Meet Keelan Dempsey
Keelan Dempsey is a licensed racehorse trainer with a broad background across racing, bloodstock, breeding and thoroughbred management, combining formal education with extensive hands-on experience in Ireland, the United States and Australia.
Keelan holds a degree in Equine Management and developed his practical racing experience from an early stage. While studying at college, he also rode in point-to-points, giving him first-hand experience of preparing and riding National Hunt horses in a competitive environment.
Following college, Keelan’s career took him overseas. He spent three years in Lexington, Kentucky, including time working at Dell Ridge Farm, gaining valuable experience in one of the world’s leading centres of thoroughbred breeding and bloodstock.
Keelan later moved to Australia, where he spent seven years working within the racing and bloodstock industry. His experience there included working with Newgate Farm and racehorse trainer Archie Alexander, providing exposure to high-level thoroughbred breeding, young-horse development, bloodstock and racehorse preparation.
Ormonde Bloodstock
While in Australia, Keelan also helped establish Ormonde Bloodstock, an operation focused on the purchase, pinhooking and racing of thoroughbreds.
This gave Keelan direct experience on both the commercial and ownership sides of the industry — identifying horses at the sales, purchasing young stock, preparing horses for resale and managing racehorses through their competitive careers.
Among the horses personally purchased and raced by Keelan were Fake Love and Galaxy Keeper.
Fake Love developed into a high-class two-year-old, winning the Listed Debutant Stakes at Caulfield on her racecourse debut, before going on to place in further black-type company and earn more than A$150,000 on the racecourse. She was later sold for A$505,000.
Galaxy Keeper also proved a successful purchase, becoming a multiple winner in Australia.
Keelan’s bloodstock experience extended beyond the horses he raced himself. Other horses he selected, purchased and later sold went on to achieve success in both Australia and Hong Kong, further demonstrating his ability to identify horses with racing and commercial potential.
Personally buying, developing, racing and selling thoroughbreds has given Keelan valuable experience in assessing conformation, athleticism, pedigree, value and racing potential — experience he continues to bring to horse selection and bloodstock today.
A Broader Understanding of the Horse
Alongside his racing and bloodstock background, Keelan is also fully qualified in equine massage therapies, giving him additional knowledge of muscular health, recovery and the physical wellbeing of the equine athlete.
This broader understanding influences his approach to training. Attention is paid not only to fitness and performance, but also to how each individual horse is moving, recovering, developing and coping with its workload.
Keelan Dempsey Racing & Green Acres Stud
Having gained experience across different areas of the thoroughbred industry internationally, Keelan returned to Ireland to develop Keelan Dempsey Racing.
In 2026, Keelan and his partner Katie also established Green Acres Stud, complementing the racing operation and expanding the services available across breeding, foaling, young-horse development, sales preparation and thoroughbred care.
Based in Co. Limerick, the businesses bring together Keelan’s experience in racing, breeding, bloodstock and horse management with the individual attention possible within a smaller, hands-on operation.
Keelan remains closely involved in the day-to-day training, management and development of every horse, allowing each programme to be adapted around the individual rather than expecting every horse to fit the same system.
Owners also benefit from direct communication with their trainer, with a clear understanding of how their horse is progressing and the plans being made for it.
The philosophy is simple: understand the individual horse, prepare it properly and give it every opportunity to fulfil its potential.
About Keelan Dempsey Racing
International Experience. Individual Attention. A Practical Approach to Racehorse Training.
Keelan Dempsey Racing is a professional racehorse training and thoroughbred preparation operation based in Co. Limerick, Ireland, providing training for both Flat and National Hunt horses, alongside breaking, pre-training, sales preparation and other thoroughbred services.
Founded by trainer Keelan Dempsey, the yard has been built around a straightforward philosophy: every horse is an individual and should be trained accordingly.
As a smaller operation, we are able to give horses close individual attention while providing owners with direct access to their trainer and regular, honest communication about their horse.
