Image © Healy Racing
Having finished second on five occasions last season, Pacheco made a winning seasonal debut at Castletown-Geoghegan’s rescheduled fixture on October 10th, providing an emotional success for his owners Tom Power and Annette Lawlor.
The Mick Goff-handled six-year-old ran out a nine-length winner of the concluding older maiden under Harry Goff, ending a series of near misses which stretched back to last autumn.
“It’s like winning the Gold Cup for myself and Annette,” said Power.
“It’s great for us to have the enjoyment. We love the pointing and we love the people that go to it. They’re just ordinary Joe Soaps.
“We buy cheap horses and we try to turn them around. Some are no good, but any few pound we have goes into them.”
The Getaway gelding finished second at Damma House and Lingstown last autumn when in the care of Colm Murphy, before adding three further seconds at Monksgrange, Tattersalls and Lisronagh for Goff in the spring.
His only unplaced pointing effort before the win came at Tinahely in January, when finishing eighth on testing ground.
“I shouldn’t have run him at Tinahely. That was my fault. It was bottomless ground,” Power explained.
“I gave him a break then for two months and went back to Monksgrange. Harry rode him and he was second, second in Tatts and second in Lisronagh. Then the ground got too hard.”
The decision was made to put him away rather than continue through the late spring, and that patience was rewarded on his seasonal reappearance.
Known affectionately as Larry to the couple, Pacheco is a particular favourite, with Power well acquainted with his habits from looking after him during his time at home.
“We call him Larry at home. He looks out over the door, and if it’s raining he won’t bang the door. If it’s fine, he bangs the door at half six after feeding him in the morning.”
Power and Lawlor both work at Colm Murphy’s yard and pre-trained Pacheco themselves before sending him to Goff to complete his preparation. He is now in training at the Clondaw yard, about 10 miles from their home, with Lawlor also going down to ride him out regularly.
“You can’t beat the lads down there either,” added Power, who was planning to celebrate the success with a dinner for 12, including the Goff team.
Power led up Pacheco himself at Castletown-Geoghegan, although he was quick to acknowledge Annette’s part in proceedings.
“She gives the orders,” he quipped.
A farrier by trade, Power previously held a handler’s licence, sending out 62 runners over six seasons between 2008/09 and 2013/14.
His sole winner came courtesy of Southside, who dead-heated with Tusker View in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden at Ballinaboola in November 2011.
“We don’t go to the pubs. We put our money into these horses,” he said, joking that perhaps they would be better off going to the pub.
The couple have enjoyed success with ten individual winners, which have supplied ten point-to-point victories and a further three wins under Rules. Alongside Southside and Pacheco, their winners include Our Brian, Moneystown, Peter’s Portrait, Ask Harry, Lawlor’s Choice, Quill Road, Hastobedone and Nanny Betty.
Our Brian, who won his maiden at Tinahely before adding two hurdle victories at Downpatrick, remains a particular favourite.
“He’s the special one,” said Power. “He won in Tinahely and he won two in Downpatrick. But they’re all up there. They’re all different.”
Lawlor’s Choice also provided a memorable afternoon when landing the Down Royal hunter chase at 50/1 on St Patrick’s Day in 2022. The mare collected the best-turned-out award, with Power and Lawlor using the prize money to back her at 66/1.
“We had a right few pound coming home to go into the credit union. We didn’t think she was going to win, but if you’re not in, you can’t win.”
Her earlier Tinahely maiden success had given Dan Nevin his first winner, another achievement Power recalls with pride.
“She had a couple of placed efforts and she gave Dan his first winner. That was great for him.”
Prior to Pacheco’s breakthrough, their most recent success came with the John Patrick Walsh-handled Nanny Betty, who won her maiden at Tinahely under Barry O’Neill in November 2024. Her name carried a family connection.
“My mother’s name was Betty, but her grandchildren always called her Nanny Betty,” Power explained.
There are further prospects to look forward to, with their other Castletown-Geoghegan runner, Grangehill Curly, pulling up before the last in the five-and-six-year-old geldings’ maiden. Despite failing to finish, Power was encouraged by his effort.
“He ran a good race. He just pulled up before the last, but I was happy with him. He travelled nicely and should progress with a bit more experience or a bit more fitness.”
Just Dont Tell Tom, another son of El Salvador, is also being given time before making his appearance. A half-brother to Our Brian, he provides a link to one of the partnership’s earlier successes.
“He’s a nice horse as well. He just needs a little bit more time.”
A winners’ race at Damma House is a possible next assignment for Pacheco, although Power is keen that there should be no pressure on either horse or rider.
“Look after yourselves and look after the horses. That’s all that matters,” he said. “If you put pressure on someone, nothing goes right. Where everything is relaxed, that’s where you can enjoy it.”
Regular supporters of their local meetings, Tom and Annette attend whether they have runners or not, and are happy to lend a hand to other connections.
“Everyone helps one another. If they want a horse led up or minded, there’s no hassle. We do it for them and they do it for us.
“It’s our buzz now, to be honest. I know it’s frustrating sometimes, and we’ve often had horses pull up a mile out too. It’s only horse racing. You enjoy it, and there’s bigger problems out there.
“We’ll stick at it anyway, as long as we can and we’re able to do it. We love it, and that’s the main thing.”
