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Edward O’Grady is hoping the public can hear from one of the best in the business in Rachael Blackmore as he becomes the latest trainer to host an open morning, writes Tom Masters. 

O’Grady, from Ballynonty, County Tipperary, will open the gates to his yard on the morning of Saturday 16^th September for his second HRI open morning after the success of last year.

The 74-year-old will be hoping to welcome between 100 and 150 guests to his yard, where they will get the opportunity to interact with the trainer himself, as well as some of the star jockeys he has at his disposal.

He said: “We expect people at 10am, because we have to exercise the horses at 10:30 as there is racing at Navan and I want the jockeys coming in to have time to drive to Navan.

“If she does not have a prior engagement, I am hoping Rachael Blackmore will be there and Mark McDonagh and Philip Enright will hopefully be there too.

“There might be a farrier demonstration and my head vet will show people how we treat horses with certain injuries and at 10:30, we intend to go to the gallops.

“When people come down, I have a lot of young horses to offer to people and I will probably give them a little school and then let them all be looked at individually in the stable yard.

“That will be followed by drinks and coffee along with a chat and questions.”

Following the success of last year’s open morning, O’Grady – a former champion trainer who has also saddled 18 Cheltenham Festival winners across a glittering career – is hoping to use this year’s event to attract owners, with a whole host of different aged horses available.

“We are very much looking at syndicates, there are three-year-olds, four-year-olds, five-year-olds and even a six-year-old,” he added. 

“It would be disappointing if there was not a little bit of business done or shares or anything like that. 

“There are also a couple of horses I have in mind in England, three-year-olds. One is a winner and one isn’t and the owner would like me to organise leases for them. 

“Hopefully we get a little bit of everything and I hope people enjoy themselves. I hope we have a nice day, we had a fantastic day last year, with not a cloud in the sky, which we hope will happen again.

“We did a first one last year and because of my stable staff, my daughter Amber and HRI, it was a swimmingly great morning and we strive to make it better this year if we can. 

“There were between 100 and 150 people last year and I am hoping we get similar this year.

“People are very welcome, we have spread the invitation list a little bit more this year, so there is a chance there will be more people coming from different clubs and things like that, there is every chance of that.”

To register for Edward O’Grady’s open morning, click here.