Pub talk the cause of Total Enjoyment

LIKE many a good idea, it was hatched in a pub, but this time the flash of inspiration was actually followed through.

A group of sporting folk were having a couple of pints in a Tralee hostelry, on the Wednesday evening of the races in 2002, when some bright spark decided they should club together to buy a horse that would be trained by local man Tommy Cooper.

Thus, the 11-member It’ll Never Last Syndicate was born and they look forward to having a runner in Cheltenham tomorrow.

“Often, ideas floated over a few jars are forgotten the following day, but not in this case. Someone was in contact with Tommy that morning,” recalled syndicate member John Galvin, a Tralee solicitor.

All 11 will be in Prestbury Park to see their five-year-old mare, Total Enjoyment, go to post in the Festival Bumper.

“The going should be perfect for her, but this is a very open race. It’s hard to judge the form as these horses are quite new to racing. As I see it, you have 25 possible winners,” he added cautiously.

Total Enjoyment has been backed from 20/1 down to 6/1 second favourite.

However, John Galvin would go no further than to say he was “hopeful” about her chances.

“We’re delighted to be going to Cheltenham and will definitely be having great fun, but in this kind of race you don’t really know what you’re up against,” he said. “Most of the horses have raced against each other, so it’s hard to make comparisons. These horses are just starting out in their careers.”

As punters are hoping to land a big gamble on Total Enjoyment, which has won two races, Mr Galvin said the syndicate was a little surprised that the odds have shortened so much.

“Somebody wrote up the horse’s chances in The Racing Post about 10 days ago, when she was 16/1. Obviously, people have been putting a lot of money on since then.”

Total Enjoyment is believed to be the first Kerry-owned, Kerry-trained and Kerry-ridden horse in Cheltenham. For good measure, the horse was bred by Tralee-born Noel Collins in Westmeath.

Killarney-born jockey Jim Culloty, who will be bidding for a record-equalling Gold Cup victory on Best Mate on Thursday, will pilot Total Enjoyment.

Members of the Culloty family, as well as friends and local racing fans, are travelling in strength for what promises to be a momentous occasion, should Best Mate justify odds-on favouritism.