TRAINERS PROFILE: CIARON MAHER
Ciaron Maher took his first tentative steps in racing as a teenager, working with a trainer after school each day. He was an apprentice jockey with Peter Hayes in Adelaide and Melbourne before becoming an accomplished jumps jockey, competing in Australia versus Ireland jockey challenges and riding in England, Ireland and Dubai.
In 2005 he established himself as a trainer in Warrnambool, home of jumps racing. His first winner was Spectacular Storm in a hurdle race at Terang, followed up smartly by another win at Sandown. The stage was set for a successful career not only in jumps racing, but also on the flat as the stable grew. Ciaron Maher has since moved to Caulfield, where he has expansive stables on the course. He has retained facilities in Warrnambool, which suit horses in need of a country setting, and has secured new premises at Randwick. At his property in Pakenham, on the edge of Melbourne’s suburbs, he has agistment and pre-training facilities.
A young trainer with an eye for picking winning prospects at yearling sales, he has built a stable of loyal owners as well as successful horses. He welcomes first-time owners as well as experienced racing hands. He is regarded as hard-working, thoughtful and, above all, patient. His promise is that every horse will be given every chance to develop its full potential.
Ciaron Maher discovered the thrill of Group 1 success in 2007 with TEARS I CRY winning the VRC Emirates stakes at Flemington.
Black type races have flowed since then, SRIKANDI winning the Group 1 AAMI Stradbroke Handicap and the Group 1 Sky Racing Tatts Club Tiara, SET SQUARE winning the Group 1 Crown Oaks, and the following year, JAMEKA winning the Group 1 Crown Oaks including the Group 1 BMW Stakes and the Group 1 Caulfield Cup not forgetting LOVING GABY (by I Am Invincible) winning the Group 1 William Reid Stakes in 2020.