Keelans Backround
Keelan’s experience with thoroughbreds has taken him beyond Ireland, with time spent working within the racing and bloodstock industries in both Australia and the United States, including Kentucky, one of the world’s leading centres of thoroughbred breeding and racing.
Working in different racing environments provided valuable experience in the handling, development, preparation and assessment of thoroughbreds and exposed Keelan to different approaches to training and horse management.
That international experience now forms part of the approach used at Keelan Dempsey Racing in Limerick.
Rather than following one system for every horse, Keelan believes in assessing the individual in front of him—its temperament, physical development, racing experience and ability—and adapting its programme accordingly.
Our Approach to Training
There is no single formula that works for every racehorse.
Some horses thrive on routine. Others need variety. Some develop quickly, while others need additional time to mature mentally or physically.
Our aim is to understand each horse and build its programme around what it needs.
That means paying attention not only to fitness, but also to soundness, behaviour, recovery, appetite, temperament and overall wellbeing.
For young horses in particular, we place considerable importance on giving them a proper foundation. Breaking and pre-training should produce a confident, willing horse that understands its job rather than simply rushing it through the process.
The same principle continues into full training: prepare the horse properly, place it realistically and give it every reasonable opportunity to perform to its ability.
A Smaller Yard By Design
One of the advantages of Keelan Dempsey Racing is the personal nature of the operation.
Owners aren’t simply a name on a large list, and horses aren’t expected to disappear into a large system.
Keelan remains directly involved with the horses and their day-to-day programmes, allowing changes to be made quickly when a horse tells us it needs something different.
For owners, this also means direct communication with the trainer.
We believe owners should understand how their horse is progressing, what the plan is and why decisions are being made.
Whether you own one horse or several, the aim is to provide the same level of attention and communication.
From Bloodstock To The Racecourse
Keelan’s experience is not limited to training.
He has been involved in the selection and purchase of thoroughbreds from a young age, developing an eye for conformation, pedigree, athleticism and value.
Horses personally selected and purchased by Keelan have subsequently gone on to perform successfully in major racing jurisdictions including Australia and Hong Kong.
This experience is particularly valuable when working with owners looking to purchase horses, whether that means identifying a young prospect at the sales, assessing a horse in training or finding opportunities within a particular budget.
More Than Racehorse Training
Keelan Dempsey Racing also provides a range of services throughout different stages of a thoroughbred’s life and career, including:
Flat & National Hunt racehorse training
Breaking & pre-training
Sales preparation
Foaling & mare care
Rehabilitation and controlled return to work
Starting-stall education and schooling
Horse selection and bloodstock assistance
This allows us to work with owners, breeders and bloodstock professionals from the early education of a young horse through to its racing career.
Horse Welfare
The welfare of the horse comes before any racing programme.
Training decisions are made with the horse’s long-term physical and mental wellbeing in mind. This includes allowing horses time when they need it, recognising when a training programme needs to be adjusted and ensuring that horses receive appropriate veterinary, farriery and support care.
A happy, healthy horse has the best opportunity to perform.
Building For The Future
Keelan Dempsey Racing continues to invest in the development of its Co. Limerick training facility, with the aim of creating a comprehensive, practical environment for the preparation of thoroughbred racehorses.
The business is growing, but the principles behind it will remain the same:
individual attention, good horsemanship, honest communication and giving every horse the opportunity to fulfil its potential.
Interested In Sending Us A Horse
We are currently welcoming enquiries from owners, breeders and bloodstock professionals looking for racehorse training, breaking, pre-training, sales preparation or other thoroughbred services.
Whether you already own a horse or are considering purchasing one, Keelan is happy to discuss what you’re looking for.
Keelan Dempsey Racing
Co. Limerick, Ireland
Phone / WhatsApp: +353 87 787 8312
Phone / WhatsApp: +353 85 225 3914
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- +353 877878312
- +353 852253914
- keelandempseyracing@gmail.com