Mangan on a winner with Whinstone

There is a sign on the way into the East Cork village where Jimmy Mangan lives which declares boldly – “Conna – the home of Monty’s Pass.” To many people this information might not mean much, but to those in the know, it highlights the fact that this tiny hamlet is a nest of National Hunt racing fervour and its proudest son won the sport’s biggest prize the Aintree Grand National in 2003.

‘Monty,’ of course was trained by the ebullient Conna native and he still resides at the handler’s base from where a modest string of just ten racehorses are sent out to represent the parish. There are many more horses on Jimmy’s farm because training is only part of the operation as the Corkman does a huge amount of business buying and selling and breeding racing and sport horses.

But it was Monty who put him on the map and the local celebrations when he won – he was paraded through Conna with the Castlelyons Pipe Band at the head of affairs – were long and joyous. Trade in the aptly named local – ‘The Winners’ Enclosure’ – was dynamite for weeks. And, the thing is that the pipe band might have to dust down their instruments again next April, because Jimmy Mangan has a new star in his yard.