'It's been wonderful' - Frank Mahon proud as punch for homebred star Pink Legend

The saying goes that if at first you don't succeed, try try again and Frank Mahon is planning to do just that after Pink Legend's narrow defeat in the Mares' Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

The 70-year-old has long been involved in racehorse ownership, although it was his foray into breeding that has resulted in notable enjoyment, and not just with the consistent and talented daughter of the great Midnight Legend.

A two-time winner over hurdles, Pink Legend's story has flourished as soon as she was sent chasing, winning the Listed British EBF Mares' Novices' Handicap Chase Final at Cheltenham last April before two wins came this term in the Lady Protectress Mares' Chase at Huntingdon in January and a good handicap at Ascot in November.

Her narrow - and arguably unlucky - festival defeat this month was a reminder of how far Mahon has come since his first venture into racing.

He explains: "I bought my first horse about 20 years ago from Mark Johnston, but unfortunately he got injured and I decided then that I might get a jumper. I'd followed Venetia [Williams] as a punter for many years and when I got my first jumper I decided to go to her.

"She had a nice French-bred horse called Latanier by Cadoudal and I bought him off her. Venetia trained him for me for several years and he won six races for me."

So how did he come to breed Pink Legend? It all started with a Flat-bred mare who Williams picked up for 24,000gns from the Tattersalls Horses in Training Sale in 2008.

Mahon says: "Venetia called me to say she'd bought a horse at the sales in Newmarket called Red And White and thought she'd make a decent hurdler.

"She was out of a Caerleon mare called Candice who had run in the Oaks and finished third in the Lupe Stakes at Goodwood, while her sire was the top American two-year-old until he got injured, so I knew she was very well bred and I thought she'd be decent over hurdles but unfortunately she wasn't very good, although she was placed a couple of times and had won on the Flat.

"Strangely enough she'd won for Mark Johnston over six furlongs at Hamilton, so I thought if I can have that speed and mix it with some staying blood we might be able to get some decent youngsters."

Mahon ultimately decided that breeding from his own mares would be a more financially viable route, and so it was that Red And White found herself visiting some of the leading sires of the day.

"I couldn't afford to go out and buy decent horses, so I thought I should send my nicely bred mare to the best stallions," he explains.

A tryst with Kayf Tara resulted in winning hurdler Pink Tara - now a broodmare whose Jack Hobbs filly sold to Stroud Coleman Bloodstock for £10,000 at the Goffs UK January Sale this year - while her Black Sam Bellamy son was desperately unlucky not to add to his dam's scoresheet after making a promising start to his career in bumpers.

"She first went to Kayf Tara and produced Pink Tara, who won a race for me, and then we had another lovely horse called Inheritance Thief and he would have been really nice but sadly got injured in his first race over hurdles," Mahon continues. "We had to spend quite a bit to save him and get him into retirement at a young age.

"We then had Pink Legend, she'd always showed signs as a hurdler that she had the frame of a chaser. She has the stamp of a Midnight Legend and with Venetia you always know they're going to make chasers.

"She started off her novice season very well and won the Listed chase at Cheltenham's April meeting. This season has been absolutely wonderful for us, she's won at Ascot, the big race at Huntingdon, and then obviously ran Elimay to half-a-length at the festival.

"She was rather unlucky that day as she had to miss a bit of work in the build-up and was hampered when a horse fell at the second-last as well."

So what next for Mahon, who was able to attend Pink Legend's Huntingdon success after being given the all-clear from cancer and who also has the eight-year-old's full-sister in the highly promising Eleanor Bob?

"It looks like we're going to keep her in training for next season," is his answer. "As an owner-breeder, the Great British Bonus races just helps us keep going and pays for everything."

Eleanor Bob: a different type to her sister, but also equally talentedCredit: Alan Crowhurst

The breeder was quick to point out the differences between the two, as Eleanor Bob has matured into a promising staying chaser with two wins over fences this term to go with her two hurdle successes.

"Even thought they are full-sisters, Eleanor Bob is much bigger and she stays much further," he says. "She also likes it soft, whereas Pink Legend likes it good. Eleanor Bob has won a couple of races this year and we're just waiting for some softer ground."

Meanwhile, Red And White has moved on to pastures new at Yorton Farm, where Mahon has a good relationship with manager David Futter, and the plan is for her to be covered again.

"I let Red And White go to Yorton Farm, she's 17 now and I think they're going to get her in foal this year. I always try and look for homes for all my horses before they retire, I've been able to do that with everyone of them so far."

While the Merseyside-based Mahon is keen to breed from both Pink Legend and Eleanor Bob in due course, plans are yet to be finalised for the next chapter. Ever the enthusiast, but also a realist, Mahon is first hoping to enjoy the next couple of seasons with his talented homebreds.

He says: "I'm in my 70s now and I'm finding it hard to get about as much as I used to. I really would like to breed from them myself but the chance of me being able to watch the progeny are quite limited really.

"I'll take some advice from Venetia and David [Futter] but we won't be making a decision until the end of next season. We've probably got another season with Eleanor Bob too as she's only seven."

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