Going - Soft to Heavy. Overcast
Jackpot Pool - €85,494.00 Dividend - €436.00 Winning Units - 147. Placepot Pool - €21,328.00 Dividend - €10.90 Winning Units - 1470. Days Aggregate - €130,867.00 (7 races). Last Year €91,145.00 (6 races).
Perce Justifies the Odds
He is a bit more relaxed this year, he has grown up a bit. We've no plans, he may return to chasing.
Ebadiyan Annihilates Them
I think I've got my dream for Cheltenham. It took me a long time but now I've got him. There were no flukes about today, he annihilated them. I thought he was a moral certainty if he handled the ground. He'll have a run in the middle of February. If it comes up good ground at Cheltenham, it'll take a very good horse to beat him.
He is reasonably well handicapped. I thought he'd win well turning in but he only just got home. Hopefully there will be another handicap in him, he is in again on Thursday (Thurles). We'll see what the handicapper does. He'd probably be better on better ground.
Smooth from Zaarito
They went no gallop and he (Matt) did the right thing going on in front. He jumped better there. He'll get an entry in the Deloitte Hurdle at Leopardstown and the step-up in grade should help him settle better. Two to two and a half miles is his trip though two miles at the moment might be better for him, it helps him settle more, he is a busy fellow. I'll have more sleepless nights about him.
I fancied him on New Year's Eve but I have no explanation for his poor run. He jumped off behind and never got into the race at any stage. I thought he'd be sick after the race but he ate up and I just don't know what happened. He'll go for another handicap but he won't be scaling the heights just yet.
That was a good performance, he stays well and jumps well. He'll take his chance in the P.J. Moriarty Chase next.
55/1 Treble for Dessie Hughes
He is a nice horse, we got him at the Derby Sale as a three-year-old. I've had some of his family, he was a big raw horse for two years but he's filled out now. He showed plenty of pace for a big horse and he battled well. He looks like a chaser and he'll probably go hurdling now.
