Sue Doyle: A close friend who was a wonderful person and great to know
She was a wonderful, colourful person who did a lot of things in her life despite only being 59. Bella and her sister Tamso, who is on maternity leave from her job in marketing at Horse Racing Ireland at the moment, have been amazing since it happened. The funeral on Thursday was emotional but it was really a celebration of their mother’s life, which is how she would have wanted it, because she was always upbeat. She was into everything; a great person to know.
I did a reading at the graveside and Bella read out a poem that she and Tamso had written last year for her birthday. It was called An Ode to Our Mad Mother. Sue loved it but that’s how it was. It drew plenty of laughs on Thursday too.
It is sobering to think how those of us who spend so much time around horses take them for granted. Sue had been around horses, had ridden horses, trained horses, evented horses and yet here she was, taking a horse out of a field with my brother and she got a kick. Unlike me, she was a very slight person and hadn’t the padding that I’d have to absorb the crack and she didn’t recover.
It was a freak accident, just one of those things. Horses are big animals that are very unpredictable and we all forget that. They’re a wild animal, even though we treat them as pets. We all say ‘oh God, that was a near miss’ and one day, it’s not going to be a near miss. You’re going to get a kick or get knocked over.
I was glad to be able to provide followers of this column with a second winner in two weeks when Royal Blue Star won her second handicap by two lengths at Listowel on Sunday. I couldn’t believe it though when she was put up 17lbs for that which seems excessive, but there’s nothing I can do about that.
I’ve put her in a Listed race in Leopardstown next Thursday but I’m not sure if she’ll run yet as it might be a big ask. She’s rated 96 now and the highest rated horse in it is 109. If she’s in good form I might let her take her chance and hope, like Princess Sinead, to sneak a little bit of black type.
Stylish One, who finished second to Royal Blue Star, was put up seven pounds and she runs in the fillies’ handicap in Limerick today so it will be interesting to see how she runs and it might help us make a decision.
Apart from that, the horses continue to go well with only three of the 11 that have run since then finishing outside the top four. I was delighted with Blaze Brightly’s second in Navan on Monday, and especially Banksters Bonus finishing fourth in the Listed Nijinsky Stakes at Leopardstown on Thursday. That was a return to normal after the disappointment of the Curragh and he was unlucky really, only being beaten two short heads and a head.
The two-year-olds ran very well, with Princess Sinead coming in second at Naas behind Teolane, who Jim Bolger is sending to Royal Ascot next week. She’s a big filly and won’t run again until August now but Silver Sycamore will be back on the track in about three weeks after her third in Leopardstown.
In Limerick today, I’m hoping another of the two-year-olds, Lady Geronimo, will put up a nice performance in the 5.15. She’s a Hawk Wing two-year-old and will definitely come on for the run. One of Johnny’s fillies, Glamorous, is going back in trip in the fillies’ handicap (6.50) after a mile and a half looked too far for her in Tipperary.
No One Tells Me is in great order after her good hurdle win last time and she runs in the two-mile flat handicap. I’m very happy with her and I think having proven her ability to stay three miles over hurdles in Tipperary that she will go close here.
On Sunday, Alpine Eagle runs in the winners-of-one novice chase at Roscommon. Nowadays, he probably needs more than two miles so that might be a little worry but hopefully he’ll be able to overcome that. Galzig will be in the bumper (5.55) and you would hope that she would have a chance.
Back Burner runs in the mile maiden (4.40) at Cork. He was fourth in Tipperary the other day which I was delighted with and I think he’ll come on for that and represents one of my best chances over the weekend.
