A thoroughbred horse, which was born and bred by a Donegal horse breeder, was the toast of Cheltenham yesterday.
Hunt Ball raised the roof at the world’s most famous horse-racing festival when it romped home to victory in the 5.15 Novices Handicap.
It’s the horse’s seventh win out of eight starts for its owner, dairy farmer Anthony Knott.
But Donegaldaily.com can reveal the horse was born and bred in Convoy by well-known horse–breeder Michael Slevin of Ruskey Lower.
Michael is the grand old age of 91 and was a little under the weather to see the horse he bred claim a famous victory at Cheltenham.
But his daughter Eileen Woods said he would have been the proudest man in the world to see the horse take victory.
“My father always bred working horses up until he was 80 and then started to breed thoroughbreds.
“He sold Hunt Ball a number of years ago and look how well it has done,” she told donegaldaily.com.
Eileen revealed how she managed to persuade a number of friends to put a few euro on the horse because of her dad’s connections.
“I’m not a big gambler but I got it at 7-1 and we won a few euro on it. I told a few people about it and I’m delighted they won as well.
“But I’m particularly happy for dad. I can’t imagine the pride someone must have in breeding a horse that wins at Cheltenham,” she said.
And that might not be the end we’ll hear of the seven year old Donegal-bred animal.
His owner Mr Knott is thinking of entering him into the English Grand National and Hunt Ball has already been quoted at 50-1 for next year’s Gold Cup!
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