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00:00The historic Curragh Beg Stables on the Curragh has been home to many champions over the years,
00:06including the likes of See the Stars, and now John and Jodie O'Donoghue are calling
00:10the training facility their home, with John Knox having announced his retirement. John,
00:15a native of Cork in Ireland, has spent many years under successful trainers, and as he
00:20and Jodie prepare for their first flat season as O'Donoghue Racing, they speak to us more
00:25about their training business.
00:56I worked in partnerships for the Jockey Club, and I was based in Newmarket, so obviously
01:00being at a race course every day is very different to being in a yard, but I do have a background
01:06in racing and have worked in yards, so it's quite nice to be back doing this for ourselves.
01:12This is kind of my thought of things here in the office. I do do a bit out in the yard
01:16in the mornings, which I very much enjoy, the best of both worlds really.
01:21I think we were a little bit biased coming home and wanting to be at home and training
01:25here, but one of the biggest positives was the Curragh, and the fact that there was this
01:33yard availability, and with all the redevelopment, the grandstand and the training grounds, it
01:40was just the perfect place to try and launch, and thankfully we've gotten some good traction
01:44and we're up and running.
01:47We've worked very hard trying to get out and meet people, and we've travelled around the
01:51world trying to do that, and we've been delighted with the owners we've been able to bring into
01:56the place. We've been very surprised with the people who've got in touch and sent us
02:03some horses. We've got huge quality, but given that it's a new venture, and sort of when
02:09you hit the sales, it's more yearlings that we've picked up, so we've got about 22-year-olds
02:15and only a handful of older horses.
02:18The welcome has been absolutely fantastic. From the Ox family to the Curragh, it was
02:23immense, so trying to decide to come back to Ireland was quite an easy one actually,
02:27because I suppose it's where our heart is, the industry is quite good here, and I suppose
02:33it's just where we wanted to be really. We did consider some other jurisdictions, but
02:37I think Ireland was where we always saw ourselves going back to. The Ox family were fantastic
02:42in welcoming us back. They've been a great help in us setting up the yard. Curragh were
02:48a fantastic support, especially during COVID, trying to come back and set up. So it's been
02:54a really, really good welcome, so I can't thank everybody enough that has been there
02:59to support us along the way, and of course to all of our owners who it wouldn't be possible
03:03without, and some really good staff. So yes, it's exciting, and I'm looking forward to
03:08rolling with the season now, getting started.
03:10I had spent a little bit of time here when I was a teenager, and always stayed in touch
03:16with Mr. Ox and Mrs. Ox, and when he announced his retirement, we were sort of looking at
03:23starting ourselves, and it was never something that we considered that we'd be able to start
03:28here, and I suppose luck really, and what's for you doesn't pass you, and it all just
03:38worked out. So Mr. Ox trained very successfully here for years. I don't think we need to mention
03:46any of the horses, they speak for themselves, so we're just delighted to be here. We've
03:50got everything we need, everything we want, and hopefully we can get some winners.
04:08you