Catch up with Kieran
Once again Al Shira’aa Racing will sponsor dual Classic trial races here at Naas Racecourse with the Group 3 Al Shira’aa Racing Irish EBF Jannah Rose Stakes on May 11th and the Listed Al Shira’aa Racing Irish EBF Naas Oaks Trial on June 26th.
Al Shira’aa Racing is headed by Sheikha Fatima bint Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan and managed by Kieran Lalor. We caught up with Kieran to discuss more about Al Shira’aa Racing, last season’s success and what’s to come for the operation.
Can you tell us about your role as Manager at Al Shira’aa Racing? What does a typical day look like for you?
I am lucky in that it is still a small-medium sized operation so I can stay well involved with every aspect of it from the racing to the breeding and farming. Nothing better though, than when after not having a very positive day, putting in the ear pods, flick on a podcast and go mow a few fields, haha. I love to watch horses training if it’s early and anytime I can, I’ll do that whether it is here or in Chantilly. I am mostly in Ireland and the rest of the mornings are taken up with the horses at the farm praying for positive scans and no injuries, looking at foals/yearlings etc.. Has been plenty of design and Construction work to oversee since day 1, and again I love to do a bit of ‘tractoring’ at every opportunity! Then there is the accounting and billing which is my least favourite but must be done. Our number 1 priority is that our horses are well looked after. We have a top team at home looking after and caring for our breeding stock and also with the trainers for our race horses
Did you always want to have a career in the horse racing industry, and how did you come to join Al Shira’aa Racing?
From what I can remember I did. My mum worked a lifetime in Goffs and gave me an elbow to try and encourage me into the industry. Being the golden child of the family, I gave it a go to hold my position in the family. Before I finished school I used to plague Betty Fahey at Greenhills Riding School, I was no good at it but I absolutely loved it and spent every opportunity I could on the back of a horse. From there I did a few rounds at Goffs chasing horses around the ring with a shovel and then had a great experience at Ted Walsh’s for a few months. Ted was actually the one who interviewed me in what I think was called a ‘careers guidance interview’ back then, so for sure from school on, it was what I was thinking of and focused on.
Al Shira’aa Racing has achieved remarkable success in a relatively short period. What do you attribute this success to?
Good horses and Good people are the key to any organisation’s success. However, unless you have a principal who has the passion, drive, and ample amounts of patience it is difficult to succeed in your goals. We are very lucky that the boss has all of that and more. She has faith in us to do the right thing by our horses and put them in the right places to succeed. The boss has created something very special here and we all rally behind that and are lucky to be part of it.
Jannah Rose was a standout performer for Al Shira’aa Racing last season and won you the Goffs Sales Selection Award at the 2023 AIRO awards. Can you share standout qualities as a yearling made you want to purchase her?
It wouldn’t necessarily be a page we would have fancied but when I saw her physically, I was floored and said to the boss we must have her. She is a beautiful filly, loads of size, scope, looked like an Oaks type. She is so athletic looking and uses every part of herself when she moves. Frankel was also on the up at that point and about to reach the stratosphere. When you combined all of that along with a hardy G2 winning half-sister and then looked to her post race career you know regardless she was going to be a beautiful broodmare prospect. We are so lucky to have her and can’t wait to see her foals and campaign them as well. What she did on the racetrack for everyone was a dream come true though, getting our first European Group 1 victory and winning 3 Group in total.
Looking ahead, what are your expectations for Jannah Rose this season? Are there any specific races you have in mind for her? Could we see her in Ireland or the UK?
She is in foal to Dubawi now, ha-ha. Easy answer.
Can you describe the day-to-day management of the farm and your team? What are some of the challenges you face in your role?
