KellyÕs yard punching above its weight

STEPHEN GLENNON

ONE West of Ireland trainer who is hoping to make his mark at the Galway Races next week is Ballygar man, David Martin Kelly.

Although Kelly took out a trainer’s licence in 2005, it has only been in recent months that he has really sprung to prominence, having graced the winners’ enclosure at Kilbeggan (Benefitthewest & Mind The Steps), Down Royal (Like The Da), Sligo (Benefitthewest) and Gowran Park (Like The Da) already in 2011.

Kelly’s achievements have been just reward for a man that has invested heavily, emotionally and financially, in elevating his status in an ultra-competitive sport. In many respects, he is a triumph for the ‘small’ trainer.

That said, equine pursuits have always played a large part in his life. His passion for horses, he says, probably came from his father, Tom, who worked for the well-known Costello family in Clare in his younger days, riding point to point.

“I used to do a good bit of showjumping myself before I got injured,” outlines the 34-year-old. “I broke my pelvis in three places and my femur. So, after that, I decided to do the trainers’ course. Basically, that is how I started into training. The fall might have ended my jumping career, but it started a new career for me, fortunately.”It was not, though, that Kelly was unfamiliar with the process. He had worked and pre-trained horses for owners before the thoroughbreds were sent to bigger trainers previous to this, so when he was awarded his licence in 2005 it was just a matter of expanding his operation.

Already, many of the building blocks for a successful yard were in place, such as the horse walker and the indoor training facilities, but Kelly recognised he had to take it a step further.

“I built a gallop here at the house to school them for hurdles and fences,” he continues. “In the meantime, I also bought a bit of land in Roscommon and I put a six furlong uphill grass gallop on it. I knew what I needed to have, and I have all the facilities now.”

While the father of one could only boast of some minor placings in his debut season (’05), he finally broke his duck the following year with Killeroran Kash. “She was my first major winner,” beams Kelly. “She was owned by Padraig Egan in Ballygar and she won at both Fairyhouse and Galway for me. It was great. I was delighted to get my first winner.”

Slowly but surely, success followed. In 2007, Doranstown Boy won at Downpatrick, before Im A Witness (Roscommon), Like The Da (Clonmel) and Colmanstown Hope (Navan) secured victories for the trainer in 2008. In 2009, Colmanstown Hope (Punchestown), Moscow Roller (Naas) and Brownpolish (Thurles) proudly flew the flag, while ast year, Doransfirth (Kilbeggan & Galway) and Missgiloney (Limerick) claimed first place finishes.“I have kind of improved every year and the last couple of months I have had a good few winners and a good few placed horses,” says the East Galway trainer. “Benefitthewest, Mind The Steps and Like The Da are the three big ones at the moment.“Doransfirth is another, having won two races for me last year. She won in Kilbeggan and Galway (Autumn meeting) last year. Actually, she was going well in Tipperary the last day – she would have been second – but she tripped up at the second last fence, which was disappointing.”

In any event, Kelly has saddled five winners so far this year, which for a stable of his size is pretty impressive. “To be honest, I am quiet at the minute with horses. I have only five horses returned for training. It is due to the economy, but from October onwards I would hope to have 20 horses in for the winter. I would always be fairly quiet this time of the year anyway.

For more, read this week's Galway City Tribune.