’s licence earlier this year, motivated by the idea of having something that he and his son Thomas could share and enjoy together.
Despite the depth of Saturday’s emotions, Kileff insists the operation will remain small and enjoyable.
“No big plans. We just want two or three horses for Thomas to ride and to have a bit of fun. That’s all we’re after.”
