Going - Soft. Overcast, windy and cold
Jackpot Pool - €14,218.00 Not Won. Carried forward to No Course on Sunday 17th March. Placepot Pool - €45,637.32 Dividend - €366.60 Winning Units - 93.35. Daily Double Pool - €33.00 Not Won. Carried forward to Dundalk. Pick Six Pool - €979.00 Not Won. Carried forward to Dundalk on Friday 15th March. Days Aggregate - €198,902.51 (8 races). Last Year €114,886.94 (7 races).
Mallowney shows his class in Naas opener
I'm delighted with that, he looked a proper horse today. I thought the handicapper was a bit hard on him (went up fourteen pound for his win last time out) but he showed today that he is up to that class. It took him a while to settle and I was worried he wouldn't get home but he finished out the race well and got home. He goes on better ground and the ground doesn't seem to bother him. We will look to Fairyhouse and Punchestown now to take on the big boys. I'm still looking forward to next year as chasing is his game. He is progressing with every run.
Dedigout bounces back to his best
He was unlucky at Leopardstown as he missed the second fence and he lost his confidence. The whole way down the back he was bad and if we had the time again he should have been pulled up. He went to Navan then but he hadn't got over Leopardstown. We schooled him plenty since Navan and it worked out well today. All I wanted was him to come here today and to do what he did. He likes that ground and he is ground dependant. We will leave it a week or two now and see how the ground goes. He might surprise us on good ground and we might have to try him on it in Punchestown or Fairyhouse.
Big weight doesn't stop Dressedtothenines
That was nice, she is a nice mare. I said to Frank (Frank Berry) that she would either prove to be well in or not. She has only gone up seven pounds for all her good runs since winning on her second start. I said if she had the same form in handicaps she may have been higher. We decided to come here rather than run in a mares conditions race as they can be very strong at this time of the year.
All the way win for Wicklow Lad
He showed on his last two runs with the blinkers on that he was coming back to some kind of form. He is maybe getting a bit too complacent. His Thurles run was promising and then he ran a cracker at Navan. I'm delighted he won here today and he might go back jumping fences now. There is a possibility of going for a good chase with him and it was just a matter of him finding form. He was one of the favourites for the Troytown (in 2011) but the ground didn't really suit him.
Hidden provides Flanagan with a welcome win
He jumped terrible last week at Navan. It was his first time in a handicap and he got a bit of a scare at the second and missed the ditch. He never travelled and was never happy after that. Davy (Russell) said we would be better off giving him another spin in a beginners chase for him to get his confidence back. He is in good old heart. His owners are Conor McGurk, Sam Downey and Jim Marley and that is their first winner in Ireland. They've had winners in Ayr and Perth but that's their first winner in Ireland.
Another for Doyle as Rich completes hat-trick
That was great to get another one before Cheltenham, that will keep us confident before going there. I'm delighted to get that win as his aim all year has been the Irish National. We stepped him up in trip to make sure he stays and Brian (O'Connell) said that 3m 5f would be no problem. I'm not sure what weight he would get but he should definitely get into it now. Hopefully we will get rain as he wouldn't want it any drier than today.
Foxrock shows his stamina
He'll make a grand old three mile chaser. I wouldn't imagine he will run again as he wants slow ground and a slow track. He stays and he jumps and he gallops away. The tight track at Punchestown didn't suit him but in saying that the horse who beat him there (Kashline) ran a cracker in the handicap earlier (finished fourth behind Dressedtothenines).
Double for Martin as Vic impresses
That's a real good horse. He has been unlucky a couple of times as things just didn't go right for him. He is as good a horse as I have. He is really a Cheltenham horse and you might see him there next year over hurdles. He might go for the bumper at Aintree now.
