Our Team

Dr Eoin Kelly MVB MRCVS

Principal Veterinarian

Dr Eoin Kelly MVB MRCVS grew up on the family farm at St John's Point, Co Down in Northern Ireland.

Eoin developed an interest in horses and racing from a young age and worked in the racing industry in Ireland before and during his time at university.

Having graduated from the Veterinary College of Ireland at University College Dublin in 2004, Eoin was selected onto the Darley Flying Start Bloodstock Management training program and spent the subsequent two years working with and learning from some of the greatest thoroughbred industry leaders around the world.

Having spent time with trainers such as Bobby Frankel and John Shirreffs in the USA, Mike de Kock in Dubai and David Hayes at Lindsay Park in Angaston, South Australia Eoin received an invaluable wealth of knowledge. During the programme Eoin also spent a period of time working at Santa Anita and Hollywood Park racetracks in Los Angeles with renowned American racetrack veterinarian Dr. Jeff Blea DVM (former President of the American Association of Equine Practitioners).

In 2006 Eoin returned to Ireland to work for renowned racehorse trainer Jim Bolger in Co.Carlow as Veterinarian/Assistant. During his time there Eoin worked directly with the champions Teofilo, New Approach and Finsceal Beo along with a host of other Group 1 winners and other impressive horses. With over 200 horses in the stable and an in-house blood-testing laboratory the vet’s role was a vital element to the operation. During this time Eoin was also actively involved with yearling selection at the sales (where purchases included New Approach).

A stint in the UK as assistant trainer to Kevin Ryan, a well known trainer for 2yos and sprinters (120 horse stable) followed before Eoin made the move to Australia in early 2009 to take up a racetrack Veterinarian role at Flemington with The Racetrack Practice. Clients at Flemington included Brian Mayfield-Smith and David Hayes, two of the most successful trainers in Australian Racing history. The following year Eoin relocated to the Mornington Peninsula and has built up an extensive client base in the area including racehorse trainers and pre-trainers, event and dressage riders and agistment farms.

After five successful years with The Racetrack Practice, Eoin founded Racetrack Veterinary Services together with his partner Caitrin in 2014. The business has gone from strength to strength. In October 2017, Eoin was awarded the Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award at the Irish Australian Business Awards.  In 2018, Eoin was selected for the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) Racing Committee.

Eoin has made the Mornington Peninsula his home where now lives with his wife Caitrin and their two young daughters. When he isn't busy working, at the races or watching racing, Eoin enjoys playing golf on some of the great courses the Peninsula has to offer.

Dr Hannah Watson BVetMed MRCVS 

Veterinarian

Hannah joins us from Yorkshire, England upon completing her Veterinarian studies at the Royal Veterinary College in London, Hannah made the trek to Australia in 2020 to complete an internship in the Goulburn Valley with Jim Vasey.  

Dr Ray Hutchinson MVB MRCVS

Veterinarian

Growing up as the son of Hall of Fame Jockey Ron Hutchinson, racing was always a big part of Dr Ray Hutchinson's life. "Hutchy" as Ray is more commonly known, spent time living on the Curragh in Ireland and in England with regular trips back to Australia using his skills for international racehorse transport. 

After finishing school Hutchy attended the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in London to complete his training. Upon graduating, he worked as Assistant Trainer to William Hastings-Bass before joining Blackburn O'Gorman Vets in Newbury where he worked with some of the top racehorses in England.  

Hutchy went on to set up his own equine practice near the famous Epsom Downs, home to the British Derby. During this time Hutchy was the raceday Vet at Newbury, Kempton Park, Sandown Park and Epsom Racecourse before moving back to Newmarket to run a racing complex and Stud under his own trainer’s licence. Multi Talented - during this time, alongside his Vet career, Hutchy also rode successfully as an Amateur Jockey. Over a 10 year period, Hutchy was the leading Amateur rider in the UK and Europe for most of those years. In fact, he won the perpetual Champion Trophy so often that he was eventually invited to retain it!  During this time also, Hutchy was an exercise rider at the training stables of  Arthur 'Scobie' Breasley, arguably the greatest jockey Australia has ever produced. Together, Hutchy and Scobie teamed together to have multiple winning success in the pro/amateur racing scene.

