EXCLUSIVE - Guilfoyle to take break from greyhound training
It is a continual insistence of mine that those in the greyhound world view the dogs as the real superstars of the sport but when a personality arrives and creates the impression that a young trainer like Pat Guilfoyle has managed since first having his public training licence endorsed in 2003, it is difficult not to view them in iconic fashion.
Striving for excellence at every turn, he and his family have raised the bar regarding the standards required to compete at the highest level. Held in the highest esteem among his peers, his kennels has attracted some of the most valuable and consequently talented racers of the modern era with owners in full knowledge that their aspiring champions would receive the most meticulous of preparation to fulfill all of their racing potential.
It may be argued by some that the Guilfoyle kennels have equals in the sport but any contention that they have superiors would border on insanity. However, having spent his youth with barely a minute to call his own, Pat Guilfoyle has come to a difficult but necessary decision as he turns 30 years of age and in an exclusive to the Nenagh Guardian, to whom he is continually grateful for coverage of his racing exploits and his recent receipt of the a 2015 Sports Award, he explains his decision to take a break from the sport.
“After much deliberation amongst my family I have decided in recent weeks to take a break from publicly training greyhounds for a few years,” he revealed.
“I have held a license for twelve years, since I was 18 years old and I have been lucky to handle some amazing dogs in that time such as Magical Captain, Ms Firecracker, Definate Opinion, Shoemakers Lad, Laughil Billy, Bolt and Duke, Newlawn Impact, Skywalker Rory, Belles Direction.
“I never had the ambition to become a leading professional trainer but rather to train as a hobby. That hobby grew into a dedication not just from me but my whole family. Together we won an Irish Oaks, two Irish Cesarewitches, two Dundalk Internationals, an Irish St Leger, two Derby Plates, Southern Sprint and Southern Oaks at Youghal, Kudos Sprint and Oliver Chawkes at Cork, Champion Bitch Stake at Galway, Kennedy Cup, Con Kirby Memorial 550 at Limerick with Laughil Billy and numerous track records etc.
“The personal sacrifices have been huge but far from regrettable because the memories and friends we made as a family along the way are priceless. All our owners eventually became valued friends.
“But as everyone knows, I’m a teacher by profession. I’d like to advance in my career and have plans to begin a Masters of Education this year and also to travel a little. Of course it was heartbreaking to see the dogs leave the kennels, especially Laughil Duke and Skywalker Rory. But this is a positive change and one we as a family are looking forward to.
“Greyhound racing is a wonderful sport, the best of them all and I’ll still be involved in it. I would like to thank the owners who supported our kennel. And like I said, this is just a break. I’ll be back,” he said.
The Guilfoyle kennels, for the foreseeable future, will continue with family owned greyhounds and all at the Nenagh Guardian wish Pat the very best with his Masters Degree along with whatever else his new found personal time may bring. We will miss his presence in the major classic events of the sport that brought us such enthralling entertainment throughout his training career thus far and look forward to his return as one of the most influential figures in the entire greyhound racing world.