Going - Heavy. Overcast
Jackpot Pool - €5,160.00 Dividend - €28.40 Winning Units - 127. Placepot Pool - €48,925.35 Dividend - €21.50 Winning Units - 1586.8. Pick Six Pool - €40,251.00 Dividend - €619.20 Winning Units - 45.5. Days Aggregate - €201,405.00 (7 races). Last Year €62,036.00 (8 races).
Inis Meain books Cheltenham ticket
it's a great confidence booster to get his head in front and I thought Danny did great to bring him from where he did. He stays really well and we've done a lot on his jumping since Christmas; since then he has been jumping fences and has done a lot of pole work which just teaches him to back off and respect his hurdles more. He'll have entries at all the handicaps at Cheltenham: the Pertemps Final, the Coral Cup and Martin Pipe Hurdle and looking at them, the Pertemps looks the race for him over a true run three miles. He needs a few pounds to get in but hopefully that should leave him spot-on at the weights. At one stage it came into my head to give up on him over jumps but Barry (Connell, owner) is a National Hunt man but that's what the horse was bought for and it was our job to get him jumping!
Dunguib bounces back with Grade 2 win
he got a little tired from the last but Brian was making him look as impressive as he could but I'd say the choke was out. It was grand and a lovely performance though and it's great to get a good horse back. He can often be a bit jizzy but he was good throughout the race today and settled well and jumped better today, as he can often be a bit casual. There's a good chance he'll go to Cheltenham again and we'll see what the handicapper does but we'll look at the County or Coral Hurdle; he got the Coral trip well enough today.
Willie adds to recent 'poultry' supply of wins
he (Daneking) was very free and was very hard on himself throughout the race but jumped well. I imagine we might stick to novice hurdles at home with him and I think he'll appeciate much better ground too. He's a bit too honest and wants to race from flagfall but if we could teach him to settle, it would be much better.
Bright New Dawn wins Flyingbolt Chase
I'm pleased with that and for a free horse he showed a bit of bottle and he battled when he needed to. He is a horse with gears and he jumps quickly and he showed today he was quick enough for two miles. I'm happy to go any trip with him, even three miles, but on good ground over two miles he might be out 'on the top of his head'. Today's race and heavy ground suited but I don't know about Cheltenham but he looks an ideal horse for the Powers Gold Cup at Fairyhouse and for Punchestown.
Foxrock enhances Cheltenham prospects
he did what I thought he might do and always seems to pull out a little bit. He was slower over the last than the other two (runner-up My Murphy and third placed Clar Na Mionn) but he finds a bit when you give him a dig and he won well at the line. Danny rides a bit more like Flat-style than jumping lads who like to put a race to bed and win by two or three lengths but he said he had a bit left. He's a grand horse and is going the right direction and if he stays sound and healthy, there'll be more nice pots to win with him. We'll see how he is in three weeks and that'll be time enough to make up our minds about running at Cheltenham but it's where Barry (Connell) would like to go. As he improves over the summer, he could be a nice three miler next year and he's already come a long way since winning a point-to-point last October.
Court Jester gains deserved handicap win
I didn't think he'd handle the ground here as he's lightly made up but that win is long overdue! He was very unlucky at The Maze (Down Royal) when he was beaten on the bob of a head and got 4lbs for that; he's a good fun horse.
Ballagh beats Quevega's brother in bumper
he was really tough, loved the heavy ground and stays really well. He probably wants further and he'll make a nice jumping horse.
