After race at Punchestown Thu, 20th Feb, 2025 (1st)  The first thing I want to say is that we’re all thinking about Michael (O'Sullivan) and his family today. This is the first winner in those colours since. This horse has been doing everything wrong in his hurdle races. He’s been way too keen, making mistakes and he’s still running to figures to suggest that he’s there or thereabouts winning a Supreme Novices. Today he settled away better and jumped better. He was on and off it. He got a run on him going down the hill. He has so much natural ability this horse that he can’t understand why the riders want to take him back. He’s hardly having a blow there today, that was his last piece of work before the Supreme. I know nothing about time but I’ve had two of the top fellas tell me the race in Fairyhouse, the time he was beaten and they were 24 lengths clear of the rest, that the first and second’s sectional splits were good enough to win nine out of the last ten Supremes. He’s put himself right in the picture there. He was a very good bumper horse and in his two runs over hurdles he was way too keen and made too many mistakes. He put it all together there today and we’ll be on the boat and I wouldn’t be swapping him for anything in it. In a fast run race over there you’d be hoping he’d settle away a bit better. He has the lot. Barry Connell

After race at Naas Sun, 25th Feb, 2024 (1st)  I’m astonished the price this horse went off. I thought he should have been even money favourite on the back of his form. The horse of Willie’s that he beat the last day was backed as if money was going out of fashion and they were clear of the rest. He’s hardly having a blow there and it was like a piece of work. He’s very unusual for a Westerner as they normally don’t win bumpers, they improve when they get a hurdle and a fence. I’m definitely not taking him to Cheltenham. I don’t like giving them more than two runs in winners bumpers but I’m going to bring this lad to Punchestown for the Champion Bumper, and I think he’s the one to beat in it. In my view he’s the best bumper horse in the country. His work has been very good since in won in Navan. I’m hoping he’ll be a Grade 1 horse over a hurdle next year. Finny Maguire gets very limited opportunities but in my view he’s a fantastic rider. The best bumper rider in the country by a mile. I think he’s had five rides for me this year and four winners. Barry Connell

After race at Navan Sat, 20th Jan, 2024 (1st)  We knew we'd win a bumper with him. He's a six-year-old so he's had loads of time. He has been to a schooling race before and ran okay. He was very keen last year and with the extra year, and a bit of maturity, he's settling better. When they went no pace there I was just afraid he might be doing a bit too much in that ground. I think he'll come on for it because he was very green. When Finny went to put him into the gap between the two favourites he didn't really know what he was at or where he was going. Eventually he got through it and they had to keep quickening. He's very fit, he's not having much of a blow there. He's very unlike a Westerner, they are normally big strapping horses, he looks like a bumper horse. I don't know how good he's going to be down the line but he's definitely a nice horse to have. I'd say he might run in Fairyhouse or somewhere like that. I don't think I'll be going across the water with him but he's probably entitled to if you wanted to. It's great to get one on the board. When you give them two-and-a-half years, and give them the time, it's nice to get the reward for it because it doesn't always happen. We're thrilled. Barry Connell