Going - Soft. Fine
Jackpot Pool - €36,860.00 Dividend - €2,764.50 Winning Units - 10. Placepot Pool - €19,316.00 Dividend - €86.00 Winning Units - 168. Days Aggregate - €111,504.00 (8 races). Last Year €65,332.00 (7 races).
D'Oudairies sets the tone for the day
He's a big slow horse who'll be a grand chaser in time. He jumps like a horse who'll jump a fence. As long as he keeps doing what he's doing he'll be grand. He'll go to Leoparstown at Christmas next (for the Grade 2 Bord na Mona Fire Magic Juvenile Hurdle on St Stephen's Day). I don't know if he's a Cheltenham horse yet. The ground there could be on the quick side for him.
Zaidpour slams Grade 1 opponents
I'm delighted with his progress. He was keen early but he jumped well after settling after three hurdles. Paul said he was very happy with him at all stages. I'm not sure about Leopardstown now . we'll have to see how he comes out of this first. He is in the Future Champions (the Grade 1 paddypower.com Future Champions Novice Hurdle on December 27th) and there is the Deloitte Novice Hurdle for him as well (at Leopardstown in February). He was a real bargain (80,000 Euros at the Arqana Saint-Cloud 'Arc de Triomphe' Sale in October 2009). We would have probably given two or three times that price for him.
Hurricane the Fly in the ointment for Solwhit
Paul gave him a terrific ride. He pulled very hard early on but he managed to get him back for a breather and at the second last the horse got his second wind. He was very professional at the last and then put his head down and done his job. I think he'll improve for the run and there looks like there's more to come. We'll look at Christmas now (the Grade 1 Leopardstown Golf Centre December Festival Hurdle) and the Irish Champion. The preparation wasn't ideal and we're just delighted to be here. I must give credit to the manager here, Peter Roe and to HRI for rearranging this fixture.
Pearl back to her best
She got a bit lost on the ground the last day and that's why she raced on the outer here. Paul said the ground was fresher out there and that she jumped brilliant. She never really runs a bad race except for the last day. She could go for the MCR Hurdle now. She has black-type already but the owners would be keen to get more of it.
McNamara guides Sea to big success
I'm delighted and he might go straight for the Ryanair now. He hasn't many options between now and then and Christmas is very close now anyway where he would have to run either over two or three miles. This was always his pre-Christmas target and I'm delighted that he has achieved it. I'm pleased too that he has reversed Ryanair form with J'y Vole. Last season he ran too close to Cheltenham and we'll try to make a better job of it this time. He has options after Cheltenham too. It was unfortunate for a horse like him that they had to miss out on three fences in this race but he's overcome that.
Jessie makes the most of Mikael's departure
That's my first Grade 1 and it is great to do it with the owner's first horse in training in Ireland. He wants further and better ground and he might go to Kempton for the Feltham Chase at Christmas.
Peak Raider a popular winner of the last
He settled and jumped very well and jumping is his forte. He is stronger now and he didn't have too hard a race there so we'll probably go to Leopardstown now.
