Pedigree property: €4.5m North Cork estate linked to legendary trainer Vincent O'Brien 

Looking for a property with blue-blood pedigree?

Look no further than north Cork’s Mount Corbitt House: On over 190 acres, it has as much going for its for humans as it has for horses.

Rooted to true Georgian house stock, with dates at far back as the late 1700s and associate with families like Glovers, and Anderson, in recent decades it has been associate with the O’Brien family, of horse training fame and, one might imagine, fortunes won and wagered through the successes of one Vincent O’Brien.

South of Churchtown and just west of Buttevant which was the home of the world’s first ever steeplechase, Mount Corbitt House has been for the best part of century in O’Brien clan hands and hooves, with O’Brien always proud of his Churchtown roots.

Widely acknowledged as the world’s best trainer at his peak, Vincent O’Brien (1917 to 2009) started his winning streak in Churchtown, training steeplechasers and hurdlers, winning Grand Nationals (three) and with Cottage Rake he won the Cheltenham Gold Cup three times in succession (1948–1950). 

In 1951, O’Brien moved to Tipperary and established Ballydoyle stables.

His handiwork and hoofprint at his native Churchtown today, at Mount Corbitt, is described as “an impressive equestrian establishment, combining purpose-built equestrian facilities and extensive residential accommodation, in an elevated rural position, it offers a superb opportunity for an owner, trainer or breeder to create a base,” by its selling agents, Sherry FitzGerald Country with Sherry FitzGerald Walsh in Charleville and local agent Sarah O’Keeffe, who guide at €4.5m, who note the 2014 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Lord Windermere was trained at Mount Corbitt.

The main 1780s house has retained many Georgian hallmarks, such as sash windows, feature fireplaces and symmetry, says agent Rosenne De Vere Hunt of Sherry FitzGerald Country, noting it was “sensitively refurbished and extended in an around 2006 and this is reflected in the fine finishes, shutters, panelling and joinery which helps preserve the overall character of the house.” 

With extensive and uninterrupted views, it has tended gardens, paved terrace, lawns, rose beds, orchard, and a ha-ha.

The overall mix includes the period seven-bed Corbitt House, in strong order, the three-bed Ballygrace House, and two cottages by the courtyard, use as staff accommodation plus bar, offices etc, on 192 acres all-in, including forestry.

For horses, there’s a main stable yard, 47 stables, two tack rooms, 2,000 sq ft indoor school, hay barn, 4.5 furlong hill gallop, four furlong round gallop (by Wexford’s Furlong Gallops), 360 metre schooling ground, cross country course designed by Ballindenisk’s Peter Fell, loose school, two horse walkers, loading bay, and the land includes small paddocks by the yard, post and rail fencing, beech hedging, internal roadways. There are a range of small paddocks immediately surrounding the yard for convenience.

Set off the N20, the rural area has heritage and lifestyle amenities, including hunts, rides and walks, say the agents adding that Cork Race Course at Mallow is 20km, Limerick Race course is c 54km, Tipperary is c 56km, and Killarney is c 66km with Cork, Shannon, and Kerry Airports all within an hour’s drive.

While predominantly pitched as a well-established set-up for horse, stud etc, the agents add that there’s “potential for diverse income stream from own farmland, equestrian facilities, gallops, potential let property income and farm payments".