John J Nallen

Naas Sun, 23rd Aug, 2026  Minella Rockett He’s a tough, honest, little horse and he keeps improving. He keeps at it. I don’t know where we go now. He’s a horse that was for sale but nobody gave me enough for him, they were all laughing at me! He keeps doing it. We’ll probably step him up in trip a bit. He was on his head the whole time, the only time he was getting his own way was at the line. The New Bays are winning everything and we’re lucky to have him. I bought him over the road as a yearling. We’re looking at the race that Minella Study won in Wetherby at the end of October last year (Wensleydale Juvenile Hurdle). It’s a 40 grand Listed race and he’d have no penalty. I wouldn’t run him with a penalty as he’s handy. He’s probably a horse for any place in the world after doing that. I asked plenty for him after he won over hurdles and told lads that he would win in Galway and they looked at me. Seamie (Heffernan) was always mad about him last year. We’ve been lucky with the Flat horse, they’re all after clicking. We only ended up with them by accident, giving Seanie (Bowen) a dig out. He was going to come over today but he was suspended.

Killarney Sat, 22nd Aug, 2026  Minella Hollow We found it hard to keep him sound last season but brought him back this year and he has been 100%. We gave him a run back in Roscommon but hadn't had him away schooling, and he chipped in plenty that day,. He came on today, he was very fresh and stuck his neck out. Willie's (Mullins' runner-up Reaching High) made a mistake at the last but we also got in close to it, but were quickly away. There is a for sale sign on him. representing

Galway Wed, 29th Jul, 2026  Minella Rockett He’s a tough little horse,. He probably didn’t fully see out the mile-and-a-quarter in Navan,  but that was a serious race and everything has won out of it. We were a bit worried about the ground, but this has been the plan since Navan. We ran him over hurdles in the meantime, and he’ll be a Triumph Hurdle horse for someone hopefully!. He’s been on the market the whole time, but my value of him and other people’s value of him is different. How could you value today, it’s brilliant. The Nallens have talked about coming to Galway for a lifetime. We’re Mayo people originally as well, so to get a winner west of the Shannon is great. It’s been mighty.