Trainer Ciaron Maher, who has invested in a bucolic training facility at Fingal on the Mornington Peninsula, has found a way to make horses happy at the seaside and clear some of those allergy problems, the
most common of which are respiratory issues caused by environmental factors. The Maher-trained galloper Pintoff, a six-year-old son of Toorak Toff, is a recent addition to the stable, having joined from Carly Cook’s yard after a listed race win in his penultimate preparation in May 2023.
Maher’s assistant trainer, Jack Turnbull, explains that Pintoff, a fussy eater with weight and appetite issues, developed respiratory problems in traditional stabling situations. Life at Fingal has suited him well, reducing his allergy issues and improving his overall condition.
“I wouldn’t say he was allergic to hay because we feed him three different types of hay down at Fingal, but he had an issue with respiratory problems which triggered some other problems for him,” Turnbull explained.
Turnbull believes that the fresher air and time spent out of the traditional stable complex at Fingal have helped Pintoff recuperate.
“There’s no doubt that outdoor life suits him. At Fingal, they are outdoors, close by the sea, have fewer allergies, and there are fewer pathogens in the air.
We get them to live in groups of two, three, or four; there’s more of that herd environment, and they tend to do very well together. They are in the paddocks 24 hours a day. It’s a lot more natural and less tense mentally and physically.”