Diakali devastating in Fairyhouse opener

Project Bluebook strikes blow for Quinn

He didn’t jump as well as he can but his toughness allied to a very brave ride saw him come out on top. He’d a busy time on the flat and then went hurdling off the back of a small break so he may get a break now. He’s only rated 80 on the flat so we’ll have to discuss plans. He might be well handicapped but the owner is primarily a jumping man so we’ll have to see what he wants to do. Dad asked me after Cheltenham where we might go and this race down the years hasn’t been as strong as the Grade 1 in Punchestown. He’d have won the last two runnings of this race on his rating but it was probably a better race this year with the favourite finishing fourth in the Triumph. He was also in the handicap tomorrow but Mr McManus made the call to come here and not surprisingly he got it right. This is the first horse we have for him.

Ground the key for Showem Silver

We worked him last Wednesday on good ground and he seemed to be a different horse. He was struggling very badly on the soft. He’s a lucky owner and the great thing about him is he just lets you get on with it. When I said that I wanted to wait he said there was no problem. He’s out of the same family as Aran Concerto. Nina (Carberry) had him as a bumper horse and sold him after he won his bumper here. That’s the first thing he’s done right since then. I’d say he will race through the summer, and we’ll be looking at the Galway Festival. He’s not over big but I’d say he’ll jump fences as he has plenty of scope.

Mullins & Walsh double up with Renneti

He has great ability but doesn’t always give it. The bit of nice ground there and he was in happier form today. We’ll try and find another opportunity for him and he can go back on the flat as well.

Duke takes Irish National in impressive style

I can’t believe it, I really can’t. I may look calm but I’m shaking inside! He was up there all the way, he may have made one mistake but he jumped beautifully and Robert rode him with such confidence. He was absolutely convinced that he was going to stay and he rode him like that. He actually loved the ground as I was a bit worried about it drying out. I could see the three of them were going away and he just kept going. At the fourth last the pack seemed to be closing and he just changed gear again. I knew he was so relaxed and Robbie knows him so well. For a horse having just his fourth run in a chase it was a great performance. We all have to get there but he looks a Gold Cup horse. That’s why he didn’t go to Cheltenham this year as we wanted to wait and go to the Gold Cup next year. We’ll keep him and Sizing John apart and see what happens. I haven’t raced him much and he has very few runs under his belt. It’s hard to comprehend winning the Gold Cup and the Irish National. It’s taken me a long time to get the hang of training these staying chasers!. Robbie rode his first ever winner for me. We get on very well. I give out to him if he does something wrong but he doesn’t do much wrong these days.

Slowmotion strikes again on Easter Monday

She's a tough mare, she's getting better and Mark gave her a great ride,. She's won a Grade Two over hurdles and is a Grade Three winner over fences now. There's a mares handicap in Punchestown but I don't know. I'd imagine she'll probably be finished now, that's as good as she'd like the ground. It's nice that she's won today. She was late going chasing as she initially started over hurdles. She won this day last year as well in the juvenile race. She's a good mare and there is plenty of fun to be had with her.

Martin on the scoresheet again with White Arm

It’s brilliant to have a winner for that man (J P McManus). He’s been threatening to do that for a while. Maybe the better ground helped, and you would have to say it did the way he won there. He’s been knocking on the door and today it has all worked out well. It’s nice to get a few winners here after a quiet spell.

Samcro completes bumper treble for Elliott

He’s a proper horse, and would have done more in a bit of work than he did there. He could go for the Champion Bumper in Punchestown all being well. We have plenty of other horses for it but he will definitely get an entry. He was asleep the whole way and Lisa said when she gave him a squeeze over two furlongs out it was like he had just jumped in. We’ll see what the ground is like at Punchestown but he’s a good horse. I would have said he is a two and a half mile plus horse down the line but he doesn’t look slow.