TDN Q and A With Peter Doyle

Bloodstock agent Peter Doyle needs no introduction to TDN readers having developed, along with his son Ross and wife Anna, one of the most successful and respected agencies in Europe. His roll of honour is countless and he maintains as much enthusiasm for the sport and drive for success as he's ever had. The TDN's Daithí Harvey caught up with Peter in the run up to Christmas to get his thoughts on the industry and life in general.

TDN: Looking back on 2019 what was your most enjoyable or memorable racing moment of the year, for example watching a particular purchase winning or even a performance from any horse that made you sit up and say 'wow'?

PD: Richard Hannon's 2-year-old Mums Tipple (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) winning the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale S. by 11 lengths at York in August with Ryan Moore giving him the perfect ride. That gave the whole team a great lift as we had bought him at Goffs UK the previous year from Joanna Morgan's Portlester Stud for £45,000. He looked pretty special that day.

TDN: People have come to automatically associate you with the Richard Hannon stable having developed a multi-generational business relationship with the Hannons. Apart from selecting so many high-class horses what has been the key to such an enduring relationship?

PD: Family, friendship, teamwork and being up front about everything.

TDN: Many of the high-class horses you have purchased over the years were not particularly expensive as yearlings. Would it be fair to say you tend to look at the individual first and then the catalogue page? If so what are the most important traits you seek in a yearling and maybe a few examples?

PD: Our budget has always curtailed our spending. We like correct conformation, a good walk allied to a good temperament. The very good dual purpose trainer Captain Ryan Price told me early in my career 'you cannot train paper'. Paco Boy (Ire) (Desert Style {Ire}) and Canford Cliffs (Ire) (Tagula {Ire}) probably stand out as two relatively inexpensive purchases that went on to great things. They weren't particularly fashionably bred but both were athletic individuals. We bought Paco Boy at the breeze ups and Ross and Richard junior loved him, while we selected Canford Cliffs as a yearling. They won eight Group 1 races between them and cost a total of £80,000.

TDN: Is there a horse you are associated with you think may not have shown its full potential in 2019 and could prove top class in 2020?

PD: Beat le Bon (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}); he worked his way up the handicap ranks this year and ended up the season rated 110. He ran very well on his last start in Australia in November and we hope he can establish himself as a genuine group horse in 2020.

TDN: You were quite active at the foal sales this year, were there foals by any first crop stallions in particular that impressed you?

PD: For us, Ribchester (Ire) and Churchill (Ire) were the sires that caught the eye.

TDN: Apart from buying dozens of yearlings each year with the Hannons and other trainers you are also involved in different sectors of the market with foals, mares, horses-in-training and National Hunt horses. Do you ever get a chance to switch off and if so what do you enjoy doing outside of racing?

PD: As you mentioned, we buy many yearlings with the Hannons and they are incredible people to work with as they continue to buy a considerable quantity on spec and every year they certainly put the 'c' in courage. It has also been a pleasure to watch Ross's developing association with the Tizzard family with National Hunt horses like Lost in Translation (Ire) (Flemensfirth), Reserve Tank (Ire) (Jeremy) and Fiddlerontheroof (Ire) (Stowaway {GB}). As for relaxation, Anna and I take a three week vacation in Cape Town every January and we enjoy rugby, cinema and theatre.

TDN: Yours is a truly family business with your father Jack before you having paved the way and now your wife Anna and son Ross key components of the organization. While such a dynamic may present its challenges it must also be very satisfying?

PD: It is very satisfying, Anna has worked with me for over 30 years, Ross joined us in 2003, he is a great asset for us and it feels like the perfect fit. We are fortunate to have a very good, small but dedicated team who support us from Davina and Robert in the office to Carol, Catherine and Patrick at the sales.

TDN: What do you feel is the most rewarding aspect of your work as a bloodstock agent?

PD: Seeing the happy smiles and joy of winning owners.

TDN: What advice would you give to an aspiring agent starting out in the business?

PD: Work hard with someone you respect and listen carefully.

TDN: You have experienced racing in different jurisdictions around the world, what do you think the industry in Ireland/Britain could learn from those in other parts of the world?

PD: The biggest shame for Ireland and the UK is the control afforded to the bookmaking industry by the racing authorities. The success of the Tote monopolies in France, Australia and Hong Kong was ignored. Hence the poor prize-money.

TDN: As a bloodstock agent one is constantly trying to sell the sport to potential new investors and owners. Having been in the game a while now do you find racing a more difficult sell these days as opposed to perhaps twenty years ago and if so how do you try and overcome that?

PD: We have developed and maintained a very good relationship with trainers over the years, the Hannons being the largest and longest standing. However we also work with, for example, Jim Boyle, David Marnane, Eddie Harty, Paul D'Arcy, Amanda Perrett and leading Norwegian trainer Wido Neuroth and to be honest it is probably trainers like these who play a greater role in selling the sport to new investors, especially when they buy yearlings on spec. It is a cyclical business though and when economies are healthy there are always people who wish to get involved in owning racehorses, however when there is a recession, businesses like ours must be very lean to survive.

TDN: If you had one wish for the racing/bloodstock industry for 2020 what would it be?

PD: That the racing authorities would not have to rely on Government handouts but would secure a larger percentage of the revenue derived from the racing product from the bookmakers and online betting sites.