TJ Comerford Opens Up About Swapping Ballydoyle For Growing His Own Operation

[Wandering Eyes]

You don't spend 26 years working as travelling head lad for Aidan O'Brien without becoming one of the most recognisable faces on the racing circuit but, after closing the chapter on his career at Ballydoyle last Christmas, TJ Comerford shot to prominence in his own right by consigning two of the most expensive lots at the Goffs Arkle Sale. 

That debut consignment from Ballintogher Stud, the Monasterevin base that Comerford now operates from alongside his partner Stephanie Ocsko-Moore, featured only two horses – both of which were foal pinhooks belonging to Adrian McAndrew, a close friend of Comerford. 

The Crystal Ocean gelding sold for €200,000 to Eddie O'Leary, believed to be on behalf of Gigginstown House Stud, to join Gordon Elliott while the Walk In The Park gelding made €155,000 to Megan and Paul Nicholls. If Carlsberg did debut consignments. 

Comerford said, “We never consigned a horse before the Arkle Sale. It was an amazing achievement but the press interviewed everyone bar us, which we couldn't believe. A friend of mine, Adrian McAndrew, who played hurling for Kildare, bought the two horses as foals. It's funny because a cousin of mine, Andy Comerford, who hurled for Kilkenny, used to manage Kildare. So Adrian came up to me at the Dublin Racing Festival asking me would I pre-train a couple of horses for him. I said I would, no problem, and when he dropped them off, he asked me to come and look at these two horses in the field with him. I didn't think anything of it. But when I got there, I soon realised that these were two fine horses. Adrian was asking who I thought he should give them to for the Arkle Sale and said he'd had no luck with some of the different consignments down through the years. I said, 'sure I'll do them for you Adrian,' and that's how it happened. 

“The Crystal Ocean was the joint sale-topper in the three-year-old section. Eddie O'Leary bought him for Gordon Elliott. And then the Walk In The Park sold for €155,000 to Megan and Paul Nicholls. It just goes to show you, if you have two of the best horses in the sale, it doesn't matter if they are out in the car park or not. Once they are there, people will come to look at them. Word gets around. I must say, I really enjoyed it. Now, it wouldn't have been enjoyable if you were there trying to sell a bad one. But it was enjoyable.”

Comerford has travelled some of the most famous horses of our time to win big races all around the world but admits to being happy with what he describes as a new lease of life in his new home in County Kildare. Joshua Tree winning the Canadian International for O'Brien in 2010 was put forward as Comerford's greatest day in the sport but fellow Ballydoyle-trained inmates like Magic Wand and Adelaide are also particularly close to his heart. However, now his attention has turned to managing Ballintogher Stud along with his partner Stephanie, who he refers to as “the boss”, and the plan is to continue to attract outside clients. 

Ocsko-Moore explained, “I bought the farm in the fall of 2018 and then Covid hit. I was still in America quite a lot and everything was shut down over here. It wasn't until Jack [three] was born where we decided to give this place more of a push.”

Part of that push was the installation of a water treadmill that, by the time it was completed, cost a cool €200,000. That addition has generated plenty of outside business with trainers and breeze-up handlers among the most frequent users. But such an addition also comes in handy with the sales horses.

“It strengthens them up,” Comerford explained. “These two [the Arkle Sale duo] were on it and it worked well.”

Ocsko-Moore added, “It's fabulous for low impact and excellent for building a top line, building muscle. And you're taking away from joint strain. We actually get a lot of dogs here as well. We get a lot of show dogs here.”

Is there anything that you don't do?

“We do everything,” Comerford replies. “We pre-train, break in a few for Sheila Lavery, Danny Murphy, Daniel McLoughlin, and have taken in some good horses from other trainers to put on the water treadmill. Stephanie has a licence as well so she's going to run a few. But I'm only a blow-in so all I do is go to Royal Ascot and lead up for a few trainers!”

With that, Comerford points to the fact that he has just arrived back from the Royal meeting, where he travelled over Joe Murphy's breakthrough Group 1 winner Cercene 24 hours previously. There was also a separate trip done on behalf of trainer Sheila Lavery, who is another big supporter. He may have stepped off the hamster wheel of Ballydoyle but he will never see anyone stuck.

“That was crazy,” says Comerford, reflecting on the Coronation Stakes success of Cercene. “Joe is some man. He beat them all on the big stage at Ascot. Between Joe and Sheila, I have done a bit of travelling to the races since I left Ballydoyle and I've enjoyed that.”

Asked if it was a leap of faith to leave Ballydoyle after spending 26 years working for Aidan O'Brien, Comerford replied, “Not really. I never really wanted to leave. Remember, I met Aidan in Jim Bolger's back in 1990. I gave 110 per cent at Ballydoyle but it just fizzled out. Maybe it was my fault. Maybe I made a few little decisions along the way that annoyed people but what do you do? There's no point in dwelling on it.

“Never think that racing owes you anything. Look at Joe Murphy for example. That was a great day last Friday with Cercene winning the Group 1. But when five o'clock came, it was all over. They have to drive on now and get the next one. That's what it's all about. I've been doing this job all my life. I drove to England for Joe and, do you think when I got there that I wanted to go to bed? Not a chance. I watched the racing. I didn't want to go to bed. I love this game. I actually enjoy horses. I don't drink and I don't smoke but I eat and drink horses.”

He added, “So, just when I packed in Ballydoyle, I went for a job with the IHRB [Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board]. During the interview, I told them that I was leaving Ballydoyle but, whether I got the job or not, I made sure they didn't feel like they owed me anything, because they didn't. I got the job anyway, which involves working at the point-to-points. I've done eight meetings and it's totally different. I was in Ballindenisk the same day as the Guineas and I can remember telling people I would have preferred to be at the point-to-point than in Newmarket. People thought I was mad but I was serious. You're dealing with real people where this is their bread and butter. The people at the point-to-points are there trying their best to get a result. It's been totally different for me and I enjoy it. I just like racing.”

Attentions have now firmly turned to the future and things are looking bright for the 51-year-old. He has already been promised three horses for the Orby Sale and, judging by the performance of his debut draft at Goffs, Comerford is expected to be spotted at the sales more frequently going forward.

He said, “I've always had horses on the side and done my own thing. We've bred a few and I suppose, when you work with horses, you're always going to try and do different things with them. That doesn't mean that, because you work with horses, you're a big expert. Everyone has an opinion but it's a matter of getting a bit of luck along the way. I'd rather be born lucky than rich. We're getting three horses for the Orby Sale to consign, which is exciting. By good sires, too – one is by Camelot and there's another by Mehmas. We'll try and get a few more. We just need to produce them as well as everyone else and hopefully we can continue to grow.”

 

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