Only 20 HRI questions for Peter Reynolds

Tackling a 20-question Horse Racing Ireland challenge this week is racing enthusiast Peter Reynolds who had a long association of some 40 years with Ballymacoll Stud and is now a member of a syndicate that has a promising two-year-old filly ready to race with Dunboyne trainer Jack Davison.

1. What is the name of the syndicate?

The Castlerock syndicate.

2. What is the name of this promising filly?

Castlerock Aura

3. Who else is involved in this syndicate?

My son Nick suggested putting it together to race this filly that myself and my son-in-law, David Ledwith, own together.

It’s made up of a number of friends or colleagues generally connected to Nick, most are taking their first steps into racehorse ownership. He was anxious to send the filly to Jack Davison.

4. Have your colours any significance?

Not particularly other than being the Castlerock school colours on the front of one of Paul Howard’s Ross O’Carroll Kelly books.

5. How did Nick come up with the name for your syndicate?

Around the time of setting it up there was a very funny Ross O’Carroll Kelly column in the Irish Times where Ross ends up standing on the side of a road holding a horse he just bought from a friend for €10,000 saying

“Goys, I think this is one of the best ideas we’ve ever had”.

So he decided to see if the name Castlerock Syndicate was available and it was.

We’re just hoping it was a great idea after all!

6. How did you decide on the horse’s name?

The syndicate partners all had ideas and had a vote.

Most of the names were Castlerock-related and Castlerock Aura came out on top.

7. What sparked your love of racing?

Since I was very young, I have always had a great interest in racing and breeding racehorses.

8. Your father had an association with a Dery winner, is that correct?

My father bought the 1964 English and Irish Derby winner Santa Claus as a foal for 800 guineas and sold him as a yearling for 1,200 guineas.

By coincidence, the dam of Santa Claus (Aunt Clara) was sold in 1955 as an unraced two-year-old to a Dr Smorfitt, the breeder of Santa Claus, for 130 guineas by Dorothy Paget who was then the owner of Ballymacoll Stud.

9. You were the manager of Ballymacoll Stud for many years?

I managed Ballymacoll Stud for more that 40 years for the Sobell, Weinstock families until it was sold in 2017.

10. Any Derby winners bred there?

While managing the farm I was involved with many great racehorses and also two Derby winners, Troy won the 1979 Irish Derby and the Epsom Derby while North Light won at Epsom in 2004.

11. What has been the best horse you have been involved in?

One of the best and toughest horses I have been involved in was Pilsudski which won six Group I races in five countries – Ireland, England, Germany, USA and Japan.

I was lucky enough to witness him winning five of those races and so he took me all over the world. He was an amazing racehorse that started off as a handicapper and Michael Stoute trained him to perfection.

12. What is your most memorable racing moment?

It has to be Islington winning the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mares Turf in Santa Anita in 2003, her fourth Group 1 win.

Following her win at Santa Anita she was awarded a prestigious Eclipse Award by the USA NTRA.

I had previously witnessed Hellenic, her mother, win the Yorkshire Oaks a race Islington won twice.

13. Your favourite horse of all time?

Arkle, the world’s greatest steeplechaser. Foaled in April 1957 in the foaling box that I could see from my bedroom in Ballymacoll for the 40 plus years that I lived there. Coincidently, the Derby winner North Light and Islington were foaled in the same stable.

14. If you could have one famous person own a horse with you who would it be?

Paul O’Connell.

15. Have you or the syndicate any race day superstitions?

Sit down and count to 10 before leaving my house.

16. What trait do you look for in a trainer?

Attention to detail and good communication.

17. Outside of racing, what is your favourite sport?

Rugby.

18. What racing festival are you most looking forward to attending when the Covid-19 restrictions are lifted?

Galway.

19. What is your guilty pleasure?

Cadbury’s Dairy Milk.

20. How are you occupying your time during the Covid-19 restrictions?

Gardening and walking.