Going - Yielding (yielding to soft after the fifth race). Overcast and showery
Jackpot Pool - €7,810.14 Not Won. Carried forward to Curragh on Saturday 16th July. Placepot Pool - €36,177.73 Dividend - €191.00 Winning Units - 138.52. Pick Six Pool - €6,699.25 Not Won. Carried forward to Curragh on Saturday 16th July. Days Aggregate - €191,596.00 Last Year €159,325.00
Airlie Beach now two from two
It was cosy enough in the end. She won her bumper here so obviously likes the track. The long term aim for her might be the Grade 3 hurdle at Down Royal. The same owners won it last year with Listen Dear. Hopefully she'll be good enough to go there and get some black-type. She actually has a three-year-old foal but it hasn't hindered her racing career. The father is Miguel Angel who won last month at Tramore. The foal is in training at the moment. Her dam was actually my first ride on the racecourse so she's a real family horse!
Lady wins on 'last chance'
I'm delighted with it. It's a pleasant surprise. I'm delighted for the owners Paul Hibbard and John Phelan. They've been with me for a few years and that's their first winner. She's been a bit disappointing but they persevered with her and they've been repaid. She was struggling in handicaps and we thought we'd give her one go in a maiden, it was last chance saloon. I always thought she wanted better ground but I'd say the ease actually helped her there. Dylan gave her a super ride. He dropped in, hacked away and took his time. That's his second win in ten days for us (also won on The King Of Brega at Limerick) and he's great value for his seven pound claim.
Chitu in 50/1 shocker
I definitely wasn't expecting that. It was a pleasant surprise. The horses were out of form but we had a couple of winners at Perth last Sunday and they seem to be starting to run a bit better. I was on the cold list as I had gone 99 days without a winner but that's three winners in less than a week now. His last couple of runs were very disappointing. The change in ground probably helped him. He doesn't want it soft by any means but that just left it nice and it was similar ground to the day he won his maiden hurdle. We had thought he might go novice chasing but I'm not sure what the plan is now.
Oisin another for Blackmore & O'Shea
He was brilliant. I was really contemplating pulling him out because of the ground. He's so tough. All credit to Rachael. I left it up to her what to do as she knows him so well. She gave him a great ride and was the winning of it. He did a lovely piece of work last week on Toppy Corcoran's gallop in Horse And Jockey where I do a lot of my work. We were quietly confident coming here but just a bit iffy when the rain came. Hopefully the ground picks up and himself and Supreme Vinnie go to Galway. The ground just went against Vinnie and I probably should have pulled him out.
Cecil wins incident-packed contest
It's good to get a winner for Liam (owner Liam Clancy) who has had horses with me for a while. He's a grand big staying chaser and should win plenty of races.
Tulsa Jack wins the Midlands National
I'd say the blinkers made him jump that little bit quicker and snappier. The last day he never got into the race. The easier ground probably actually suited him better than real fast ground. He's won here before and that's always a help. That's Jonathan's five pound claim gone now. We weren't going to let him ride anymore after tonight to keep it for Road To Riches but it's gone now. I don't know what we'll do now. I'll have to talk to Michael (O'Leary, owner of Road To Riches).
Slattery & Skehan on the mark with Warrior
Damien said that she would be better in a better race. He said she was pulling herself up in front. She is probably unlucky not to be unbeaten. She was very unlucky in Clonmel where we sat way out of our ground and she did the same thing in a point-to-point where she pulled up in front. She's won a point-to-point and a bumper now. She's in a long time so we might give her a run in a mares hurdle and then give her a break.
