Proud mum celebrates breakthrough victory at Ipswich

By Jordan Gerrans

There was not a more prouder person at the Ipswich races on Saturday afternoon than Lesley Doyle.

Lesley put her son Tony Sheehan through pony club in his younger years and he has progressed through the ranks to eventually taking out his own trainer's licence.

Tony started the first galloper in his own name in September of 2020.

He earned the maiden victory of his training career on Saturday afternoon on his home track as Vancity swooped down the outside to score.

Lesley helps her son out with the horses and while she is not listed as an owner of Vancity, Tony details that she may as well be as they do everything together in racing.

“I was very pleased and I was more happy to see my mum happy than I was to see the horse win,” Tony said.

“My mum was in tears, that was how happy she was. She was at the track on Saturday.

“My mum isn’t listed as an owner in the horse but in reality she owns everything involved with me, we do it together. It is a team effort.”

Tony’s father Barry Sheehan trained a team of gallopers before he passed away.

Barry’s last starter was in 2011 at Lismore from his Gold Coast base.

Barry and Tony both have used the colours of lime green, red stars and sleeves with their gallopers during their careers.

Alongside Barry, fellow South East Queensland trainer Allan Doyle was also a key influence on the journey of Tony.

Allan was Lesley’s partner in more recent years.

Allan had a stable of horses in work until he died in late 2019. 

“He taught me everything I know,” Tony said of Allan.

“Allan was one of the main reasons I stayed in racing, along with my mum.

“It was unfortunate that cancer got him but he was a very good trainer. My mum was devastated when he passed.”

Vancity’s victory on Saturday came in Tony’s 16^th official starter in a race.

The Vancouver mare has been under Tony’s care since the middle stages of last year.

She scored in a Class 2 Handicap over a mile under the urgings of Group 1-winning hoop Jason Taylor.

It meant even more for Tony and Lesley to see Vancity win on Saturday with Taylor in the saddle as the 51-year-old has ridden for the family over the years.

Saturday’s performance was only Vancity’s fifth start for Tony and he believes the race was run to suit her for the first time, which led to her breakthrough victory.

“He did everything he was asked to do,” the trainer said of Taylor’s riding.

“She is a horse that gets back and needs room to get out and get going. She does not like an inside draw.

“We knew she had a win in her going on her previous form and we are confident there might be a few more wins in her. I am grateful we put Jason on.”

The five-year-old bay scored by a length in the finish.

Tony has a handful of gallopers in work at his Ipswich stables and also has a keen interest in breeding with several broodmares under his care.

He has high hopes for Vancity's stable mate Bad Forest, who has had two starts and is still working through to break his maiden status.

“He goes good but he is just mentally a bit full on at the moment,” Tony said of Bad Forest. 

“He has been back in work for four weeks.”