Con Marnane

Respect. It really is that simple. If we want to be involved with horses in sport we must treat those animals who give us either our pleasure or livelihood - or both - with decency and dignity. There are rogue elements, of course, but it is how the majority of people involved in horseracing feel and act, be they breeders, owners, trainers, jockeys or fans. Perhaps the most touching embodiment of this was witnessed during a recent visit to Sapporo racecourse in Japan, where there is a shrine alongside the...

Starfield Stud resident Far Above (Ire) (Farhh {GB}) became Europe's latest first-crop sire to get off the mark when his Jessica Harrington-trained son Rock N Roll Rocket (Ire) made a winning debut over five furlongs in Friday's €25,000 Irish EBF Auction Series Maiden at Cork. 1st-Cork, €25,000, Mdn, 5-10, 2yo, 5fT, 1:00.41, gd. ROCK N ROLL ROCKET (IRE) (c, 2, Far Above {Ire}--California Tee {GB}, by Kheleyf) was positioned in mid division after an alert getaway in this debut. Inching forward from halfway, the 16-1 chance came under pressure with a...

The Gowran Park Breeze-Up Sale is set to make its return in 2025 with powerhouse consignors Willie Browne, Con Marnane and Roger O'Callaghan pledging to support what was formerly known as the Goresbridge Breeze-Up Sale.  The Goresbridge Breeze-Up Sale was relocated to Fairyhouse and run by Tattersalls Ireland back in 2019. However, this year marks the first time that Tattersalls Ireland will run the sale away from the banner of Goresbridge.  After a four-year hiatus, Goresbridge Horse Sales returned to the point-to-point and horses-in-training market last month under the leadership...

Ballyhane Stud resident Sands Of Mali (Fr) (Panis) became Europe's latest first-crop sire to get off the mark when his Florian Guyader-trained daughter Hide The Evidence (Ire) shed maiden status with a two-length debut win over five furlongs in Monday's Prix du Medoc at Bordeaux. Bred by Joe Foley's Ballyhane Stud, Hide The Evidence fetched €10,000 at the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale when knocked down to Con Marnane. Racing in the colours of Marnane's daughters Amy and Olivia, the filly could be Royal Ascot bound, according to connections. Con...

The search for the next Vandeek (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) just became a whole lot tougher. That's not to say that separating potential Group 1 winners apart from the near-200 horses who breeze up the Rowley Mile is an easy task to start with.  However, the howling wind, vertical hailstorm and torrential rain added a whole new dimension to the breeze at this year's Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale.  They tell us year after year that the times don't matter. That they only serve as just another piece of the jigsaw...

Everybody is searching for that flagbearer. Be it a jockey, trainer or an owner, the hunt for a horse capable of taking in big-race riches, that's the lure Breeze-up consignors are no different. Being associated with good horses is what sustains a business and keeps buyers coming back for more. That's what makes Sunday's Leopardstown maiden winner Ecureuil Secret (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) such an important horse in the career of Ryan Conran.  Having put down two big stints working for prominent breeze-up handlers Con Marnane and Thomond O'Mara, Conran...

Dozens of flights were cancelled, 34,000 homes were left without power, roads were closed due to fallen trees and race meetings were lost as Storm Kathleen raged across Ireland. Only Con Marnane could organise a BBQ in the middle of one of the worst storms the country has faced in months and it be deemed a success. The plan to stage Saturday's open morning at Bansha House Stables was first hatched when the Marnane family visited the Magic Millions Sale in Australia and, despite the weather in Tipperary, Con couldn't...

There were few more deserving winners at this year's ITBA Awards than Amy Marnane. At just 30 years of age, Marnane has crammed a lot in. From breeding to pinhooking and even consigning horses under her own name, Marnane has accomplished plenty in the industry, which led to her scooping the Next Generation Award.  Of course, that award was tinged with sadness after the death of Marnane's mother, Theresa, at the age of 61 in December.  In this week's Q&A, Marnane discusses how the bloodstock industry has served as a...

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...

Goffs chief Henry Beeby acknowledged the selective nature of the trade at the re-branded Part 2 Goffs Orby Sale where a €140,000 Night Of Thunder (Ire) filly led the way on Friday when selling from Derrinstown Stud to Macie and Kishore Mirpuri. That sale continued the theme of well-bred fillies commanding plenty of respect in the ring during Book 1 and Book 2 of this year's Orby Sale.  Lot 955 was purchased by the Polish agent Kishore Mirpuri on behalf of Macie Jodlowski, the leading trainer in that jurisdiction. However,...

By Emma Berry and Brian Sheerin "Everyone who is anyone" assembled at Kensington Palace ahead of one of the great weeks in world racing, and Goffs will be hoping that the star of its London Sale on Monday night will go on to be one of the stars of Tuesday afternoon at Royal Ascot. The G3 Marble Hill S. winner Givemethebeatboys (Ire) (Bungle Inthejungle {GB}) led allcomers when sold for £1,100,000 to Con and Neil Sands of Bronsan Racing. He will remain in training with Jessica Harrington and heads almost...

At first there are tears and then the words come tumbling out.  "We got a bit of bad news before the Curragh," Con Marnane explains. "Theresa's cancer is back again. That's why the whole thing was so emotional." Theresa is Con's wife and it is her yellow and black silks, made famous by Different League (Fr) (Dabirsim {Fr}) winning the Albany, that were carried to that stirring victory in the G3 Marble Hill S. by Givemethebeatboys (Ire) at Irish racing's HQ. He is one of two Royal Ascot-bound Bungle Inthejungle...