Fri, 1st Aug, 2025  That was great. He's a proper good horse and I think he was sick when he ran in the Albert Bartlett,. We went over with four or five to Cheltenham and most of them came home sick. We rushed him back to Perth and he probably wasn't right that day. I was happy enough that he was a lot better than that. This has been the target since then. He had a few issues with his jumping over hurdles but when we schooled him over fences we knew he was going to be better. It was a good performance, it's probably the best beginners chase I’ve seen in Galway in a long time. Fine, they all finished in a heap but he got the job done. His owner is here and I'm delighted. I'd say he could end up in Cheltenham in October, on nice ground. We'll give him a nice freshen up after this and decide. The fact that he handles two-miles-six around here you could be thinking about next year for the Plate, but that's a long way off. This was a plan that we had and it's come off so I’m delighted as they often don't. John C McConnell

After race at Downpatrick Mon, 26th Aug, 2024 (1st)  It has been painful! Going from his bumper wins and the way he works at home, it has been a calamity. He is a work-in-progress regarding his jumping. He has been very slow to learn and Ger Fox schooled him at the weekend and Ger couldn't believe how he hadn't got the hang of it. When he left him alone at a hurdle, he still needs a lot of help. It is a mental thing with him and hopefully he is switched on now. I told Alex to be very definite with what he wanted him to do at each hurdle - either to go short or to go long. It will come and that might boost his confidence. He has the engine there if he put it all together that he could turn into a really nice horse, but it is great to get that over with. John C McConnell