Quotes on Absurde (FR)

I thought I’d have the pace of them all on his Flat form, but the ground was a big worry. Paul can’t have a warm bone in his body, he was so cold the whole way and delivered him at the right time. He just missed the last but everything else went right. I was very worried about the ground, that’s why I thought Risk Belle was the best of my squad, I’d more or less drawn a line through him. They went very slow and his Flat speed was a big factor at the end. When I saw where he was early on I thought it wasn’t the place to be, but they were doing 18-second furlongs so I thought he might have a chance. He had to find his way through and while he missed the last, it was one hell of a ride, it was the ride of the week for me. He’ll probably go to Punchestown and then back on the Flat I’d have thought. It might be hard to qualify for Melbourne – I’d like to go though.
After Absurde (FR) finished 1st at Cheltenham on Fri, 15th Mar 2024 2m Hcap Hurdle Heavy

Quotes on Sunchart (GB)

He seems to be improving over hurdles. The handicapper was probably kind to us, I don't know if he'll be kind to us after that. He must have been around 125 as it was a rated race and he was around 5lb off the top. The Willie Mullins horse (Gaucher) who beat him in Tipperary is rated in the high 140s and there was only half-a-length between them. He is probably not as good over hurdles, but he won't run over them much. The problem is that he can't go on firm ground, as you saw the last day. I'd say Pat (Garvey, owner) would prefer if he never ran over hurdles. He is after winning the Devoy Stakes (In Naas) the last two years and he's a very good horse around Naas. I'd say that was a nice race today and I know where I'd love to go with him now, but Pat mightn't let me. He probably wouldn't get into the Galway Hurdle, but I'd love to go there. He won't be running much over hurdles though. He'll be going back to Naas or Leopardstown towards the end of the year and we'll be hoping for soft ground. He's just been a good horse for us and the first day he ever ran he was beaten into second by Santiago. From day one he has just been a good horse and we could do with another few like him.
After Sunchart (GB) finished 1st at Wexford on Wed, 28th May 2025 2m 1f Hurdle Good

Quotes on Comfort Zone (IRE)

It’s fantastic, it was a great ride from Derek. We fancied him in the race last year and he didn’t run as well as we had hoped. Probably getting a bit of room on the outside there, he got very sweet. The slower ground maybe helped him as well. He’s run well here at Galway in the past so you might see him back here at the weekend. He’s won a November Handicap and a couple of graded races over hurdles so he’s been a great servant for us. He’s been running for big pots for the last while and he’s been knocking on the door and threatening to win one. I’m delighted that he did it here today, to win the feature race here on the Monday night is very special and it sets up the week well. Derek is a fantastic rider and it was great to have him on board. It looked a bit messy during the race and into the dip it looked to be a rough enough race. Derek got a wide run around them. I’d have to see it again but a few of them ran a little bit below par, but that’s Galway.
After Comfort Zone (IRE) finished 1st at Galway on Mon, 27th Jul 2026 2m Flat Hcap Yielding

Quotes on Bunting (FR)

Bunting has always promised so much and luckily Paul (Townend) picked him in the Coral Cup last year, which meant I got onto Jimmy Du Seuil! That's the sort of ability he has, and he'd been running some good races, including on the Flat last year. The fences seem to have woken him up. He was very good and even when he made the mistake, he was so quickly away from it. This trip around here is on the sharp side for him, but it's all about finding a rhythm and getting into a flow over the fences, and he was able to do that and put them to the sword.
After Bunting (FR) finished 1st at Ballinrobe on Mon, 24th Aug 2026 2m 1f Chase Good

Quotes on Counting Coup (IRE)

I actually thought we were done, and then I saw the replay and I felt we were up,. He's tough. I was training him for the GPT (Connacht Hotel Amateur Handicap), but I got a phone call last Friday to say he wasn't qualified because he hadn't had three runs on the Flat, so went for this. A bit of a difference in pots! . I was shocked when I saw the price (20/1) this morning. We made it pay well anyway!. It's only his fourth run. Jumping will be his game but we'll try and steal a big pot before we go jumping with him. I entered him in a Group 3 in the Curragh on August 22nd but it could be a bit too hot. It was closing so I threw him into it. He's a proper horse, the real deal.
After Counting Coup (IRE) finished 1st at Galway on Fri, 31st Jul 2026 1m 6f Flat Yielding to Soft

Quotes on Dawn Rising (IRE)

The man's horses are in great form.
After Dawn Rising (IRE) finished 1st at Listowel on Fri, 23rd Sep 2022 2m 4f Maiden Hurdle Good

Quotes on Blake (GB)

