The secret syndicate which owns the so-called Dail horse is no secret any more. Artic Copper, trained by Noel Meade, won the 3.25 at Navan last Saturday and the consortium were so elated with their first success that members present actually posed for the snappers and revealed their identities - which previously they were so keen to conceal. It had been said by mocking Leinster House colleagues that should the horse and jockey (with green, blue and yellow silks to show the cross-party ownership), ever win it would have to be carried into the winners enclosure rather than led in, since it had 17 owners. In fact amateur jockey Robbie Burns rode it in. The Grand Alliance, which one member boasts contains neither a socialist nor a female, was out in force for Artic Copper's third race and the glee as it passed the winning post was joyful to behold. Missing from the winners' enclosure was Minister of State for Agriculture, Noel Davern, who is credited with picking the horse.
The race itself carried prize money of £5,000 and the syndicate had £2,000 on Artic Copper at 5/2. Those winnings go into the kitty. There were also individual bets, but as when it came second at Naas some weeks ago, members accused each other of placing too much money and pushing the odds down.
Urged on by the increase in the value of their property, the syndicate, which says it must meet in the mornings in future so real business will get done (rather than late at night in Leinster House), is now discussing leasing a mare from the Michael Hourican stable. Then there's Cheltenham to look forward to in March. Expect a bigger than usual exodus from Kildare Street.
Quidnunc is at rholohan@irish-times.ie