Bertie Kerr - Bloodstock Agent

Bloodstock Agent

In September 1920, with support from his father, Kerr founded his own insurance and bloodstock agency. Kerr had developed a knack for spotting the potential in young race horses and largely on the back of this reputation his agency, Kerr & Co. Ltd would eventually develop into a successful family business. One of his biggest successes as a bloodstock agent came with the purchase of Nasrullah in 1944. This horse was acquired by Kerr & Co. Ltd from the renowned horse owner, the Aga Khan III. The company owned him for three weeks before selling him on to Joseph McGrath. This deal was allegedly done over an afternoon cup of tea at Bewley's in Westmoreland Street.

Kerr also purchased and sold on four horses that later won the Aintree Grand National. They included Sheila's Cottage in 1948, Freebooter in 1950, Anglo in 1966 and Red Alligator in 1969. However probably one of his greatest purchases was Tomy Lee, the winner of the 1959 Kentucky Derby. Tomy Lee became only the second non-American bred horse to ever win the Kentucky Derby and Kerr became the first non-American agent to buy a winner. In 1956, Kerr attended the Newmarket sales, acting on the behalf of Fred Turner, a millionaire oilman and rancher from Texas. Turner had instructed Kerr to buy two horses that he had picked straight out of the catalogue. The Texan was chiefly interested in a colt that later came to be named Tuleg. However he also wanted to buy a second horse in order to provide Tuleg with a travelling companion. This second horse would eventually turn out to be Tomy Lee. Shortly after Tomy Lee won the 1959 Kentucky Derby, Kerr relayed to Michael O'Hehir the story behind the purchase. O'Hehir then retold the story in the Daily Racing Form. After viewing Turner's first choice for Tuleg's travelling companion, Kerr was less than impressed and he subsequently cabled him, advising him not to buy this particular foal. Instead Kerr recommended another colt he had seen at the sale. Turner gave Kerr the go ahead "to bid up to $15,000" but Kerr managed to buy Tomy Lee for just $6,762. Tuleg was purchased for $25,000 but proved to be a dud, but Kerr's recommendation turned out to be a bargain.

Kerr's reputation was not just confined to Ireland or Kentucky. It even extended to Hollywood and among the many people he could count on as a friend, acquaintance and client was Raoul Walsh. Together with his friend John Huston, Walsh was a keen horse racing fan. In 1951, on hearing that Huston, was travelling to England and suspecting that he may be interested in buying a horse, Walsh wrote to Huston and declared that "the finest and most honest man I can recommend is Bert Kerr". Nearly eight years later when Tomy Lee won the Kentucky Derby, it would be Walsh who provided Kerr with his own personal commentary. Always keen to follow the progress of his purchases, even after they had been moved on, Kerr had managed to tune into the American Forces Network for a commentary on the race. However before it got underway, he received a phone call from Walsh who was six thousand miles away in Hollywood, watching the big race on American television.

As well as buying and selling horses for others, Kerr & Co. Ltd also ran a successful racing stable which was managed by Bert's younger brother Kevin. The Bohemians influence on the Kerr's remained strong and they even adopted the club's red and black colours as their racing colours. In addition among the many horses that passed through their stables was one in 1959 called Bohemian Boy. Kevin trained Sea Charger to victory in the 1953 Irish 2,000 Guineas and Irish St. Leger. More success came in 1965 when he won the Irish 2,000 Guineas for a second time with Green Banner. The buying and selling side of the business also continued to remain successful and one of Kerr's most enthusiastic later clients was Stephen Sokolow, a Brazilian-born horse race owner who was prominent in French racing circles. Sokolow bought several yearlings from Kerr who went to excel on the track. Among the more successful were Roll of Honour who won the 1970 Grand Prix de Paris and Hard to Beat who won the 1972 French Derby. Both of these horses were ridden by Lester Piggott.

Kerr & Co. Ltd still survives today and it proudly claims to be the "oldest established still trading bloodstock agency in the world". Today the company is managed by Bert Kerr, Jr., a nephew of the original Bert Kerr.