To be honest, they nearly had to give it to him. You can't stop them to that degree, can you? He absolutely stopped him and he's a big, long-striding horse. If you're riding a bike and you're stopped, it's very hard to get going again that quickly. It's a nice pot to win and he'll run in the maiden hurdle at Down Royal on Saturday week. That's the plan. He jumps great and we're looking forward to him heading over hurdles.
After Blake (GB) finished 1st at Leopardstown on Sun, 19th Oct 2025 1m 4f Flat Hcap Heavy

Quotes on Galileo Dame (IRE)

she had a good run in soft ground last year and we thought that ten furlongs would suit her well. I was very pleased and looking at that you'd have to say she's a smart filly. I suppose the obvious thing now is to go into an Oaks trial of some sort. That's probably where she'll go. She's owned by a great group of lads, the Annus Mirabilis Synidcate, Sean O'Driscoll and Brian McKieran and it's exciting for them to have a real smart filly.
After Galileo Dame (IRE) finished 1st at Leopardstown on Wed, 10th Apr 2024 1m 2f Flat Maiden Heavy

Quotes on Sirius (FR)

I’m so thankful to Willie and his team, to Harold (Kirk) for buying the mare and for everyone’s advice. I’m just so lucky. I didn’t ride for four years. I had a family, came out of retirement and this was the dream. I was going to try and jump out and be handy, but the mare was looking a bit left and I missed the kick. I said I’ve got to relax now, and Willie said to try and find your way through. I edged out coming down the hill and it’s amazing when you ride horses for Willie how fit they are. It’s like you have Mo Farah in the last furlong!. To say the least!. David asked me to look out for a horse for him to ride in this race, to try and win it, and that was two years ago. I thought David had retired in the meantime but obviously he had come back and ridden a few. He rides out with Gary Moore to stay fit. He actually never sat on her before, he was supposed to come over and ride her out and never did. It's tremendous. David was champion Fegentri rider, which is European champion amateur rider, a few years back. He's a fitness fanatic and keeps himself very fit. He bought a horse and put it in with Gary Moore, he's had a few rides this year. Race riding would get you race fit. I thought it was an extraordinary achievement. I'm delighted for him. The start didn't go well for him, he wanted to be in the first four. He didn't panic and sat where he was. He had the nerve to sit there and see what happened. She won easy. She had some ni
After Sirius (FR) finished 1st at Galway on Mon, 29th Jul 2024 2m Flat Hcap Yielding

Quotes on Granite Bay (GB)

it was a great win as it was a competitive race. Ronan said he was struggling on the ground but said he once he came alive coming down the back, he was reasonably confident he would run a big one. We knew all along that he was a staying horse in the making although I didn't think it would happen in his three-year-old career. He is progressing with every run having been very babyish earlier in the year and we'll look for another race before the season ends as he has proven he goes on easy ground. He has been schooled over hurdles at Roger Loughran's and is well able to jump, if that's the route the lads want to go.
After Granite Bay (GB) finished 1st at Listowel on Tue, 24th Sep 2024 1m 6f Flat Hcap Yielding

Quotes on Saratoga (IRE)

We went a good gallop over the first four hurdles and, the boys just slowed it down down the back. This lad was travelling so easily, he made a mistake at the first down the back, so I just pulled him out for light as this hurdles. Once he had a bit of light, he was winging hurdles. We hoped he would do that and he has obviously proven himself. To win any race at the Punchestown festival is great but to win a first Grade 1 here is unbelievable, I'm over the moon. Alan Crowe recommended buying the horse through his job in Ballydoyle and Dad (Christy) convinced JP to buy him. Alan was first-jockey to Dad for years and told us if we could buy this horse, to do so. We take whatever horses we get from JP every year and I'm delighted for him, as he has always been there. In total, we only have ten or 12 jump horses and six or seven Flat ones so I'd love to get more and further outside owners. I haven't a clue where he runs next!
After Saratoga (IRE) finished 1st at Punchestown on Sat, 2nd May 2026 2m Hurdle Yielding

Quotes on Puturhandstogether (IRE)

It's going well and is something to look forward to in the future when I do hang up my boots. I'm 56 and still enjoying riding. Scott was riding in the race and finished fifth. He got a great spot from the draw (stall 30) and he minded him into the race. He's a tricky horse but Niall gave him a lovely ride and it's a great pot to win. He had a bit of look around after he hit the front but that's him. He's not the simplest horse to get right and he was against the odds for things to go right from that draw. Niall was very kind on him, and he settled well for him. He ran great in Listowel and bounced out of the race well so we figured we'd let him take his chance. He could go for a nice handicap hurdle in Leopardstown. He doesn't want the ground too soft.
After Puturhandstogether (IRE) finished 1st at Curragh on Sun, 28th Sep 2025 2m Flat Hcap Yielding to Soft