Versatile Athlumney Lad

NAVAN horseracing enthusiast Michael Smith has owned many good racehorses over the years, but he rates Athlumney Lad as one of the best and most consistent.

Now a nine-year-old, the son of Mujadil (USA) was bred locally by Eamonn Cleary and foaled at St Martha's College outside Navan.

Athlumney Lad could claim to have put Athlumney on the map and he certainly would have a lot of supporters locally who would have benefited for many of his 10 victories which have been achieved since he made his debut on the flat at Tipperary in 2003 where, as a 20/1 shot, he trailed in second last of 12 runners.

Once he had achieved a handicap rating he started to show some form and was never out of the first four in his next seven starts with the overdue success arriving at Navan on 1st October when none other than MJ Kinane brought him back to the winners' enclosure for the Joe McGrath, Navan Golf President Handicap.

"It was great to win a race with him and Michael Kinane won three more times on him, once that year and twice more in 2004 when he won three-in-a-row," stated the owner who was also full of praise for trainer Noel Meade.

That hat-trick was completed when  Athlumney Lad won his first race over hurdles at the big Galway meeting in July 2004.

"He won three hurdle races and seven times on the flat, including the Leopardstown November Handicap a couple of months ago, he is a very consistent little horse and has provided a lot of good memories for many people," stated the owner who also is involved in the syndicate which owns Jazz Messenger.

"He has run on 19 different racecourses and won on eight of them, that's a good achievement, and he also won a good amateur race at Bellewstown in 2006 where he beat a well fancied runner from the Willie Mullins stable, Warren's Castle," he added.

Wayne Loran did the steering in the prestigious November Handicap and the duo obliged for Athlumney Lad's third win of 2007.

"At the moment he is enjoying a well-earned break, but hopefully we will see him back in action again soon and winning a few more races," concluded the owner.

Athlumney Lad has run 60 times and apart from 10 wins, he has been placed 11 times and accumulated more than E250,000 in win and place money.