We are blessed to have a great team here. They are all bring something different to the table and compliment each other. It makes for a great team environment; they all have that same drive and passion for the animals and know what needs to be done. I don’t need to micromanage. It makes my job easier; I can take a step back and focus on the bloodstock and facilities confident that the important things, the fine details are taken care of. I travel a lot as well, whether it is for training, Racing or sales, hopefully a few F1 races in their too and I never leave the farm with any concern, which speaks volumes for the team that run it day to day. The same applies to all the trainers that look after our horses. We face the same challenges everyone does in this sport. What is a constant challenge lately is the weather patterns or lack thereof maybe, affecting ground conditions both at the farm and racetracks. Rain Rain go away.
What are some of the most memorable moments you've experienced during your time at Al Shira’aa Racing?
There are four that really stand out, but the most memorable is August 19th & 20th last year. . I was in Deauville with Gerry (Stud Manager), Ian McCarthy (Grangecoor) and Liam O’Donovan (Farrier) for the sales. The team at the farm and my kids were at the Curragh. We had Atlantic Coast kick off the weekend in great style with a first out maiden win at the Curragh for Joseph and Dylan. He is a homebred we couldn’t sell, and he just won very impressively for us at the Curragh, so we were in top form. Vespertilio then popped the corks with an incredible win in the Group 2 Debutante for Willie & Billy Lee. This really set the tone for how tired we would be the next day, except for Liam who was asleep by the time the Angelus was read. The boys would have their turn though because the next day Jannah Rose returned to racing in a Group 2 at Deauville racecourse and boy did, she return. She came with a mighty challenge and got the win. The night was young though, for Miss Dracary’s decided to be the icing on the cake with a dominant score in a Group 2 at Woodbine as well. We still talk about this weekend. It was one of those special and rare occurrences where everyone involved got to be a part of it in some shape or form. $ inners and 3 of them Group 2’s. Stuff of dreams. I must mention Ocean Jewel, she our first Group winner in Ireland, she is trained by one of Kildare’s best footballers, and she won the group race in Dublin, ha-ha love it, Up the Lillies.
How do you envision the future of Al Shira’aa Racing in terms of breeding and racing operations?
If I could put 2023 on repeat mode, I would be perfectly happy. it was an incredible year for us with such a small number in training. I suppose I would love to see us producing similar results in the coming years from the farm. We are really focused on fillies, to build a good quality broodmare band. We have made a huge effort to improve the quality over the last 3 years at public auction and I am confident when the results of that cycles through the breeding operations we will be able to accomplish those goals and producing horses that regularly compete at the highest level. So, I can see both the breeding and racing operations expanding organically with that for sure, but slow and steady wins that race. We’ll keep the blinkers on and keep doing what we are doing.
Do you enjoy the sponsorship experience at Naas Racecourse?
Absolutely, it is such a cool racecourse, great atmosphere, and a simple process due to the great people running the ship there. We are regular racegoers at Naas anyway and especially love the family days and the BBQ evening meets.
What is your favourite racecourse in the world?
Wherever we are in the winner’s circle is always my favourite so changes a lot. I will give a mention to Gávea in Rio which I was lucky enough to go to and Keeneland. Always have a good time no matter what.
Your favourite ever racehorse?
After Vespertilio and Jannah Rose hands down for me it would have to be Giants Causeway. He was such a warrior in the heat of battle and never quit trying. To have the campaign he had in Europe in 2000, then wrap up his career on the dirt at Churchill and just get beat by a short head in the BC Classic is an incredible feat. He was an incredible horse. I worked in Creekview Stud the following year and was only too lucky that Mariah’s Storm was in the paddock across from the house I stayed in amongst some other queens, a field of dreams it was.
Other sporting interests or hobbies outside of horse racing? Rugby & Formula 1 (Go RB) get all my spare time now and love Hurling too. Used to love fishing for chilling out but I could catch a cold quicker than a fish, and I loved playing Golf, or maybe the idea of it, always came home in a bad mood after a round now that I think of it😊
Any horses in the Shira’aa Racing silks we should watch out for this season?
Vespertilio, Ocean Jewel, Jannah Pearl, Atlantic Coast & Caelestis. We are hoping they will continue from where they left off last year. We have a few nice two-year-old types that might take the baton toward the end of the season hopefully.
