Seamus Cahill: He has achieved fantastic success since his transfer to Hove in 2008.

TRAINER Seamus Cahill, who masterminded the career of the magnificent Jimmy Lollie, one of the outstanding sprinters of the past twenty-five years, continues to retain a huge passion for greyhound racing and, for sure, he is universally lauded as one of the most popular characters in the sport.

“I was involved with greyhounds as a kid, as my father and uncle were involved in the sport,” said Cahill. “My first job in kennels was with the legendary Gay McKenna in 1972, the year in which he won the Irish Derby with Catsrock Daisy, and the following year I went to work in Matt O’Donnell’s kennels.”

Cahill, 74, has been on the training treadmill for four decades and the merry-go-round schedule has failed to dampen his passion – his ‘have dogs will travel’ outlook instantly propelled him into the big time and he has an enviable record in the sport’s top competitions.

“I was offered an opportunity to become head lad to Paddy Milligan in 1994,” said Cahill. “It was a lucky break for me and, around a couple of years later, I was given a training contract at Catford.”

Cahill, who took over the reins from his mentor Paddy Milligan at Catford in January, 1997, switched to Wimbledon in 2000 and six years later transferred to Walthamstow - he was attached to the famous old Chingford Road venue until its closure in 2008 and he then immediately joined Hove.

Cahill’s Call Me Baby, a treble-figure price in the ante-post betting prior to the first round eliminators, came agonisingly close to striking a blow for the fairer sex when beaten three-quarters of a length into second place behind Allen Gift in the final of the 2002 Greyhound Derby (480 metres) at Wimbledon.

The same year, Cahill illustrated his affinity with jumps racing by steering Top Jock to Champion Hurdle glory at Wimbledon, while Shevchenko capped a good season for the kennel with twin successes in the Gold Collar (555m, Catford) and British Bred Stakes (475m, Walthamstow) at the Racing Post Festival.

Three years later, the mighty Druids Mickey Jo, who had previously triumphed in the Racing Post Festival Maidens Derby at Walthamstow in 2004, dominated hurdles racing when landing the Springbok, Champion Hurdle and Midlands Champion Hurdle.

“We bought Druids Mickey Jo from John Brennan in Dungarvan and he was semi-schooled when we first got him,” said Cahill. “I had a nice few quid on him ante-post at 20-1 for the Maiden Derby and he subsequently become the best hurdler that I’ve ever trained alongside Ballymac Manix.”

Milldean Billy, who had been competing in S2 events at Crayford a few months earlier prior to joining Seamus Cahill , was backed into 4-1 following a morning quote of 8-1 to land a big gamble in the final of the 2006 Arc over 475 metres at Walthamstow.

Among the other notable big-race winners he sent out in 2006 were Swift Maggie (Racing Post Festival Puppy Stayers) and Confident Foe (Racing Post Dual Distance) at Walthamstow.

The success of a high-profile kennel is always a team effort and wife Teresa Cahill, formerly a member of the racing office team at Catford, married Seamus Cahill in October, 2006 and has always been an integral part in the mechanics of a hugely successful training operation.

In 2008, Cahill’s burgeoning CV was bolstered by the success of Ronaldos Merit in the Coronation Cup (575m, Romford) and, a few weeks later, Hotdog Jack marauded unbeaten through the Springbok (460m hurdles, Wimbledon).

Cahill, who has made a total of thirteen appearances in the prestigious Trainers’ Championship fixture – the first was in 2003 at Sittingbourne and the most recent in 2018 at Towcester – accrued 49 points to defeat Charlie Lister (43pts), John Mullins (34 pts), Barrie Draper (30 pts), Elaine Parker (27 pts) and Mark Wallis (25 pts) in the 2008 renewal at Wimbledon.

Secretariat (first), Noirs Ted (second), Lethal Freddie (first), Heavy Weather (third), Ronaldos Merit (fifth), Milldean Buster (sixth), Big Brett Coal (first) and Kilkenny Lonjack (second) combined to provide Cahill with one of the highlights of his career.

