BobbyJo Heroics (1990 – 2001)

Only horse to win Irish and Aintree Grand Nationals.

Gerry Costello.

Bobby Jo
Photo courtesy of Eugene Burke
Bobby Jo
Photo courtesy of Eugene Burke
Memorial
Photo: Gerry Costello
The resting place of Bobbyjo
Photo: Gerry Costello

Bobbyjo Historic Achievments.

The majority of people in this part of Co. Galway would have come from a farming background or at least a previous generation would have done. Their background would have given them a close bond with horses as the horse was the forerunner of the tractor and the horse was the power source that operated farm machinery and farm transportation of times gone by. For one family in Mullaghmore their love of horses has granted them a place in both local history and in the world of Irish racing history. To own a racehorse is a milestone but to own one that was the first, and as yet, only one to have won the Irish and an English Grand Nationals in successive years is a feat that is reserved for very few individuals to achieve.

Buying A Horse:

In 1991, Bobby Burke and his brother Eugene, who was breeding horses himself, met in Galway with businessman and auctioneer Liam Mulryan. They bought six horses from Liam. One they named Bobbyjo, after Bobby and his wife Jo, and he would spend the next few years at Eugene’s farm in Mullaghmore before being sent for training with Tommy Carberry in July 1995. Bobbyjo  was an Irish bred racehorse by Bustineto and Markup.

Irish Grand National:

On Saturday, April 10th. 1998, Bobbyjo won the Irish Grand National whose sponsors incidentally were Jameson Whiskey – the same Jameson family whose ancestors owned the land around Mullaghmore from 1820 to 1910.

Aintree Grand National:

In 1999 Bobbyjo arrived at Aintree having won the Irish Grand National in 1998, however this was not regarded at the time as a good pointe to Aintree Grand National success as Irish trained runners had failed to win the race for twenty-four years. Bobbyjo went on to win the Aintree Grand National, one of the worlds premier and most sought after titles in the racing world. The win also ended that twenty four year gap in Irish racing history as Bobbyjo’s trainer, Tommy Carberry, had ridden L’Escargot, the last Irish horse to achieve this accolade in 1975. The victory of Bobbyjo in both the Irish and the English Grand National Events was a major achievement for the Burke family but they was also a victory shared by the surrounding area and the horse was brought to Mountbellew by Tommy Carberry and his son, Paul, who was riding the horse. The horse was taken on a tour of all the surrounding villages.

Death Of Bobbyjo:

Bobbyjo broke a knee at Fairyhouse Racecourse in February 2001 and had to be destroyed one month later due to his incurable injuries. In memory of the horse’s achievements, a new steeplechase first run at Fairyhouse Racecourse in February 2003 has been named after him.

Memorial:

On March 22nd. 2002, a life sized bronze statue of the horse was unveiled in Mountbellew. The statue is the work of Galway born sculpture John Coll and is a fitting commemoration to the great hero Bobbyjo. Bobbyjo is buried in Mullaghmore in the field where he was reared, in part of what was the old Jameson Estate, and the area is now marked with a plaque. The memories and the achievements of BobbyJo will live on in the area for generations to come.

View the 1998 Grand National from Fairyhouse     View the 1999 Grand National from Aintree

 

 

 

This page was added on 10/12/2014.

Comments about this page

  • I notice from recent notices that the man associated with training this horse, the great Tommy Carbury of Kilbrew Demense passed away on Wednesday, July 12th 2017.
    He will be remembered as one of the greats of the racing world. R.I.P.

    By Samantha Kilroy (14/07/2017)
  • Saw this horse run many times and even won a few hundred on its nose. Great to relive the days

    By Marty (13/06/2017)
  • Great website. It must take a large chunk of work but well done on your commitment. Great to see local topics and events on a website.

    By Valerie Somers (31/07/2015)
  • I well remember that horse. I was lucky enough to have won 167 punts on a beautiful Saturday afternoon in Rathmines when I was allocated him in a works draw.

    By Richie Fahey (16/07/2015)

Add a comment about this page

Your email address will not be published.