Necklace proves a real Diamond in the Ingabelle

Mulligan shines on topweight Rahmi in Sovereign Path

It’s great, Champions Weekend is a big weekend. Rory is one of my apprentices and he’s been working hard. Thanks to Richard (McNally, owner) and his team this horse came back in good form. He got a bit of a hold-up at the start of the year. I was very happy with his last run, and the plan was always to come here. Seven furlongs suits him well. When the rain came, I thought it would help him. I hope there’s not a golden highway down that outside because I have a few fancied runners later in the day. I said to him to take his medicine (from stall 16), cruise around behind them and get a bit of cover as best you can and then in the straight peel him to the outside. I had four horses and I was shouting for each one of them at different stages.

Benvenuto Cellini looks Champion material

'Group 1 performance' by progressive Convergent

The horse is heavier and stronger than he was going to the German Derby. I think he’s just maturing into a very good horse. He always had the potential to put in a performance like that. I know it was a Group 3, but I think it was a Group 1 performance. I don’t think he was doing a lot in front, and I don’t think Cliff even gave him a slap. He won his Redcar maiden at the end of his two-year-old year. Because he’s by Fascinating Rock he was a band D, which is the lowest band in England. I said to PJ (Colville) that there is a lovely mile-and-a-quarter race to start him off (this season) at Redcar so that’s why he started there, to give him another bit of experience. We knew at the end of last year that we had a very good horse, it was just a matter of how far we could take him. I was very impressed with that performance. He’s got an entry in a Group 1 in Germany if we want to go that route. Next year is going to be his year. He’s still only learning to race. The race plan went perfectly today. I told him to try and get cover, and Cliff gave him an absolute peach of a ride. He is a little bit exuberant. They went steady in Germany, and he was strong until two out there. He’s learning, he came back to Cliff nicely there in the back straight.

Fallen Angel lands another Group 1 in the Matron Stakes

She’s so tough; very, very honest, and James gave her a great ride. It just took a few rides to get to know her. You just can’t pull her around; you’ve just got to let her go. She should be staying a mile-and-a-quarter really but we’re probably better off being aggressive over a mile, I think. I’m absolutely delighted for everybody. I thought we were beat a furlong out when Exactly came to us and then I saw her get her head down, and James got stuck into her. Whenever Danny (Tudhope) rode her as a two and three-year-old he always said she was waiting for a smack to tell her. She’s one of those who waits and waits but when she gets a smack she always gives it to you. We felt that she needed them (cheekpieces) this time around. She got very lackadaisical in her work at home. She needed the run in the Lockinge first time out. I said to Richard Brown that I’d work her in sheepskins and see how she goes, and she worked very well. You could tell they sharpened her up and they certainly work. She’ll probably go for the Sun Chariot if she’s okay and then we could take the boys on in Champions Day at Ascot.

Murtagh doubles up as Alakazi lands Group 2 Solonaway Stakes

You dream about days like today. I’ve been telling Pat Downes all year how good this horse was. He was a bit of a work in progress. He was a bit aggressive earlier in the year, Ben was saying he’s not on the bridle or off the bridle. His last few bits of work have been great; he’s learning on the job. We were a little bit disappointed he didn’t win the last time, but we knew coming here that he was going to be a different proposition. He’s a beautiful horse and a beautiful horse to train. I think he can go all the way. He’s in at Ascot. He probably doesn’t want the ground too soft, and Ben said he handled that ground really well. I think he deserves a shot at it; he’s after winning a Group 2. I’d love to keep him for next year as well.

Delacroix provides O'Brien with 13th Irish Champion Stakes

Pharoah continues Happy association with Leopardstown

Pink Oxalis provides Thorne with big handicap success

It’s a great weekend to showcase Irish racing and just to be part of it is very special; to get one on the board in my first full season as a trainer means a helluva lot. I’ve got a great team of people behind me. My assistant Stephen Mooney is a great part of it, and I owe him plenty. I feel very sorry for Jack Kearney. When we saw the draw for this race we swapped him off this filly, who he has won three times on, and put him on the other filly. It’s just the way the races have been materialising all day, the middle to stands’ side is where you need to be. She’s a real hold up filly and David has given her a perfect ride. To start life off 59 in the wintertime at Dundalk has given her a lot of confidence to come into the turf season. These races aren’t easily won but she’s won like a helluva good filly there today. In Galway from stall 19 she showed that she’s more than capable off top-weight. She ran a cracker. The last day the Cambridgeshire just didn’t work out. There was no pace in the race and Wayne wasn’t hard on her, so she was nice and fresh for today. She’s Saudi owned by a couple of new owners into the yard and hopefully they will be re-investing with us. I’m super proud for them and the support they’ve given me. They sent me this filly before I even had a runner so hats off to them. They picked her out themselves in Goffs, five-and-a-half grand. She must be one of the most progressive h