Summer Is Tomorrow in rain-soaked Roscommon

Selective Power leads home 1-2 for Coyle in Elphin Handicap

It worked out very well, we couldn’t have thought it any better!. Ground is a big thing for him, he takes a few runs and the cheekpieces were back on - I’m delighted. He’s probably a little bit better than this grade, but it’s just the way it fell. Every time we ran, we were hoping the rain was coming, but it never came. James gave him a great ride. It’s my Dad’s (Paul) syndicate (Urban & Rural Boys Syndicate). He was sick last year and this horse boosted him up no end. They’ve had this syndicate since Molly’s Boy 20 years ago. It’s still going with a few new friends. The other horse was second. We were going to leave him to next week, but the lads are local. I thought he would have needed the run and expect him to improve. We’ve a few horses ready to go, we’ve been waiting for the rain. Hopefully, we can keep going because it’s been frustrating, we had a good few seconds earlier in the year. Hopefully, we can kick on a get a few winners from here to the end of the year.

Earls gets his conditions at a track he loves

He loves that ground. He had two runs earlier in the year and we thought he was coming to himself, but the ground was good on those days. Since Galway, we’ve been waiting for a bit of soft ground for him - the softer it is the better. When I was coming down the road, and could see the floods the whole way, I was thinking we could be in business here today. Martin (Sheridan, owner) has been a big supporter of the yard and it’s great for him to have a horse like this. He’s getting a bit older and I was thinking ‘does he still have it?’. It’s great to see him bounce back there. He’s been a good servant. He won a big handicap in Haydock last year and the year before he won a premier handicap in Cork. Soft ground is the key to him. We’ll see what the handicapper does and try and find something similar. It’s his time of the year now and hopefully he can go in again.

O'Brien plunders a double through Viking Invasion

Ryan gets his Roscommon brace on Sea Lantern

He’s an unassuming type, he only does so much at work and it seems to be the same in his races. James said he’s only always doing enough and he pricked his ears when he got to the front. You’d imagine he’ll keep on improving. He’s not too hard on himself and you never know where these horses end up. Maybe a stiff mile-and-a-half, or a mile-and-a-six in time could be his goal. I trained the full-sister, Fresnel. She was one of my first winners and the McStays have been very good to me, very supportive. I’m delighted for the connections. We’ll take it one step at a time with him. We’ll see what the handicapper does. You’d be hoping that he keeps going up the grades and keeps improving. You’d hope he’d be a black-type horse in time but we’ll enjoy today.

Harnett partners his third winner courtesy of Clear Quartz

That was good. He’s a right horse on that ground and obviously over different trips too. Ronan Whelan rode him one day at Galway over this trip when he finished fourth. Ronnie said he stayed the trip, but he was a little bit outclassed. He was good today. We took Joe’s 10lb off him, that’s his last winner now with 10lb. He was great value for 10lb, but it will make things a little bit easier for him now. He’ll be able to do a bit lighter weights now that he’s down to 7lb. I’m delighted for Jean Bird, she loves this horse. He’s a favourite in the yard, he’s after winning a good few races. Hopefully he can go on and win another now before the end of the season. This is his time of year and we were delighted when the rain came.

Whats New a ready winner for Slatterys

He wasn’t winning out of turn. It wasn’t exactly a strong race, but he had been running consistently well in that grade. It’s just great to get it done for the owners (Joe Bolger) today. Obviously, he took a heavy fall only a week-and-a-half ago (in Killarney), but he’s always schooled well at home and I’d say that the run over jumps probably did help him. Hopefully he’ll be winning over jumps as well.