In 1983 prior to returning to Australia Hutchy built the first Hydrotherapy Facilities in Europe, setting new standards for our top level Equestrian riders and Racehorse trainers.

In 1990, Hutchy returned to Australia where he worked for Dr Andy McKinnon, however, when the opportunities came along to work internationally he moved to both Kuala Lumpur and Macau. 

More recently he has worked as a raceday Vet for Racing Victoria, Harness Racing Victoria as well as assisting at Pony Club and FEI showjumping and dressage. 

Not only is Hutchy a qualified Veterinarian but he has a vivid interest and Diploma in Acupuncture gaining his qualifications through the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society (IVAS). 

Hutchy being Hutchy never turns down an opportunity and in 2004 once again showing his knowledge and passion for the racehorses took on the opportunity to put Helen Davies research into practise, providing a mobile service enabling analysis radiographic techniques for measurement of equine metacarpal bone shape.

It is an honour to have Dr Ray Hutchinson apart of our team at Racetrack Veterinary Services.

Caitrin Kelly Practice Manager

Growing up on a dairy farm in Co Meath, Ireland horses and racing were a big part of Caitrin’s childhood.

Alongside being a Nurse, Caitrin has always worked in racing in one area or another. Whilst at Dublin City University, she rode track work for trainers and held an Amateur Jockeys licence, riding in Charity races at the Punchestown and Cheltenham Festivals. While maintaining her nursing career, Caitrin has worked as a bid spotter for Goffs Bloodstock Sales and as a columnist with the Irish Field newspaper as well as working on the Editoral Desk at the Racing Post in London.

After coming to Australia in 2012, Caitrin worked with bloodstock auctioneers Inglis and as a trackrider for Hall of Fame trainer and First Lady of Racing Gai Waterhouse before settling back into Nursing in the Paediatric Intensive Care at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne. More recently Caitrin has worked alongside trainer Cindy Alderson while undertaking a Cert IV in Racehorse Training.

Caitrin helped to co-found Racetrack Veterinary Services with her husband Eoin in 2014, is a regular race goer and is the President of the Victorian Wakeful Club, the premier Club for women involved in racing in Victoria. 

Tayla Simpson Veterinary Nurse

Tayla has always had a great love of horses.  Growing up on the Mornington Peninsula, Tayla has been a member of the Mornington Peninsula Pony Club, Morooduc Saddle Club and local Adult Riders HRCAV.

During her latter school years, Tayla would work at an Eventing Yard on weekends and school holidays.  When she completed Year 12, Tayla went on to work for Mornington based trainers Mark Riley and Jason Warren, before deciding to become a Vet Nurse.

With this broad equine background as her base, Tayla enrolled in Cert IV in Veterinary Nurse in 2018 and began working as a Vet Nurse with Racetrack Veterinary Services.

When not working Tayla enjoys camping, water sports and educating her Clydesdale X Sporthorse Leo, who she intends to show and compete at Dressage in the coming years.

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Mia McNaught Office Manager 

Mia grew up on the Mornington Peninsula, from a young age Mia has been involved in all things Performance Horses.
Once completing her year 12 studies Mia had the opportunity to travel to some of the best showjumping shows Australia has to offer prior to settling back down on the Peninsula with her team of horses basing herself on the family property, Boneo Park.  

You will often see Mia floating around at our local Racecourse, Mornington or helping Caitrin with all things related to The Victorian Wakeful Club.

Mia is looking forward to the up and coming time she will get to spend with her Off The Track Thoroughbred and is excited to add a few more to her team.

Racetrack Veterinary Services Team  

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Pictured left to right: Dr Ray Hutchinson, Dr Eoin Kelly, Dr Hannah Watson