Interview/Trainer Adrian McGuinness: Brian O'Connor talks to the north Co Dublin trainer about his relatively recent move into the game and some early luck
Anyone who was hardy enough to brave the beach at Rush early this morning might have got a last-minute glimpse of Victram before the Adrian McGuinness-trained horse runs in tomorrow's €130,000 Pierse Hurdle at Leopardstown.
Victram is the star of the 14-strong McGuinness stables in north Co Dublin, and although the trainer's address is in Lusk, it is to nearby Rush that McGuinness regularly takes his string.
"I'm a great believer in the beach, and Victram and the others go down there two or three times a week," explains the 40-year-old Dubliner. "The sea water is great for their legs and also their heads. It's a change, and they love it. In some of these bigger yards, it's almost industrial. The same routine day in and day out."
There has been very little routine in McGuinness's path to one of the most valuable handicaps in the racing calendar.
Up to six years ago his only focus was on a successful equestrian centre, where he prepared showjumpers and ponies and gave lessons to novice riders. But a client's proposal to train almost 10 racehorses resulted in a change. It almost ended as soon as it began.
"The guy pulled out. I'd just put down a gallop and I hadn't a button to pay for it. My father had died of cancer a month before and there was only one horse in the place. I was struggling big time," admits McGuinness.
That one horse, however, was the useful sprinter Jacks Estate, who won seven races and kept McGuinness's head above water long enough for Victram to also come along.
The versatile money-spinner has won seven races, including high-profile victories in the 2004 Lartigue Hurdle at Listowel and last year's Lincolnshire at the Curragh.
"When times have been bad those two horses kept me going, gave me a focus," he says.
An already expanding base of owners would increase even more on the back of a major prize like the Pierse though, and especially in the north Dublin area.
"There are people here locally who would never have dreamed of owning a horse, or part of a horse, and are now involved with me. I suppose I'm the only trainer here, and the little bit of success we've had already has helped us get known.
"But a win on Sunday would make a huge difference," McGuinness believes.
The chances of that are real enough for Timmy Murphy's intended mount to have been at the forefront of the ante-post betting ever since trading began. Victram's trainer can understand why.
"He won on the flat at Navan off 96 and is rated 102 now. But he is still only 111 over hurdles, and we do believe there is a decent race in him over jumps," he says.
After such an inauspicious beginning to his racing career, victory tomorrow would also be a tribute to McGuinness's persistence.
"I'm 40 now and I'm hoping that life begins at 40!" he laughs.