By Emma Berry
The bloodstock world is united in grief with the Marnane family following the death of Theresa Marnane on Saturday at the age of 61.
An immensely popular member of the racing and breeding community, Marnane, along with her husband Con and daughters Amy and Olivia, was widely successful in many sectors of the business. The family's Bansha House Stables in Tipperary has long been successful at the breeze-up sales, with the top-class winners Rio De La Plata, Fleeting Spirit (Ire) and Amadeus Wolf (Ire) being among their many graduates.
They are also successful owners and breeders. Theresa Marnane's yellow-and-black silks have been carried by a number of good horses, including the G1 Racing Post Trophy winner Palace Episode and most recently the G3 Marble Hill S. winner Givemethebeatboys (Ire). She was the leading owner of two-year-olds in France on a number of occasions, with the victories invariably coming with inexpensively bought youngsters selected by Con and Amy Marnane.
It was the 2017 G3 Albany S. winner Different League (Fr) who sparked perhaps the most memorable celebrations when beating subsequent multiple Group 1 winner Alpha Centauri (Ire) at Royal Ascot. Bought as a foal for €8,000, the daughter of Dabirsim (Fr) won her first three starts for the Marnanes and was then placed in both the G1 Prix Morny and G1 Cheveley Park S before being sold for 1.5 million gns to Coolmore and Peter Brant.
Different League's Royal Ascot victory came four years after Theresa, a solicitor by trade, had undergone cancer treatment for the first time, and her success on racing's biggest stage was enjoyed wildly, both on the day and with a huge party at the family's Tipperary home later that summer. The couple celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary in May, and they were rarely seen apart: Theresa's warm and ever-smiling presence perfectly complementing her husband's natural exuberance.
“I met Theresa 43 years ago at Danny O'Connell's, when she was riding out there,” said Con Marnane on Saturday.
“We've just been overwhelmed by the support of everyone in the racing and breeding industry, the breeze-up consignors, the trainers, owners and jockeys. She was a very special person to so many people. Everyone loved her.”
He added, “There will be a celebration of Theresa's life at Bansha House on Tuesday after mass in our local church at 11am. We would love for as many of her friends to be there as possible and for those who can't we will make details available to follow the service online.”
The loss of Theresa Marnane will be mourned by her many friends in racing, and especially by Con, Amy, Olivia and her extended family, to whom we offer our sincere condolences.
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