Caherty team on fire

Image © Healy Racing

Broughshane-based trainer Gerald Quinn has made a dream start to the season sending out five winners from 11 runners on the first two Northern region meetings of the new 2024/25 campaign.

With over 50 horses in training at Caherty stables, Quinn’s horses had hit a ‘flat spot’ during the summer and as he explains he was disappointed when some fancied runners were under performing. 

"The horses galloped a couple of weeks before the start of the season down at Moira and their work was very impressive, so I was hopeful that the team were in great order for the start of the new season."

Sending out five runners on the opening day of the season at Toomebridge, Quinn’s sole winner on the card came with the impressive four-year-old Shabalko D’Herm who justified favoritism in the four-year-old geldings' maiden.  The son of Balko was purchased by Philip McBurney for €36,000 at last year’s Tattersalls Derby Sale.

Quinn only has positive things to say about Shabalko D’Herm, as he stated: “It was no surprise to me that this lad won, I always thought he was a good horse, his work at home was phenomenal.  He’s very speedy and I reckon he will be a top-class two-miler in time.” 

The remainder of Quinn’s runners on the card at Toomebridge finished in the money.

At the second northern fixture of the new season at Portrush, Caherty Stables ran six inmates and walked away with a fantastic four winners taking Quinn to a 45% strike rate so far for the season.

Initiating Quinn’s four-timer was another smashing four-year-old, Kovanis, as the son of Tunis annihilated his opposition in what looked a decent maiden. 

Again purchased by McBurney for £50,000 at Goffs UK Spring sale, Quinn describes him as “a totally different type of horse to our Toomebridge winner Shalbalko D’Herm. Kovanis is much more of a chilled out horse, very relaxed and does everything very easy at home, he delivers on everything we ask of him, his injection of pace is unbelievable!”  

There has been some interest already in the two four-year olds winners, but both will go to the Tattersalls Cheltenham November Sale, if not sold beforehand.

Bayonetta, Tamlaght Eyes and Morale Boost also delivered on the day for Quinn at the Route Hunt fixture at Portrush.

The ex-professional jockey still rides out five or six lots a day himself, but is fulsome in praising the team of staff at Caherty. 

“I don’t even like calling them staff, they are friends, we are like a big family who all get on and we all muck-in to get everything done. 



“Noel McParlan has been invaluable to us, he comes in every Tuesday and some Friday's too. Noel and I would talk for an hour on the phone most days, talking horses and making future plans.  Of course, my job is made very easy with Philip buying good horses, he supplies me with the ammunition.”

Looking forward to the third weekend of the season, Quinn is hoping to maintain his strike rate with four horses entered for Loughanmore this Saturday..

In the four-year-old mares’ maiden, Toomebridge-third Belle De Vassy is entered.  A full-sister to Gordon Elliott’s exciting looking dual winner Bleu De Vassy, she is described as her handler as "a lovely forward going French-bred filly, I was delighted with her Toomebridge run and she’ll excel with a nice cut in the ground.”

Also entered in the same race is the newcomer Torpille Dagrostis. “She’s a well bred filly who I like a lot, she has plenty of size and scope with a touch of class about her, I am really looking forward to her as she looks a bit special."

In the four-year-old geldings’ maiden, Quinn unleashes another well-bred debutant in Rathkenny.  By Masked Marvel the verdict on him is that his “homework has been great, he is a big scopey lad and we have given him time. He looks the full package, I am looking forward to him a lot.”

Weespoof who was an unlucky faller two-out when likely set to make the frame at Portrush last Saturday, he has come out of his race in great order and Quinn is also expecting a great run from him.

The ammunition certainly looks to be there for the Caherty Stables to continue this blistering start to the new campaign.


Horse to watch - Monsieur Jaco (FR)

“This horse has a lovely strong pedigree and he’s showing a lot of potential so far, he’s by Pastorius and is going the right way.  In my opinion he will be a smashing horse going forward and I look forward to him making his debut.”