Going - Yielding to Soft. Overcast
Jackpot Pool - €2,944.35 Not Won. Carried forward to Gowran Park on Wednesday 8th April. Placepot Pool - €84,004.42 Dividend - €87.90 Winning Units - 765.95. Days Aggregate - €607,905.98 Last Year €456,343.85
Monte Carlo Jets in to score for Mullins and Byrne
It’s a great start to the day. He’s a horse that showed a lot and we couldn’t unearth it for one reason or another until now,. I suppose with him being such an impressive point-to-point winner we thought he’d be more of a stayer. It didn’t happen anytime we went up to two-and-a-half miles over hurdles, he didn’t get home. He looks like he has a real high cruising speed and two miles seems to be the trip that suits him best. I think we’ve learned our lesson today. We were bitterly disappointing with him on a few occasions, his homework was good enough but he wasn’t getting home. He’s nearly a June foal as well and next year he’ll only being coming to himself physically.
Proactif makes up for Triumph disappointment with Grade 2 win
This lad is a brilliant jumper. He never travelled or never jumped at Cheltenham, so the bit easier ground today suited him perfect. Sean went a nice gallop but once they jumped the hurdle out of Ballyhack he kind of slowed up to the fourth last and third last and, this lad winged by him at the third last. All this lad does is gallop, so I was happy to be there. It was a tough performance. Mark said he let himself down today on the ground, there was a nice dig in it. He didn’t let himself down at all the last day. It’s nice to have one like him. The first three will all make their name, I think, in the next few years. He’s a fine big horse that can go jumping fences, the same with the second horse. I could see Majolique staying over hurdles. Things didn’t go right for her but she’s a fair mare too.
Handay success for Cobden in McManus colours
It makes life a lot easier to live when the horses are running well,. A lot of time we go home from the races scratching our heads and depressed. We wouldn’t be depressed the way they are running at the moment. The drier ground made a big difference to him, he seemed to get very bogged down in Naas the last time and also the time before that. He seemed to travel well the whole way there. I’d say he’ll make a nice chaser, he’s a lovely big horse.
Slade Steel reverts to hurdles to land Grade 2 success
He was actually running a blinder this year in Punchestown and got brought down at the fourth last and, just his auld confidence went a little bit again. I thought he ran well at Cheltenham the last day, It was a great call by everyone to bring him back over hurdles and, cheekpieces on for the first time. We’re really happy with that, delighted for the horse. He was a bit unlucky at Punchestown at Christmas to get brought down and he just didn’t seem to love the old chasing so we’d said we’d pop back to hurdling. It’s great for Robcour, the horse and everybody.
Energumene rolls back the years at Fairyhouse
I don’t know what he’s on at 12 years of age but I’m going to get some of it!. I couldn’t believe how well he was going. You could see Paul just absolutely tanking and the further he was going the better he was liking it. I’m just amazed that he could put in such a performance today. I’m delighted with Blood Destiny too and very sorry for Saint Sam (fell two out) and connections. Energumene stole the show. At 12 years of age to put in a performance like that. He ran like a seven or eight-year-old. Paul picked right.
Soldier In Milan romps away with Irish National
Class trainer, class owner. Just so lucky to be involved with these people. Obviously the stable staff in Emmet's are second to none. They are there day in, day out and, hats off to them. It hasn’t really hit home yet. I was pinching myself jumping the last with a lap to go, he was jumping and travelling and everything was going very smoothly. The biggest worry was bypassing the fourth last and hitting the front. I had warned Donagh that if everything is going right to wait as long as he can. He executed everything brilliantly, it was a brilliant ride. Leaving out a hurdle campaign was a risk, I suppose. We always hoped he had the class to overcome the inexperience. He was smart out the gate and into gear. Fingers cross we think he could be a classy individual. He was fit and well. Funnily enough, I know he went off favourite, but I told Paul ‘everything is good, he’s happy, he’s healthy, he’s fit but I’ve seen him in better order’. I was only 95 percent. I was 100 percent happy last year going for the bumper in Punchestown and that proved to be very strong form, beating King Rasko Grey. Fingers crossed we can get him back 100 percent again some other day!. A well-backed favourite winning an Irish National is something special and he was greatly received here today. It’s an honour and a privilege. It’s been the plan, there’s no hiding that fact, since the start of the season when we decided we were going over fences.
Clonmeen wins from out of the handicap at 40/1
It was a great performance. I’d say it was the blinkers,. He seemed to be coming back into form and he absolutely loves it around here. He had a great run here the last day. He was very good and the blinkers sharpened up his jumping. Simon knows him well, he’s won two on him before and was back on him today. I didn’t see it coming to be honest. I was actually planning on going to Down Royal in a week’s time and the owner said he wanted to come here. It’s been great.
Charismatic Kid impresses with facile bumper success
He’s a very good horse. We brought him to Cheltenham and didn’t run him because of the ground. We think he’s a proper horse but you have to go and do it on the track,. We rode him wrong the first day, we dropped him in, but we let him stride on today. He’s massive. Bringing him over (to Cheltenham) and not running him was probably the best thing I ever done. He’s a great jumper, a nice horse. I’d imagine that’ll be him for the year and he’ll be a lovely hurdler next year.
