Going - Heavy (Soft To Heavy In Places). Wet and windy
Jackpot Pool - €2,281.00 Dividend - €2,100.00 Winning Units - 1. Placepot Pool - €30,051.23 Dividend - €11.20 Winning Units - 1869.25. Pick Six Pool - €10,549.00 Not Won. Carried forward to Punchestown on Sunday 2nd February. Days Aggregate - €92,303.00 Last Year €109,196.00
Van is the Man for Crawfords
There were a few unknowns coming here, the heavy ground and the fact that he'd only won a maiden hurdle. I'm thrilled especially as he was badly hampered by the faller three out. He might be eight but he's really like a big, green five-year-old and he should keep improving. We have no concrete plans but he'll stay over hurdles this season, and we might look for a race across the water in six to eight weeks. He's a real chaser in the making.
Ed relishes the mud
I always thought a bit of him. It took him a while to get his jumping together, and he disappointed in Navan. The ground was yielding there but it was actually quick and that's more his conditions. He loves the soft ground.
Ferris gets a sweet tune out of O Maonlai
He's a fine big chaser. I don't know where we'll go now but he'll make a fine chaser one day. You'd be a little bit worried with any horse on that ground. He was a bit disappointing in Mallow but to be fair I think I left him a bit short as he blew hard afterwards. He's very well bred and is from the family of a lot of good hurdlers like Gaye Brief.
Lion could be Aintree bound
I said to the lads (Lock Syndicate) beforehand even though they were giving him no chance, if he jumped, he'd be there or thereabouts. That's exactly how it turned out and he loves this place. It's great to still have him and for him to still be showing that ability. He's felt good all season. We were delighted with his first run over hurdles but he was disappointing last time. He didn't jump well which isn't like him at all. If he hadn't run well here and was dropped a few pounds we might have thought about coming back here for the Irish National. He's in at Aintree and hopefully we'll head there.
Four-miler on the cards for Suntiep
It was very fortuitous, although apart from that he jumped great. He's got the four-miler (National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival)written all over him and I doubt he'll run between now and then. He probably hasn't a lot of experience going there but he seems a natural jumper. I'd nearly get my licence out again to ride him!
Rooney delighted with Fashion gamble
I took a licence out over ten years ago and I'd a winner in my first year with a horse called Captain Mike (at Roscommon in July 2003). I haven't had a winner since and I've been a long time trying. We have been knocking on the door and hitting the crossbar, and it's nice to get that at my local track. I train the other side of Ashbourne. He loved the ground, jumped well and stayed well. My wife is away for the weekend but she will be delighted and we'll have to put a hold on the celebrations!
Crawfords double up with 22's
It was a bit of an unknown with the ground but it was so wet they were getting through it easily. The last day at Down Royal it was very holding, and she's improved a fair bit from her first run. We didn't know what we had going to Down Royal but we have a better idea now. We're thinking down the line we could go to Aintree, and I always thought she would handle better ground. Steven was confident on her, she was a bit keen and he was trying to settle her as well as he could. He wasn't in any rush to make his way home and he gave her a good ride. She hasn't had a hard race there and she's not blowing hard. The owners could have sold her after her first run but they were keen to hold onto her as they are breeders. If she got a bit of black type it would be a big one for the pedigree.
