Going - Hurdle/Bumper: Soft to Heavy. Chase: Heavy. Overcast
Trifecta Not Won. Pool of €120.57 carried forward to Naas on Sunday 6th January. Jackpot Pool - €7,500.00 Dividend - €5,625.00 Winning Units - 1. Placepot Pool - €18,383.62 Dividend - €434.10 Winning Units - 31.75. Days Aggregate - €62,285.00 Last Year €85,261.56
Japanese target for Blackstairmountain
We'll keep it to those type of races with him until the ground gets better. We're going to aim him at the Nakayama Grand Jump in Japan in April. The ground conditions over there will suit him and he's a Grade 1 horse. He's the only one I have for the race, although it will be quite costly to send him out there.
Dalasiri lands major gamble in juvenile hudle
We felt at home that he had a good turn of foot and we dropped him in at Leopardstown. He was just staying on when he made two mistakes. But his jumping is as slick as you get. I ride him myself and schooled him as well. We got him from John Oxx's as a two-year-old in the Horses In Training Sale. We were going to go the bumper route but he schooled like a handicapper recently and we knew he'd come on a tonne for the run at Leopardstown. He's beautifully made with a great head and no hang up's, and we've always thought a lot of him. Today was the plan but he should make a nice dual purpose horse. If he's sold I'd like to still train him.
Mullins strikes again with Oil
We decided to ride him more positively today and he enjoyed it better. He should improve more when the ground is drier. If he does improve on better ground, which I think he will, he'll step back up to Graded company. He's a grand, big jumping type of horse and the ground is key to him.
Backinthere does the biz again for Gallagher
I was expecting that. She got bogged down at Limerick last time but still ran well enough, and we made more use of her today. The key to her is soft ground and she's tough out. I'm always saying she'll go over fences and more than likely she'll go over fences now. I didn't get any more horses after she won the last day but hopefully I might now!
Terminal completes another treble for Mullins
I was pleased with his performance at Fairyhouse and he was probably expecting the same fences here as he jumped very big over the first few. But he settled down after a while and would prefer better ground. He'll go for a winners' race but nothing too flashy.
Pleasure at last for O'Brien
I have to thank (handicapper) Noel O'Brien as it's the first time he's been given a chance. He's been crucified with his hurdle mark for years and I couldn't believe he got a rating of 110 over fences, which is a mark we could work with. His run at Leopardstown left him spot on. He's a tough horse to get fit.
Golan Cheltenham bound after decisive win
He was making a genuine £180,000 at the Brightwell sales but we weren't selling him for any less than his reserve of £200,000. He's an absolute machine. We have a tough gallop at home and any of my other horses can't get anywhere near him on the two furlongs straight. There have been more offers for him since the sales but he's not so cheap now. He's a horse that's in a different league. We'll go to Naas or Fairyhouse for a winners' bumper and then straight to Cheltenham.
