Risk Of Thunder goes to Maher's Supreme

He's a grand horse. My friend Michael Bates got him for me. He got me him and Ballyboker Bridge,. I wouldn't have bought the horse but only Benny was at the sales and said 'chance that lad'. I liked the man that owned him so I bought him. Trevor Beattie hadn't many winners for a good few years and I said 'take that lad and he'll win you a few races. He never stopped winning for him and for two-and-a-half grand he was a cheap horse. He doesn't have to do anything again. He would have won the La Touche if he hadn't run out as he was cantering. There isn't really a plan for him now and we might just put him away until the festival. We ran him in Cheltenham and he finished seventh (December 2015). He has palate issues and you have to give him a couple of runs. He wasn't fit the day he went to Cheltenham. He's not a very good horse but he's a staying jumping horse. You need to have him really well tuned for it. With the hill at Cheltenham he fizzled out. We were thinking about bringing him back to Cheltenham but it's early days yet and we'll enjoy this one.

Mullins back on a winner with Ra

I was worried about the ground because Paul Townend said that it was heavier than it was the last day in Down Royal,. I went off him then but other than that I fancied him beforehand. I just didn't like to hear Paul say it was deeper here than in Down Royal. He's a great little horse and as tough as nails. There are a few races between now and Christmas and if I think he's holding his form I'll keep going until Christmas. There are race in England, a good race in Ascot. I probably won't pull him out again in Fairyhouse in two weeks time. He was in the Greatwood today. I was going for better ground but it went soft over there. So we decided to come back here. The long-term plan is the Galway Hurdle. He likes Galway and I like Galway!. He travelled well today and David said he went on the ground which was a bit of a surprise.

Opera back to number 1 in Craddockstown

It's great as there are a lot of the Coopers (owners) here today,. I probably got his trip right for the winter ground. I don't think he gets any further than two miles on heavy ground. He does go on it but I kept running him over two-and-a-half and he doesn't get it. Over the winter he'll stick to any two-mile handicaps or whatever. He'll have run out of his novice career now because he wouldn't go two-and-a-half at Fairyhouse. We'll probably find something for him over Christmas. It was lovely to be able to get into this race because he's rated 150 or something rather scary like that. I'm not sure where we go but we'll find something for him. He'll probably have to go to Naas like his mother (Opera Hat)!. It's great to get him back to winning ways and I think the trainer probably made a bit of a nonsense by running him over too far on soft ground. As he's gotten older he gotten stronger. He jumped well and he battled very well today.

Emotional Punchestown double for Power

That was obviously a bit special as Ciaran (Collins) one of the boys that owns the horse is very sick in hospital and they're not sure if he'll even get through the night,. Hopefully he' was able to listen to the race and it'll give him a bit of a lift. He went to school with Robert Power and was really good friends with him. It was a great day for him to win. It's rough for the boys and on his family. He's from Moynalvey and the boys have been with me almost from when I started training. They had a lot of bad ones and a few alright ones but this lad is probably the best we've had. To be honest I didn't care about the result once I won it but I was cheering for the winner. He missed a bit of time before the Cork race and we knew he was fitter today. That was his Gold Cup and if he never wins again it doesn't matter. He's not a bad horse and could be an Irish National horse.

Faugheen back to show his brilliance

Twist scores again for O'Brien

Dom Dolo wins on 2nd start at 16s

Rapid a 3rd winner on day for Elliott