Tom McCourt has the distinction of training in five different decades
Monday, 22 September 2025
Tom McCourt has the distinction of training in five different decades and, before the Stamullen supremo took out his licence in 1989, he sat on some of the most famous horses to have ever emerged from the Royal County.
In the late 1970s, McCourt left school and joined the legendary Michael Cunningham where he played an integral part in the education of some future superstars.
He won a bumper on For Auction, who went on to win the 1982 Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, and also steered Greasepaint to success in his bumper, too. He subsequently finished runner-up in a pair of Grand Nationals at Aintree.
Back in those heady days, Cairn Rouge was also in the care of Cunningham and she got her hands on a Classic in 1980 when landing the Irish 1,000 Guineas at the Curragh.
After stints with Jim Bolger, Oliver Finnegan and Jim Dreaper, McCourt made the big plunge and went out on his own, wasting little time in getting his first official winner as a trainer - Kerr Pink Shoe at Downpatrick.
Despite getting on in years, Kerr Pink Shoe won five races for McCourt in the same season and helped him hit the ground running.
In more recent years, Dollar Value has been the flagbearer for his Stamullen stable.
The enigmatic ten-year-old has his own ideas about the game but McCourt has managed to mastermind a hugely successful career for the grey gelding who now has 13 wins to his name - six over hurdles, three over fences and four on the Flat, including an all-weather win.
"I have got a great kick out of Dollar Value," McCourt said. "He wasn't easy, I can tell you that! At one point he was banned from racing because he would refuse to jump off at the start. I had to tweak a few things and make some changes. Then I began going down to the start myself when he was running and he always knew I was there!
"He's been some horse for us over the years, he's a real favourite in the yard."
McCourt is renowned for having his horses looking immaculate in the parade ring before their races and his grooms are consistently winning best-turned-out prizes.
"That's down to my daughter, Denise," he explained. "A lot of yards might not have the time to have their horses looking well but Denise takes great pride in it and it's all down to her. She does a brilliant job."
While McCourt operates mainly on the Flat, he will also have a few jumpers for the winter ahead and there is one he is particularly looking forward to.
"I think Radar Ahead will do well over hurdles," the trainer said. "She finished fifth in a hot enough race the other day at Navan against older horses. She's only four so it was a serious run for a horse so young. She can hopefully pick up a race or two over the coming months."
And, if she does, will it still mean as much to McCourt as it used to? Given he has been training for 36 years.
"It means more now," he replied. "I love the game more now than I ever did. You can't compare that feeling of having a winner with anything else. It's magic."
In the late 1970s, McCourt left school and joined the legendary Michael Cunningham where he played an integral part in the education of some future superstars.
He won a bumper on For Auction, who went on to win the 1982 Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, and also steered Greasepaint to success in his bumper, too. He subsequently finished runner-up in a pair of Grand Nationals at Aintree.
Back in those heady days, Cairn Rouge was also in the care of Cunningham and she got her hands on a Classic in 1980 when landing the Irish 1,000 Guineas at the Curragh.
After stints with Jim Bolger, Oliver Finnegan and Jim Dreaper, McCourt made the big plunge and went out on his own, wasting little time in getting his first official winner as a trainer - Kerr Pink Shoe at Downpatrick.
Despite getting on in years, Kerr Pink Shoe won five races for McCourt in the same season and helped him hit the ground running.
In more recent years, Dollar Value has been the flagbearer for his Stamullen stable.
The enigmatic ten-year-old has his own ideas about the game but McCourt has managed to mastermind a hugely successful career for the grey gelding who now has 13 wins to his name - six over hurdles, three over fences and four on the Flat, including an all-weather win.
"I have got a great kick out of Dollar Value," McCourt said. "He wasn't easy, I can tell you that! At one point he was banned from racing because he would refuse to jump off at the start. I had to tweak a few things and make some changes. Then I began going down to the start myself when he was running and he always knew I was there!
"He's been some horse for us over the years, he's a real favourite in the yard."
McCourt is renowned for having his horses looking immaculate in the parade ring before their races and his grooms are consistently winning best-turned-out prizes.
"That's down to my daughter, Denise," he explained. "A lot of yards might not have the time to have their horses looking well but Denise takes great pride in it and it's all down to her. She does a brilliant job."
While McCourt operates mainly on the Flat, he will also have a few jumpers for the winter ahead and there is one he is particularly looking forward to.
"I think Radar Ahead will do well over hurdles," the trainer said. "She finished fifth in a hot enough race the other day at Navan against older horses. She's only four so it was a serious run for a horse so young. She can hopefully pick up a race or two over the coming months."
And, if she does, will it still mean as much to McCourt as it used to? Given he has been training for 36 years.
"It means more now," he replied. "I love the game more now than I ever did. You can't compare that feeling of having a winner with anything else. It's magic."