A legendary pair of silks in the making: The Donnellys’ soon-to-be iconic yellow and black silks

In the world of racing, silks are everything. It's a horse's identity; it's what people see when they think of the horse, and most importantly, it is the identity and compliment to the owners. Every great horse is remembered by their silks, and with silks comes more than just a pair of colours. Silks come with history, and everyone wants theirs to be remembered, but most importantly, they want their silks to be known worldwide, and that is exactly the path that the yellow and black checkers of Marie Donnelly are on.

Some of the best horses in the history of racing rarely come from big-time owners, giving their silks a special place in people's minds, being unique, and being remembered purely for their obscurity. Years ago we had the yellow, green, and purple of Kauto Star, and now we have the black and white of Constitution Hill, but the Donnellys aren’t looking for one horse to carry the history of their silks; they are trying to be among the big boys.

In 2015, Marie Donnelly started what would go on to be one of the most recognised horse racing ownership groups after buying Fugi Mountain. Now, in 2025, those yellow and black silks are known by almost every racing fan and are beginning to become more than just a set of colours. Every owner strives to have winners, and every owner wants to see their horses win under their colours. 10 years on from where it all started, Marie has seen her colours plastered over newspapers, magazines, and TV shows, and her colours are now one of the most recognised in the sport.

Ten years ago the yellow and black checks were just another pair of colours, destined to fade away with time. But like JP McManus, they have gone on to become iconic. Worn by the best jockeys and represented by the best horses, for the Donnellys, those silks mean more than just winning; they mean pride and legacy. In 15 or 20 years' time, the likes of Cheveley Park Stud’s red, blue, and white silks and the likes of JP McManus’ legendary yellow and green hoops will never be forgotten, and from what was a three-horse cavalry in 2016, the Donnellys may have built the next massive horse racing legacy.

Having a star-studded group of horses lined up for the 2025 season, the likes of Lulamba, the Ballymore Champion Hurdle winner, State Man, a Cheltenham Champion Hurdle winner, and the potential return of Sir Gino, arguably the Donnellys’ most exciting horse, only mean more recognition for the Donnellys and their silks’ growing legacy. The silks are already etched in Champion Hurdle and Cheltenham Gold Cup history, but there is so much more to come. There have been massive owners who have tried and failed, their silks washed away from the sport, but what the Donnellys are doing is history in the making, and those yellow and black checks will no longer just be Al Boum Photo’s colours or State Man’s colours but the colours of one of the National Hunt’s most successful ownership groups, a silk made from nothing, now turned into history.