Blarney Castle owner in row over racehorse

A RACEHORSE called Blarney Highwayman was at the centre of a falling out between a horse breeder and Blarney Castle owner Charles Colthurst after the horse won his first race.

Blarney Highwayman won his first race at Kilworth, Co Cork, on March 6, 2010, and suddenly his potential value was being estimated at between €100,000 and €200,000.

Hugo Merry, horse breeder and bloodstock agent of Kilshannig Stud, Rathcormac, Co Cork, testified at Cork Circuit Court yesterday that he retained 60% ownership of the horse while Mr Colthurst had a 40% interest as a result of taking over the fees for the breeding of the animal from about two years before the race.

Mr Colthurst, a co-defendant in the civil action with Caroline Myers, testified that they had been given a gift of Blarney Highwayman by Mr Merry and never would have agreed to any kind of partnership arrangement.

Because of an arthritic type of condition known as ringbone the horse was sold for much less than the value it might have achieved. The horse was sold at Doncaster for £18,000 (€21,000) and Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin made a decree in favour of Mr Merry for 60% of that, plus Circuit Court costs.