Going - Good, yielding to soft in places (changed to yielding to soft after 1st). Dry and breezy
Stocktons takes Down Royal opener
he did it nicely and loves the jumping. The ground today wasn't an issue as he went through pretty bad ground during the summer. We'll take baby steps with him . there's a couple of winners' hurdle races before Leopardstown at Christmas for him.
Top Madam lives up to her name in Grade 3
Donal can't be here as he got a kick from a horse but is ok. Top Madam is just a tough mare and takes a lot of work at home. She wants good ground and jumped better today. Her game in time will be chasing . she won her point to point as a four year old and was third in a Grade 3 Hurdle on ground that was against her. She'll have a break now and will be back in throughout spring.
Meade glad to see Monksland hurdling
Bonisland has plenty of potential
I'd say he is a nice horse. He's still a baby and has a lot of filling out to do. He could be a proper horse if he stays right. He won't run for a month to six weeks as he's a big raw horse.
Benefficient gets off the mark over fences
he needed the run at Listowel and it was very heavy there. He is a good horse and is stronger and better this year. He's a really good moving horse and would like better ground. He'll have one more run before Christmas - probably in three weeks time.
Pires helps Martin/Townend to double
Pires is a better ground horse and is an ideal spring horse. We'll look at Leopardstown over Christmas for him and he might revert to Dundalk again too. His owner Lilly Lawlor is a neighbour of mine from Athboy.
Double for Meade at Down Royal
Apache Stronghold was a lovely big horse last season but we didn't get much done with him. Paul (Carberry) rode work on him last week and we were a bit worried about the ground here but he got through it well and I imagine he'll go jumping now. He's a great big horse.
