Offaly resident edits racing's definitive annual

The Irish Racing Yearbook 2022 edited by Offaly resident Daragh Ó Conchúir is on the shelves.

Irish Racing Yearbook 2022 is the definitive, established Irish racing annual, a collaboration of the best writers and photographers with the leading protagonists of racing, detailing some incredible stories throughout the entire spectrum of the industry, from breeding to sales to point-to-point to the racetrack.

Rachael Blackmore is the lead interview as a result of her historic year, the first woman to ride the winner of the Grand National at Aintree, courtesy of an ice-cold display of navigation on Minella Times.

That came just a few weeks after booting home six winners at Cheltenham, a tally only ever bettered by Ruby Walsh, and which included another piece of history in becoming to first female jockey to win a championship race at the Festival, the Champion Hurdle on People’s (Equine) Champion, Honeysuckle.

Housemate Patrick Mullins (also champion QR jockey, assistant trainer to his father Willie and gifted wordsmith) poses the questions and elicits some wonderful insights.

Henry de Bromhead, Colin Keane, Denise Foster, Joseph O’Brien, Paul Townend, Richie Condon, Jim Bolger, John Nallen, Ben Coen, Noel Meade, Gavin Cromwell, Jessica Harrington, Siobhan Rutledge, David Loughnane, Rory Cleary, Gary Carroll, Shane Foley, Stuart Crawford and Barry Mahon are some of the others that are interviewed and featured by an array of stellar writing talents.

Irish Racing Yearbook 2022 also includes in-depth analysis of the bloodstock industry, crunching the sales and stallion numbers and looking at some of the key events that could shape the sector in the future.

And that is not to forget the €1500 worth of FREE admission to nearly 80 meetings in Ireland, in essence offering the purchase price back more than 50 times to buyers, as well as the half-price offer for an annual subscription to Racing TV.