‘It's like Cheltenham to us’ - Two-horse trainer celebrates 40-1 success at Tramore
Voice Of Reason was winning for the fourth time for William Delahunty at the Waterford racecourse on Tuesday night
A Kilkenny farmer and part-time trainer, who has only two horses in his yard, was celebrating his biggest ever success at Tramore on Tuesday night with a horse owned by his son.
Mullinavat-based William Delahunty and his son Michael were all smiles after their 40-1 shot Voice Of Reason captured the 2m August Festival Early Bird Packages Handicap at the seaside venue in Waterford.
The six-year-old won the €9,000 first-prize when he defeated Nelson Muntz by a length and a half under jockey Robbie Colgan, completing a 860-1 double on the night for the veteran Meath rider.
Delahunty and his son Michael gave a heartwarming interview to Racing TV’s Kevin O’Ryan in the aftermath, explaining how the horse is almost like a family pet and is ridden out each morning by various members of the family.
“We’re farmers but we always had a few horses, my father bred horses and that’s how I got into it I suppose. He actually bred a few winners that went to England,” said dad William.
It was Voice Of Reason’s fourth success for the Delahuntys, the other three coming on the all-weather at Dundalk over the winter months when he was ridden to first ever victory by Michael on one occasion.
William added: “I’m just shocked. This win means more than any of the wins in Dundalk. To have a winner here at Tramore, it’s like Cheltenham to us.
“We only have him a little over 12 months now but he’s after taking us everywhere. To get the win there for Michael. I’ve been looking at the photograph at home and Michael coming in after riding him and said ‘did that actually happen’.
Delahunty trained his first ever winner at Tramore in 2013 with a horse named Billybuster, who he told O’Ryan “was still at home.”
"Myself and my son Michael saw him run in a claiming race here (in April 2025) but left him alone, although came back for him the following month when we bought him for €4,000.
"Good ground is the key to him and he was a revelation at Dundalk. He needs that two-mile distance and Robbie (Colgan) said he could have gone around again today. He is a very genuine horse.”
Michael rides out for trainer Joseph O’Brien having just recently finished a college degree and between himself and his dad they care for one other horse, Hero Of The Hour.
He said: “I’m there (Joseph O’Brien’s) probably six mornings a week. It’s incredible what’s going on over there at the moment. You learn some amount.
“Just on what that horse means to us. I ride him there, my father rides him, even my mother and brother could ride him the odd day so he’s a legend like.
“We picked up Hero Of The Hour there a few months ago and he ran a cracker on debut.
"We kind of suffered poor draws the last two days and himself and Voice Of Reason, they’re like two peas in a pod at home. They’re nearly inseparable so it’s nice to just have two horses there like that.
“It’s a nice way to be living, especially when you have evenings like this.”
