Halford off the mark for Ballylinch Stud

It’s lovely to get a winning bracket for her. Shane kept it very simple on her and she’s very game and genuine. They didn’t go much of a gallop and she stuck at it well. When the other horse came to challenge her, she picked up again. She’s a lovely kind filly to train and she has a big heart. It’s our first winner for Ballylinch and I’ll talk to John O’Connor to see what they want to do. I feel there is more to come from her and she could be a nice filly to go handicapping with over the summer on grass. She still has a bit of strengthening to do. She gets that trip well and will probably get further if needed.

Ballylinch dominate early Dundalk action

Never Mistabeat a revelation in 1st time blinkers

I’m delighted with that. Park Hill Racing is run by Ronan Whelan’s first cousin Jamie Whelan and they have been very patient with the horses,. He’s been very slow to progress mentally and the blinkers today worked a treat on him. He’s probably done it too well but we don’t mind and we’ve been chasing a winner for a long time. The lads will be thrilled. It’s a pity they can’t be here but it’s great to get a first win for the syndicate. We had cheek pieces on him the last day and Adam Farragher rode him and said I’d go blinkers the next day as he was still a bit lairy. We told Wayne to give him a good, strong, forceful ride and it worked well. He’s been doing things better on the gallops at home than on the racecourse. He sort of falls asleep when he comes racing. It all came right tonight and hopefully there is another day in him.

Elzaam the answer in Crowne Plaza handicaps

The last few runs she had wide draws and she was drawn a bit better today. She had to get a good break to get into the bend early and Luke gave her a lovely ride,. She’s declared again on Friday and is the third reserve. If she gets in she’ll run. She had some good early three-year-old form on grass and then lost her way a bit. Beauchamp Bagenal (won three times last year including a good handicap at Leopardstown) was sold to Bahrain and has won out there. We have 13 in at the moment between Flat and National Hunt.

Dicey late on but Waitin gets it done

He’s a grand horse and is owned by Barouche Stud outside Naas. I’m delighted for Barbara Facchino as I haven’t had a winner for her in a year,.

Magic puts deserved win on the board for the Clearys

The owners (Wall To Wall Syndicate) are a great bunch of lads from Galway. I told them that no matter how he ran tonight we would give him two weeks of a break and keep him sweet,.

Runner delights hurlers and footballers

That’s his second run for us. He hadn’t quite enough pace over five the first day but he toughed it out well there today,.

“Old pet” Sabrina made of the right stuff

I think she deserved that. She got a lot of bad draws and no luck in running last year,.