Hotdog Jack, the top hurdler of his generation, continued a golden run for Cahill when capturing the 2009 Grand National (460m, hurdles) at Wimbledon, while sprint sensation Jimmy Lollie capped a fine first season by winning the National Sprint Championship (305m) at Nottingham.

Rayvin Black made an entry into the showreel when landing the Sussex Puppy Trophy at Hove in 2009, and the prize was taken back to Cahill’s range on three other occasions –Droopys Diver (2010), Droopys Jarrow (2013) and Droopys Nirvana (2017).

It was with Jimmy Lollie, the 2010 Greyhound of the Year and one of the greatest two-bend performers in the history of the sport, that Cahill conquered his highest peaks and the 71-race winner from 125 career starts proved key in the Irishman becoming Champion Trainer for the first time the same year.

The emergence of home-bred Jimmy Lollie, a greyhound for all seasons, reinvigorated the profile of two-bend racing and his dynamic performances on the big stage evoked comparisons with other outstanding sprinters of yesteryear, notably One To Note, Daleys Gold, Ravage Again and Tims Crow.

The 34-kilo Jimmy Lollie had the rare distinction of winning from every trap, was successful at no fewer than 14 different tracks and retired as the holder of four track records - Hove (285m), Swindon (285m), Sunderland (261m) and Wimbledon (273m).

On December 20, 2010, Jimmy Lollie, also voted British-Bred Dog of the Year, enjoyed a landmark moment when equalling El Boss modern-day record of 37 open-race wins in a calendar year when retaining his title in the final of the National Sprint Championship (305m) at Nottingham.

Ten days later he gained widespread media interest, in a style reminiscent of Ballyregan Bob’s world record-breaking achievement screened live on BBC’s Nine O’Clock News back in December, 1986, when he narrowly failed to notch up a 38th open-race win in one season before the Sky Sports News cameras after being shaded by Sleeping Urban in the ‘Jimmy Lollie Challenge’ over Hove’s 285 metres.

“There were many people involved in the success story of Jimmy Lollie and I was very, very proud of my staff for their contribution,” added Cahill. “Greyhounds of the calibre of Jimmy Lollie come around once in a lifetime, and I don‘t think we’ll see his like again for a very long time.”

One of the most talented two-bend performers in greyhound racing history, Jimmy Lollie gained big-race wins in the Magners Sprint, Betfred The Bonus King Sprint, National Sprint Championship (twice), Festival Flyer (twice) and Coral Sprint (twice).

Jimmy Lollie: One of the greatest sprinters in the history of greyhound racing.

It was a golden age for trainers – racing paddock rivals included Charlie Lister, Mark Wallis, Nick Savva, Brian Clemenson, Paul Young, Carly Philpott, Ernie Gaskin, Chris Allsopp and John Mullins - and Cahill can justifiably proud in emulating feat of the legendary George Curtis (1983, 1984 and 1986) by becoming the champion trainer in 2010.

During his annus mirabilis in 2010, a fantastic collection of big-race winners were housed at Cahill’s Keston base and they included Royal Honcho (Springbok), Droopys Oscar (Caffreys Puppy Classic), Rayvin Black (Rose Bowl, Derby Purse & Champion Stakes), Sparklee Bernie (Kent Derby), Rayvin Giovanni (Puppy Plate, Puppy Derby, Champions Night Puppy Stakes & Romford Puppy Cup) and Droopys Diver (Sussex Puppy Trophy).

“I bought Rayvin Giovanni for Ray White, who owned dual Greyhound Derby winner Rapid Ranger, and Vinnie Walsh,” said Cahill. “He was one of the fastest greyhounds I ever put a lead on, he was a puppy of potential and it was a big pity that injury curtailed his career.”

