‘He's a dream horse' - remarkable 12-year-old sparks glorious scenes

Irish Daily Mirror

3 days ago

One of the real stalwarts of the Irish racing scene lit up a dreary night at Killarney on Tuesday when winning for the 13th time.
The 12-year-old veteran Lord Erskine is one of the most popular horses in training and he took his winning tally to 13 races with a brilliant success in the Executive Helicopters Handicap at the Kerry venue.
Trained in Louth by Harry Rogers, the remarkable gelding was winning on his 70th career start, having made his debut nine years ago at the Curragh in a flat maiden.
William Buick was the jockey on board that afternoon and the top English-based rider was the first of many jockeys to ride him, a long list of 26 that includes the late greats Pat Smullen and Michael O'Sullivan while Rachael Blackmore and Darragh O'Keeffe have won on him.
On Tuesday it was Ronan Whelan who rode him for the very first time and it was a winning partnership as he ran out a comfortable four and a half length winner from Dark Note.
Incredibly Lord Erskine won the Irish Cesarewitch eight years ago and Tuesday's win took his career earnings to €400,000 for his owners the Nolan family.
His original owner Jerry Nolan, from Cork, passed away in 2021 but four years later he still wears the same red and white silks and is owned by Jerry's brother Brian.
Lord Erskine has won at several big festivals like the Dublin Racing Festival, Fairyhouse Easter Meeting and Rogers is now targeting a crack at the Guinness Galway Hurdle later this month.
"It's unbelievable – I've never had a horse like him. He eats, sleeps and runs, and that's all he does. He doesn't see any vets, nothing. He's a dream,' said Rogers.
'In fairness to Ronan, we had a plan going out and said if they were going too slow to go on down the back straight, which he did.
"He is a right horse on his day and is a gent. He is a dream horse and was like his late owner Jerry Nolan. Brian, his brother, has taken over the ownership now and is the same.
"We just couldn't get an ease in the ground in the past few weeks, and the plan now is to go to Galway where he has a few choices. He could run in the amateur handicap on the Flat or in the Galway Hurdle, if he gets slow ground," Rogers told Irishracing.com.