The long, tough road to Cheltenham

PIERCE MICHAEL Power comes from a family steeped in horses and it was inevitable that he would end up being heavily involved himself.

He is proud to be a point-to-point man at heart and is delighted to be part of the remarkable success being enjoyed by Wexford stables in recent years.

Pierce has been training pointers since the 2010-’11 season and has turned out 60 winners over the years.

This has involved him in thousands of miles of travel to venues in remote parts all over the country, but he said ‘I’m delighted with what we are doing and I really love the game’.

Love of horses is certainly in his breeding. He is son of Ted and Margaret and his grandfather was the late and legendary Con Power from Fethard who was always into horses too.

Con’s son, also Con Power, who trains in Co. Meath and was a former star international showjumper, is brother of Ted, and Pierce’s uncle.

Of course, Con’s son and top jockey, Robbie, winner of last year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup on Jessica Harrington’s Sizing John, is his first cousin.

Pierce has 16 horses in his yard, at various stages of development, with Burning Ambition being his only track horse. You have to be optimistic in this game and he says he has a couple of very nice four-year-olds ready to make their point-to-point mark quite soon.

He is unstinting in his praise of all the help he has been given by his father, Ted, and mother, Margaret, over the years.

Without them, I would be nowhere, he said, and Ted plays a huge role in the whole operation.

Here is Burning Ambition’s pathway to Cheltenham -

2011: foaled; he is a bay gelding by Scorpion out of Wyndham Miss Sally.

2015: he is bought as a four-year-old at the Goffs Derby Sales by Pierce.

February 5, 2017: made debut at the Wexford Hunt meeting at Ballinaboola and was two lengths second to Fightfirewithfire, trained by Seán Doyle. Despite losing this one, that was a memorable day for Rob James as he rode three winners.

February 19: won by ten lengths from twelve runners at Cragmore, Co. Limerick, beating Black Scorpion.

April 9: won at the Island Hunt meeting at Courtown by ten lengths from Buzzkillbob.

November 11: won the Winner of Two race at Loughbrickland, Co. Down, by five lengths from Adamstown.

December 7: won his first Open race at Moira, Co. Armagh, from a field of nine, beating Sambremont, a former Willie Mullins horse, by eight lengths.

December 27: won his maiden Hunter Chase from a field of 13 on his track debut at Limerick, beating Follow the Moon by 13 lengths.

February 11, 2018: second after a terrific run in a small but select field in the Punchestown Hunter Chase, less than three lengths behind Gilgamboa.

March 16: will run in the St. James’ Place Foxhunter Chase at Cheltenham Festival, immediately after The Gold Cup.

FOOTNOTE: Killinick Harriers will stage their traditional pre-Cheltenham point-to-point fixture at Lingstown next Sunday, March 11, starting with a four-year-old maiden at 1 p.m., followed by maidens for five-year-old geldings and mares, the Open race over the famous banks course, a Winners of Two event, and ending with an older horses’ maiden.

This might be the last chance to build up the coffers before Cheltenham starts on Tuesday.