Loughteen Blanco, runner-up to Westmead Maldini in the 2012 Sussex Cup final, proved the flag-bearer of the kennel with big-race victories in the William Hill Classic (450m, Sunderland), Henlow Derby (460m, Henlow) and Sussex Cup (515m, Hove).

“Loughteen Blanco successfully came through a fertility test on his retirement and went on to embark on stud duties,” said Cahill. “I always felt he had the potential to make a name for himself in the breeding paddocks – he had a lovely temperament, a good pedigree and he was one of the fastest middle-distance greyhounds I’ve trained.”

Among the pick of Loughteen Blanco’s progeny were 2018 All England Cup champion Droopys Verve, 2019 Sussex Cup victor Droopys Gold and 2021 Nottingham Puppy Classic winner Bubbly Apache.

2013 provided Seamus Cahill with a another golden harvest, as major open-race successes arrived courtesy of Mash Mad Snowy (Grand National), Mottos Impact (Ladbrokes Festival 416), Droopys Posh (Coral Ladies Trophy), Loughteen Blanco (Sussex Cup), Droopys Odell (Caffreys Puppy Classic), Droopys Quincy (Scurry Gold Cup) and Droopys Jarrow (Sussex Puppy Trophy).

In 2014, the embryonic Droopys Odell, joined some illustrious names on the previous list of winners when beating Vanrooney, Redbrick Stuart, Jaytee Lightning, Adageo Bob and Milehouse Alba in the Racing Post Juvenile Championship at Wimbledon, while there were end-of-season wins at Monmore for Ballygibbon King (Lawrence Jones Memorial Dogs) and Southfield Jock (Lawrence Jones Memorial Puppies).

There were big-race successes in 2015 for Ballymac Brogan (Racing Post Juvenile Championship) and Crossfield Caesar (Nottingham Puppy Classic), while timber-topper Ballymac Manix enjoyed a clean sweep in the top jumps races in 2016 - the Springbok, Champion Hurdle and Grand National - and there were also notable triumphs that season for Ballymac Brogan (Arc), Southfield Jock (Derby Invitation), Live Annie (Coral Ladies Trophy), Crossfield Molly (Lowther Stakes) and Banabane (Brighton Belle).

“The performance of Southfield Jock when winning the Derby Invitation at Wimbledon was the pinnacle of his career – he went .14 spots quicker than Jaytee Jet did in the Derby final itself,” said Cahill. “I think 460 metres was the best distance for him and he gave Mark [Gilbert,co-owner] and Peter [Reed, co-owner] a tremendous amount of fun - greyhounds of his quality are always difficult to replace.”

Fast forward to 2017 and Seamus Cahill farmed several premier open-race competitions with the likes of Brinkleys King (Cearns Memorial), Forest Con (Ladbrokes Puppy Derby), Crossfield Hugo (Golden Crest), Sporting Dave (Coral Puppy Trophy) and Droopys Nirvana (Sussex Puppy Trophy).

The same season Mullinahome, co Tipperary-born Seamus Cahill reached the summit of his career to guide the totally unfancied Astute Missile to victory on a night of undiluted emotion in the final of the Greyhound Derby (500m) at Towcester.

The longest-priced winner of a Greyhound Derby final since Entry Badge won the inaugural running in 1927, 28-1 Astute Missile led at the third bend and thwarted a powerful late surge of Tyrur Shay by three-quarters of a length in 28.92sec.

It was the first time since 1985 that the Greyhound Derby was staged away from Wimbledon and Astute Missile, formerly known as Karlow Melody, matched the achievement of Hove’s Allen Gift fifteen years earlier.

Astute Missile, a rank outsider at 200-1 in the ante-post betting, had qualified for the final without managing to win a heat in the previous five rounds of the competition.

A month shy of his third birthday when landing the sport’s blue riband Astute Missile, owned by Geoff Hill of the Astute Electronics company, had been competing over intermediate six-bend trips at Harlow and Romford on the eve of the Greyhound Derby.

