Galway Races win for Mount Temple brothers
The Slevin brothers from Mount Temple, Niall and Cathal, enjoyed memorable success at the Galway Races, with their horse Castleheath among the winners on Tuesday evening of last week.
Castleheath claimed victory in the Caulfield Industrial Handicap as part of the renowned festival at Ballybrit. Trained by Ballymore native Ciaran Murphy and ridden by Sam Coen (a younger brother of established jockey Ben Coen), Castleheath pipped Heliogabalus in a hugely exciting finish.
Speaking to the Westmeath Independent, Cathal expressed his delight about the win and reflected on the very fine margins involved.
“It’s a big one for us. You would be quietly confident with that horse, but it was just great to get the win in Galway. There was a fantastic finish to the race. Our horse came from nowhere. Sam gave him an unbelievable ride,” said Cathal.
“It was an excellent race and an amazing finish. We were waiting in the parade ring for about five minutes before it was confirmed that Castleheath had won.
“To have a winner in Galway is unbelievably special, just the prestige of it, and it’s great to be able to say you had a winner there,” he continued.
Castleheath won two races previously - in Punchestown this year and in Sligo last year - but the victory in Galway was definitely his biggest accomplishment yet.
The involvement of Niall and Cathal in horse racing is something of a family tradition, with their father Michael also having a keen interest. “Our dad always had an interest in horses, and I suppose Niall and myself have carried that on,” Cathal said.
Cathal was delighted for trainer Ciaran Murphy, who runs Charlestown Stud near Mullingar, and the rest of his team.
“They’re the ones who put in the hard work. We trust Ciaran’s judgement with the horse, he’s the expert. Their yard is a huge operation but Ciaran has great help from his wife Emily and his brother Aaron along with others as well,” he added.
Cathal is well known locally for his involvement in Mount Temple Golf Club, where he is the PRO, and he’s also the treasurer of Mount Temple Drama Group.
*The success of the Slevin brothers wasn't the only Mount Temple connection to a winner at this year's Galway racing festival - see separate article here