Ballydoyle - evidently has to be seen to be believed!

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My Dad works at Newbury racecourse and is of Irish origin and he was well overdue a visit home to see relatives etc. He has been invited to Ballydoyle on numerous occasions but there was always a reason why he couldn't go. It was either work commitments, someone to look after the dog, someone to feed his chickens etc etc

He is not getting any younger, so last week he eventually went complete with a friend who acted as a his driver as he has a dogdy ticker. I dog sat!

My Dad has always been a big fan of Aidan O'Brien but he has not stopped talking about about his visit for hours/days.

He was absolutely amazed at what he saw, what he learnt and how much perfection goes in to turning out their talented horses. No stone is left unturned to make sure they are able to bring out the very best in every horse.

He will never (not that he ever did) criticise anything to do with the Ballydoyle operation as he said it really has to be seen to be believed. The various gallops, the exercise pools, sauna's, solariums the physical size (and cost :eek:of the boxes) the quality of the staff and the fact that it was Aidan (and not a member of his staff) who was the one working out the lots for the following days and putting them on the board!

I have never been but having listened to my Dad I would really love to go one day. It's no wonder that the Ballydoyle team are head and shoulders above so many trainers in this country. With the effort they apparently put in they clearly deserve to be the very best training facility in the world. It takes a lot to impress my Dad and believe me he was mightily impressed.
 
Everyone who has been to Ballydoyle says the same thing.
Goes to prove money can buy success - so long as it's backed up by sound judgement
 
Galileo - he could not believe the gallops - the number and the condition and the science involved. Is any of what they do there secret? I was a bit reluctant to say too much just in case some of it is not for public consumption;)
 
Headstrong, my Dad says that anyone who loves horse racing should go to Ballydoyle if they possibly can. It certainly made him look at the whole operation in a totally different light. Aidan is clearly extremely talented, they have some very good horses but also they the very best facilities available and expertise by the truckload. They deserve every group win they achieve and good luck to them.

Colin, believe me, Ballydolyle have enough people around (probably specifically employed) to make sure there are NO stones on their gallops.:rolleyes:
 
Ballydolyle have enough people around (probably specifically employed) to make sure there are NO stones on their gallops

they have also got enough horses and jockeys to make sure NO stone goes unturned within a race;)
 
they are certainly the first operation I can remember that puts pacemakers in a race..to set a steady one

not seen many mention this in regard to some of the recent races...where it has been pretty clear that they have clearly shaped races in the exact opposite way in which most think pacemakers would be used

clever stuff imo

the KG was a classic example...they put in a pacemaker...to make the pace for DOM...not to make the pace for the race...other trainers seem oblivious to this tactic...assuming the pace maker will make the race a true test.

they are streets ahead of the others tactically
 
It took them a long time to figure out how to use pacemakers. They spent years sending them off ten lenghts in front and helping no-one. the one thing that you appreciate in Ballydoyle is the attention to detail and how involved O'Brien really is. I beleive he still makes the lads walk the horses rather than put them on walkers. this alone is savagely time consuming but attention to absolute detail. I had a conversation with a lad who had dinner with someone from Coolmore the other night and they believe that O'Brien is the best trainer they have had. And they ain't had many!!! But he is remunerated accordingly!!
 
It's been noticeable that they have been using pacemakers very differently in the last year or two - and it's true they sometimes used to scald off ...

It's very interesting that bit about them walking the horses one on one. They must have a fantastic relationship with the lads... I spent a long time watching DOM wind down in the pre-parade ring at Newmarket after the Juddmonte, and one could feel the special trust between him and his handler.

I also remember the story about Georg W pulling his lad into a lake when he came back from stud, and other amusements! Must have been fun LOL
 
Definitely no horsewalkers by all accounts. Also I think Dad said there are something like 140 horses and 142 members of staff to look after them. The facilities for the staff are second to none BUT if any of them step out of line they are gone. Rarely second chances are given by all accounts. They pay good money as they expect and deserve the best for their horses. Dad saw the cottage where Kieran Fallon resided.

I have a feeling Kieran could be moving back in at some stage - but that's just my own personal opinion nothing that was said by anyone at Ballydoyle!:)
 
I wasn't sure if the horsewalking was still there but I've heard enough stories of it. They walk them for up to 45 mins before heading out and the same afterwards. Annoys a lot of people in the yard and some good people have apparently left as they were not actually riding many horses! but it is a method that works for him. I recall watching the July Cup a few years back. Think Stravinsky was in it. O'Brien walked him out of the parade ring himself and then walked down with him to the start. Couldn't believe what I was seeing on C4. The same happened again at the Curragh another time. The guy pursues perfection and I think that sets him apart. It will be interesting to see how junior fits into the scene. He is getting to the stage now where Aidan will keep a few horses for him to ride and in time have a few bumper runners. But will he be the next Charles O'Brien or David O'Brien? Only time will tell.
 
Aidan is clearly an utter perfectionist and is totally driven. He knows the buck stops with him and no one can dispute that he very often brings out the very best in his horses with methods that he feels work. Unfortunately, when he hands the horse over to his jockey (as with any trainer), he has no more influence on the result which is probably why he desperately needs a jockey that wants success as much as he does. You cannot put that much work and money and time and effort into such an operation to have all the hard work undone in the blink of an eye. I would love to hear his conversations with jockeys if the jockey makes a mistake. I can't actually imagine him as much as raising his voice - I wonder if it does happen.
 
It will be interesting to see how junior fits into the scene. He is getting to the stage now where Aidan will keep a few horses for him to ride and in time have a few bumper runners.
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It was mentioned in an article during the summer that he's already riding work, so I'd guess it's just a matter of time alright.
 
Gareth Flynn said:
It was mentioned in an article during the summer that he's already riding work, so I'd guess it's just a matter of time alright.
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He's always part of the 'inner circle' in the Parade Ring before a big race, but the detailed riding orders are just AOB and the jockeys m- all together, never one to one.

I'd be surprised if KF went back there, for three reasons: one being the 'second chance' thing as mentioned by Kathy, another being J Murtagh, and a third being KF's private life. It wouldn't surprise me if he rode for them again though! but again I have no inside at all there obviously and those are just gut feelings
 
I think Aidan was probably a great influence on Kieran for all the right reasons. I would love to see him back there in due course.

As for the second chance scenario, I would love to think they would make an exception for Kieran if the opportunity of them joining forces again in the future ever arose.
 
Even if Murtagh hadn't turned out to be the perfect man for the job, it still wouldn't happen. They'll use Fallon again when the need arises and he's available but that's as far as it will go.
 
KF is still a better jockey..even though older imo

Murtagh has been great this season without doubt..can he keep the standard up?

KF is the more consistent jockey..but you have the personal baggage..so to me it's not an age barrier..it's a head one.
 
Gareth's reading of the situation is the same as mine; and AOB has said enough recently on the subject of Murtagh to make it very unlikely they would dump him for Fallon as first jockey. KF also seems very settled back in Newmarket now, with an on-going romance, so I can't see him moving back to Ballydoyle full-time
 
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