Cahill’s daughter Brig Cahill-Cronin, 29, had died of cancer just four weeks previously after marrying her sweetheart David Cronin in St Vincent’s hospital in Dublin just a few days earlier and the emotional scenes at Towcester in the aftermath of the race are now etched in greyhound racing folklore.

Astute Missile: He raced into canine immortality when winning the 2017 Greyhound Derby at Towcester.

There were notable wins in 2018 for Crossfield Giles (Derby Plate) and Sporting Dave (Sussex Cup), while Caislean Fifi (Grand National), Sporting Dave (Sussex Cup) and Forest Alan (Kent Derby) scooped more silverware for Team Cahill the following season.

Cahill is noted as a very adept trainer of hurdlers and he has trained four winners of the Champion Hurdle – Top Jock (2002), Farloe Browny (2003), Druids Mickey Jo (2005) and Ballymac Manix (2016/17).

The Grand National is another major hurdles competition in which Seamus Cahill has done exceptionally well with four victories courtesy of Hotdog Jack (2009), Mash Mad Snowy (2013), Ballymac Manix (2016) and Caislean Fifi (2019).

Cahill has annexed the ‘Springbok’, the sport’s premier competition for novice hurdlers on four occasions, with Druids Mickey Jo (2005), Hotdog Jack (2009), Royal Honcho (2010) and Ballymac Manix (2016).

2016 Brighton Belle heroine Banabane, the brood bitch of a lifetime, threw a staggering twelve individual winners from an April ’21 coupling with Good News and their meteoric rise through the grades at Hove was a highlight of the graded scene at Hove.

The members of one of the most illustrious litters in the history of Coral Brighton & Hove Stadium were Tolerance, Who Needs Wings, Whatever, Greatness, Lady Pepper, Agreement, Speechless, Wheres Poppy, Variation, Wheres Bella, Amber Sunrise and Moving On Up.

Cahill experienced the joy of plundering the RPGTV English Derby at Towcester with Surprising in 2020, he gained a repeat win in the Category One annual with Make Noise the following season and in 2021 he guided Pocket Lola, whom Teresa Cahill bred, to an odds-on strike in the British Bred Produce Stakes (476m, Swindon).

Cahill is one of nine practising trainers to have previously won the Greyhound Derby – the others are John McGee snr, Dolores Ruth, Mark Wallis, Kevin Hutton, Paul Hennessy, Pat Buckley, Patrick Janssens and Graham Holland.

His best recent seasonal tally for graded racing at Hove is 412 winners in 2016 and Cahill habitually supplies in the region of 2,000 runners to Hove per annum.

2023 coincided with the emergence of two outstanding prospects for the Cahill kennel – Droopys Clue and Maree Champion – and the deeds of the former have elevated him to superstar status during the interim period.

“Maree Champion was bought as a novice from one of our sources in Ireland and a dog of huge potential until he broke down,” said Cahill. “He beat New Destiny in a special ‘match’ race at Towcester and I’m convinced he would have been equally as good over 650 metres.”

The ingredients were there for a vintage edition of the 2023 Greyhound St Leger (710m) at Perry Barr – Ballymac Kate, Ballymac Taylor, Coonough Crow, Garfiney Blaze, Havana Lover, Jacktavern Bella, Lively Lauren and Space Jet were among the entries – and so it proved with Droopys Clue producing a glorious unbeaten run through the competition.

If the £10,000 Juvenile Classic at Towcester was the Hors d’oeuvre for Droopys Clue two months earlier, his record-breaking run in the St Leger final was a sumptuous main dish – it was one of the finest-ever performances in a final of a competition that dates back to 1928.

At the end of the season, Droopys Clue clinched the Greyhound of the Year award with an undefeated romp through the £10,000 George Curtis & Ballyregan Bob Memorial (740 metres) at Hove.

Despite a series of niggling injuries Droopys Clue, one of the highest-rated dual-purpose greyhounds of the past half a century, cemented his greatness when becoming the only stayer in greyhound racing history to make a successful defence of his St Leger title in 2024.

