Ballyburn's first jockey hoping for success on his consigning debut at the Tattersalls Cheltenham Festival Sale

Building the career of a champion requires a lot of skill and knowledge, and no little luck. Often, those who are instrumental in the formative stages of Cheltenham heroes' careers are far away from the limelight when the paths they have helped to lay lead to glory. 

However, for Cormac Abernethy, a successful start to his new role as trainer for Wilson Dennison meant he was at Cheltenham to witness Ballyburn attempt to add a second successive festival Grade 1 to his accomplishments as Loughanmore Farms sent over two debut winners for Thursday's Tattersalls Cheltenham Festival Sale.

Sadly, last year's Gallagher Novices' Hurdle winner failed to fire in the Brown Advisory, but the Loughanmore team didn't have time to feel disappointed at the bustling sales yard.

Originally from a horsey family in County Tyrone – his father bred Adrian Keatley's festival stalwart Drumconnor Lad – Abernethy moved to County Antrim when working for Dennison, initially as a jockey before taking over at Loughanmore Farm as trainer last year. It was in his first job for Dennison that he encountered the owner's latest star.

"I rode for Wilson for a long time, rode a few nice horses to win and I'd have to say Ballyburn was the best of them," smiles the young handler, in between showing his charges to prospective purchasers at a busy sales ground before racing on Wednesday.

"I'm half glad I'm here with the horses so I can see him, I've a soft spot for him."

Little wonder, as Abernethy was in the saddle when the quadruple Grade 1 winner made a successful debut in a four-year-old maiden on home turf for Dennison and Colin McKeever, Abernethy's predecessor at Loughanmore.

Abernethy began his riding career only eight years ago on a horse called Infrontofthejudge, who his father kept with local trainer James Lambe for his son to ride once he turned 17. He managed several placed finishes on the schoolmaster, and in early 2020 Abernethy started working at Loughanmore.

"My first ride in a point-to-point for Wilson was a winner I think, so we got off to a good start," he says. "A couple of boys were riding for him as first jockey and I picked up spare rides, and I won on them, so I got the job as first jockey. Wilson then asked me to take on the training job."

It's a pattern that Abernethy has a habit of repeating, with Skerry Hill (Lot 9), the first four-year-old runner he sent out for Dennison. In a repeat of that pattern, the gelding won on his debut at Farmacaffley in late February, which earned him a coveted spot in the sale catalogue.

Skerry Hill initiated a double for Abernethy at the Armagh course, with Bally Free (17) making a winning debut in the five-year-old geldings' maiden. That success was also enough to book him a berth on the lorry.

Abernethy says: "They're two different types but two very nice horses to bring to the sale, and I'm very happy with how both are showing themselves, so hopefully they will sell well."

The crowd flock to the rails to try and roar back Ballyburn to the winner's enclosureCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Five-year-old Bally Free shares his sire Flemensfirth with Ballyburn, while the sire of Cheltenham stars such as Gold Cup hero Imperial Commander features as the broodmare sire of Skerry Hill, who is from the second crop of Order Of St George.

Both of them, like Ballyburn, were sourced as foals by Dennison, who has one of the best eyes in the business for spotting potential in a youngster.

Abernethy says: "The Flemensfirth was bought out of a field and the Order Of St George at the sales [for €40,000 from Clonbonny Stud at the Tattersalls Ireland November National Hunt Sale]. Wilson buys about 80 per cent of his horses as foals."

Skerry Hill and Bally Free are his two flagbearers this season, but he has sent out only 12 runners from Dennison's Antrim base and he is a young man building on solid foundations, like those he was instrumental in laying for Ballyburn.

"This is my first full season for Wilson and the Order Of St George is the first four-year-old runner I've had for Wilson; he won on his debut so it's good to get a couple of winners," says Abernethy. "It takes the pressure off and hopefully they can sell well and keep the whole thing going."

It's not just Dennison's production line of stars that Abernethy will want to keep going; Drumconnor Lad's three-year-old Elusive Pimpernel half-brother is still to come.

"Drumconnor Lad won eight times on the track and raced at the Cheltenham Festival, Aintree too and all the big festivals," he says. "His dam Drumconnor Lady was a good broodmare for us and his half-brother looks a nice horse."

That is family and for the future. Business is the Tattersalls Cheltenham Festival Sale and the present is all about selling two young point-to-point winners with enormous potential.

Skerry Hill and Bally Free, like Abernethy, are in the right place.

He says: "This is the sale everyone wants to be at, it's the elite sale and to have two horses in it is brilliant, it's the first chance I've had to get horses here so hopefully it's a success."

The 29 remaining lots are due to come under the hammer in the winner's enclosure after racing on Thursday.

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