THERE is a new power couple in racing – and they’re ‘showing Willie Mullins who’s got the cash’ after a 21-year bet netted them billions.
Mark and Lindy O’Hare were catapulted into the Sunday Times Rich List earlier this year following the sale of their company Preqin.
The married parents-of-four celebrated a £2billion windfall when selling their data company, which they set up in 2003, to investment firm BlackRock.
Now they’re ploughing their cash back into racehorses – and putting their considerable cheque book in the hands of one trainer in particular.
Dan Skelton has made an electric start to the season in his bid to repel the strength of Irish legend Mullins.
The Closutton boss pipped Skelton to the trainer’s title on the final day of the jumps season last April.
Skelton has his squad fit and firing so far this campaign and is raking in the cash thanks to victories such as Panic Attack’s £90,000 Paddy Power Gold Cup success last weekend.
Already his prize money for the season stands at a healthy £1.2million.
But that is small fry for the O’Hares and they spent pretty much that sum on just two horses at the Simon Munir and Isaac Souede dispersal sale in France this week.
Top lot was three-year-old filly and Group 3 winner Mets Ta Ceinture, who cost a staggering £625,000.
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While Merci Mam, who won his only start over hurdles, was snapped up in a frantic ten-minute period for £460,000.
Both will be trained by Skelton and the former has already been introduced for the Triumph Hurdle at 20-1.
Skelton was quizzed by Sun Racing columnist Matt Chapman about his high-profile new owners on Sky Sports Racing recently.
He mischievously asked if Skelton and the O’Hares were ‘showing Willie Mullins who’s got the cash’ with their colossal investment.
Flashing a grin, Skelton replied: “Yeah, Matt, I know what you’re aiming for and you’re not getting it off me.”
But all jokes aside this could be the start of a new era in racing.
Mullins has achieved success the likes of which we may never see again thanks to the investment of the likes of Rich Ricci and Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary.
The O’Hares look set to take Skelton to the next level as he aims to cement his position as Britain’s best trainer.
Their rise can be traced back to 1993 when Mark – who survived a plane crash in 1999 – created Citywatch, which he sold in 1998 for £2.5m.
Preqin put them on the map, though.
In the 20 years the couple headed it up it grew into a giant with 50,000 customers and 16 offices around the world.
It’s Lindy, a former interior designer, who looks to be spearheading their racing spend.
Commenting on his two new recruits, Skelton said: “They said to me a couple of weeks ago that they’d love to try to find some horses and take this seriously.
“They want to get stuck in at the top end and do their best.
“They want to compete on the big days and as the price tag would suggest, these horses were pretty well sought after.
“But Lindy is a phenomenon, she wasn’t stopping.”
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