“One of my sources recommended me to buy him following a trial at Cork, he was not too expensive and he’s been an absolute pleasure to train,” said Cahill. “I hope to give Droopys Clue a four-bend trial in the New Year and we’ll take one step at a time with him.”

Droopys Clue: The only greyhound in the history of the sport to successfully defend his Greyhound St Leger title.

Cahill, who was brought up in a racing-mad family at Mullinahone, co Tipperary, and this most sociable of gentleman lives life to the full – his generosity in the bars at Hove is legendary and a character of this ilk will eventually be impossible to replace.

In the post-metric era – 1975 – Cahill, capable of accepting victory and defeat with equal grace, has dominated the open-race scene for Hove in a similar way to that previously achieved by George Curtis, Derek Knight and Brian Clemenson.

To the greyhound racing world in general, though, Seamus Cahill will always eventually be revered as a truly great trainer and he also earned the respect of everyone who knows him for his personal qualities.

The contribution of Cahill, who has particularly high hopes for Dark Madam next season, and his wife Teresa to Hove for the past 16 years is inestimable – he is a character of the highest class.

“We bought Dark Madam at eight months old from John O’Flynn, in Kilkenny, at eight months old and her litter-brother Unthinkable will be joining us in the New Year,” concluded Cahill.

The entire life of this author has been devoted to sport and I have many sporting heroes. The likes of Duncan Edwards, Bobby Moore, Arkle and Ivan Mauger inspired my enthusiasm for sport as a young infant at Hertford Road School.

I have closely followed the deeds of many, many more sporting greats along the way and Seamus Cahill can readily join that exalted company – I cannot say enough about the man, he really is a fantastic trainer and a great fella!

