Meet the young Italian who went from studying psychology in Milan to training a Classic hope in County Down
It’s a gloriously sunny autumn Saturday afternoon at Leopardstown racecourse and the unseasonal warmth is delighting a large gathering in the crowded parade ring. The field for the first race of the newly rebranded Irish Champions Festival is about go to post and many of the great and the good of international racing have found their way to County Dublin to join the fun.
The Listed Ballylinch Stud Irish EBF Ingabelle Stakes for two-year-old fillies is the least valuable contest of a lucrative card, but there’s a hundred grand in prize-money to be won, comparable with the best purse on offer at Ascot the same afternoon.
The ring is thronged with O’Briens, Bolgers and Harringtons along with the usual massed ranks of Coolmore-istas. All assembled in happy anticipation for a weekend of top-class sport.
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- 'He was still 100-1 at the post, so it was hopefully quite well planned' - renowned punter Patrick Veitch on a life in betting and a new venture
- 'Other trainers say how difficult it is to get staff, but I can't say the same - when people come here, they seem to stay'
- 'People love having horses with Willy rather than a miserable git like me'
- 'It's tough financially and last year I said I might get a job driving a lorry instead - although to be fair I'd probably crash!'
- 'I'm not here to tell people how to train but if you hide something from me, I'm gone, I'm done - and you won't see me again'