Laois horse racing stable wins big prize for excellence

James Fahey’s Laois-based racing team has been recognised for its exceptional care and presentation of racehorses, winning Category C in the National Hunt section of Horse Racing Ireland’s (HRI) 2024 Irish Thoroughbred Welfare Council Best-Turned Out League.

Fahey’s team claimed the top spot with 35 best-turned-out winners from 80 runners, earning the €3,000 prize. This achievement highlights the dedication and high standards upheld by the Laois stable, as they stood out among hundreds of yards across the country.

The league, established in 2021, celebrates the hard work of stable staff in ensuring horses are immaculately presented on race days. Fahey’s yard joined a prestigious list of winners, including repeat victors such as Gordon Elliott, Jim Bolger, and Noel Meade.

John Osborne, Equine Welfare & Bloodstock Director at Horse Racing Ireland, said: “Once again the Best-Turned-Out League has highlighted the incredibly high standard of care which is afforded to our racehorses, day by day. 289 individual yards won a BTO somewhere in Ireland in 2024, so we salute the hard work of so many people in all the yards big and small.

“We see familiar faces among the category winners: repeat winners Gordon Elliott, Jim Bolger, James Fahey, and Noel Meade, joined by Charles Byrnes, Gavin Cromwell and Ross O’Sullivan. Others to note would have to include the John Ryan yard which won a best turned-out prize over 100 times from less than 300 runners, well done Isabelle Ryan and team. The category C National Hunt section was a tight contest between winners James Fahey and the close second, previous winners Eoin Griffin, Natalie Bradley and team.”