SEAMUS CAHILL BIG-RACE WINS

2002 Champion Hurdle 460mH Wimbledon Top Jock

2002 Gold Collar 555m Catford Shevchenko

2002 British Bred Stakes 475m Walthamstow Shevchenko

2003 Champion Hurdle 460mH Wimbledon Farloe Browny

2003 Derby Invitation 480m Wimbledon Farloe Style

2004 Racing Post Festival Maidens Derby 475m Walthamstow Druids Mickey Jo

2005 Springbok 460mH Wimbledon Druids Mickey Jo

2005 Champion Hurdle 460mH Wimbledon Druids Mickey Jo

2005 Midlands Champion Hurdle 480mH Hall Green Druids Mickey Jo

2006 Arc 475m Walthamstow Milldean Billy

2006 Racing Post Festival Puppy Stayers 640m Walthamstow Swift Maggie

2006 Racing Post Dual Distance 640m Walthamstow Confident Foe

2007 Ladbroke Hurdle 475mH Walthamstow Snazzy Time

2007 Racing Post Festival Maxi Marathon 880m Walthamstow Romford Carthree

2008 Coronation Cup 575m Romford Ronaldos Merit

2008 Springbok 460mH Wimbledon Hotdog Jack

2008 Coral TV Puppy Standard 400m Romford Droopys Quinta

2009 Grand National 460mH Wimbledon Hotdog Jack

2009 Magners Sprint 277m Yarmouth Jimmy Lollie

2009 Betfred The Bonus King Sprint 305m Nottingham Jimmy Lollie

2009 Sussex Puppy Trophy 515m Hove Rayvin Black

2009 National Sprint Championship 305m Nottingham Jimmy Lollie

2010 Springbok 460mH Wimbledon Royal Honcho

2010 Caffreys Puppy Classic 500m Nottingham Droopys Oscar

2010 Rose Bowl 575m Romford Rayvin Black

2010 Derby Purse 659m Yarmouth Rayvin Black

2010 William Hill Puppy Plate 450m Sunderland Rayvin Giovanni

2010 William Hill Festival Flyer 261m Sunderland Jimmy Lollie

2010 Puppy Derby 480m Wimbledon Rayvin Giovanni

2010 Coral Sprint 515m Hove Jimmy Lollie

2010 Kent Derby 480m Sittingbourne Sparklee Bernie

2010 Champion Stakes 575m Romford Rayvin Black

2010 Champions Night Puppy Stakes 400m Romford Rayvin Giovanni

2010 Romford Puppy Cup 400m Romford Rayvin Giovanni

2010 Sussex Puppy Trophy 515m Hove Droopys Diver

2010 National Sprint Championship 305m Nottingham Jimmy Lollie

2011 William Hill Festival Flyer 261m Sunderland Jimmy Lollie

2011 Coral Sprint 285m Hove Jimmy Lollie

2011 Ballyregan Bob Memorial Trophy 695m Hove Droopys Aretha

2012 William Hill Classic 450m Sunderland Loughteen Blanco

2012 Trafalgar Cup 450m Oxford Guinness Dusty

2012 Henlow Derby 460m Henlow Loughteen Blanco

2013 Grand National 480mH Sittingbourne Mash Mad Snowy

2013 Ladbrokes Festival 416 416m Monmore Mottos Impact

2013 Coral Ladies Trophy 515m Hove Droopys Posh

2013 Sussex Cup 515m Hove Loughteen Blanco

2013 Caffreys Puppy Classic 305m Nottingham Droopys Odell

2013 Scurry Gold Cup 260m Belle Vue Droopys Quincy

2013 Sussex Puppy Trophy 515m Hove Droopys Jarrow

2014 Racing Post Juvenile Championship 480m Wimbledon Droopys Odell

2014 Lawrence Jones Memorial Puppies 480m Monmore Southfield Jock

2014 Lawrence Jones Memorial Dogs 480m Monmore Ballygibbon King

2015 Racing Post Juvenile Championship 480m Wimbledon Ballymac Brogan

2015 Caffreys Puppy Classic 500m Nottingham Crossfield Cesar

2016 Springbok 460m Wimbledon Ballymac Manix

2016 Arc 480m Swindon Ballymac Brogan

2016 Derby Invitation 480m Wimbledon Southfield Jock

2016 Champion Hurdle 480m Wimbledon Ballymac Manix

2016 Coral Ladies Trophy 515m Hove Live Annie

2016 Lowther Stakes 500m Towcester Crossfield Molly

2016 Grand National 480mH Central Park Ballymac Manix

2016 Coral Brighton Belle 515m Hove Banabane

2017 WJ & JE Cearns Memorial 500m Brinkleys King Central Park

2017 Ladbrokes Puppy Derby 480m Monmore Forest Con

2017 Golden Crest 450m Poole Crossfield Hugo

2017 Star Sports Champion Hurdle 480mH Towcester Ballymac Manix

2017 Star Sports English Greyhound Derby 500m Towcester Astute Missile

2017 Coral Puppy Trophy 515m Hove Sporting Dave

2017 Coral Sussex Puppy Trophy 515m Hove Droopys Nirvana

2018 Star Sports Derby Plate 500m Towcester Crossfield Giles

2018 Coral Sussex Cup 515m Hove Sporting Dave

2019 Grand National 480mH Central Park Caislean Fifi

2019 Coral Sussex Cup 515m Hove Droopys Gold

2019 Kent Derby 480m Central Park Forest Alan

2020 RPGTV English Puppy Derby 500m Towcester Surprising

2021 British Bred Produce Stakes 476m Swindon Pocket Lola

2021 RPGTV English Puppy Derby 500m Towcester Make Noise

2023 Juvenile Classic 500m Towcester Droopys Clue

2023 East Anglian Derby 462m Yarmouth Watch The Limo

2023 St Leger 710m Perry Barr Droooys Clue

2023 Ballyregan Bob Memorial Trophy 740m Hove Droopys Clue

2024 Summer Stayers Classic 630m Monmore Droopys Clue

2024 St Leger 710m Perry Barr Droopys Clue

2024 Coral Christmas 500 Trophy 500m Hove Never Say No