Dolores enters into Sport of Kings

EURO lottery millionaire Dolores McNamara has decided to try her great luck in the Sport of Kings with the purchase of a racehorse.

The 45-year-old Limerick woman has bought a six-year-old bay mare named Carraig na gCapall for an undisclosed sum out of her massive €115.4 million winnings.

Carraig na gCapall’s sire Carroll House won one of the world’s most prestigious flat races, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

Carraig na gCapall runs in the colours of Dolores’s husband, Adrian.

Ciaran O’Brien, who has a string of 25 horses at his yard at Clonlara, Co Clare, trains the horse and said the McNamaras bought the mare after she won a point-to-point in Templemore.

Mr O’Brien, who took up training after retiring following a successful career as a national hunt jockey, said: “Adrian comes out to see the horse regularly and Dolores has been here to see the mare as well. They are a lovely couple and they get enjoyment out of seeing the horse in training.

“She ran in Limerick at the Munster National meeting and finished fourth in the bumper. I bought Carraig na gCapall privately last year and sold her on to the McNamaras.

“She is a horse that should do well over hurdles and hopefully later over fences.”

The McNamaras’ home, Lough Derg Hall, near Killaloe, which they bought for e1.7m is only a 15-minute drive from the O’Brien racing stables.

As Carraig na gCapall is a national hunt horse, Dolores won’t be hob-nobbing with the Queen at Royal Ascot, which is for flat horses.

But if the mare lives up to his trainer’s expectations the McNamaras could be heading for the big national hunt festivals at Cheltenham, Aintree and Punchestown

Recently Dolores turned up at local auction when 65 acres on the shores of Lough Derg were up for auction.

Shortly after bidding started at e4.9m, Dolores withdrew on learning another local was interested.

One local said: “Dolores is very discreet and does not want to use her wealth to cut across others.”