Going - Good. Fine and sunny
Jackpot Pool - 3,277.87 Dividend - 217.90 Winning Units - 10.55. Placepot Pool - 36,598.00 Dividend - 6.00 Winning Units - 4219.35.
Migdam settles well over hurdles to score for the Buckleys
He ran well the first day in Ballinrobe. He had the handbrake on for three-quarters of the race there because he is so free. He is used to running over seven furlongs on the Flat. The first day was just to get him to switch off and learn the game, but he finished like a train. Today he really settled lovely, and I was surprised by that. The good ground is important to him. He is Flat bred horse by a sire (Zelzal) who I had never heard of before. He's had a few jumps winners in France, but mostly on the Flat though. He is big enough to jump a fence, but he is in such a hurry the whole time. We had the hood on him today and Kieren has done a lot of work with him at home, schooling him, getting him to settle and getting him to switch off and there is the result today. Just chatting to the lads (Enduring Love Syndicate) there and they'd like a trip to England. He'd be an ideal horse to go to England as he'd love the ground over there and the small fields. We might see what's coming up over there.
Surviving Murmansk finally makes the breakthrough on 40th start
It is brilliant to get the win with the horse and for the owner as well, he has always been very good to me. It means a lot. He has been very solid, and he is a lovely horse to deal with. He has a great manner. He deserved that and does get a bit further. It wasn't simple from where he came from, and he was brilliant over the last two. Sean (Delaney), who is from Kells in Co. Kilkenny, has been with me a long time and he is a brilliant owner to have.
Full Of Life readily lands the odds
She was disappointing the last day in Wexford, but they are not machines and are entitled to have an off day. She freshened up well and seemed in very good form at home. On paper it didn't look the strongest of races and off her rating she was entitled to go and do what she did. She was impressive today, jumped super and travelled really well. Bar the last day her form had been rock solid. She is 117-rated and for this time of year that's strong enough for a maiden hurdle of this standard. She is versatile trip wise and could go back to two-and-a-half or go up to two-mile-six. It's nice to get that box ticked today. She'll go for a novice hurdle or a handicap somewhere now, we'll see what's coming up. Henry is in Deauville at the sales and we've had a great festival so far. That's our third winner of the week and hopefully there might be another one or two to come.
De Bromhead and O'Keeffe double up with Cobra Queen
That was a good performance. She was very unlucky at Tipperary the last day where she just got chinned on the line. The 2m6f definitely suited her today. They went a good gallop on the good ground, and it played to her strengths. She wouldn't be that scopey, but she jumped very well today. It was a good performance. The favourite never jumped a fence and was never going and she took full advantage of that. She deserved to win a beginners chase. She's won a point-to-point and a hurdle too, so she's going in the right direction. I'm delighted for Matt Fitzgerald as well, he is a good owner. Today was the plan for the moment. She is rated 115 and we'll see what the handicapper does. She could go back into a handicap and has plenty of experience now. She wants nice ground. She has form on softer ground as well, but she is definitely better on nicer ground. She jumps a lot better on nicer ground.
Tullyveery Lad finishes strongly to take Tramore feature
We thought he might win this race last year. He was just unlucky that day, he made a bad mistake and gave young Paddy Hanlon no chance. It was just one of those things. He is probably getting older and is probably not as quick as he once was. Today, everything was happening too quick. I knew if he could get in among them that all he was going to do was come home. I was afraid they might get away from him. Once he started passing one or two coming up the hill he got competitive. I knew before turning in that he was going to come home, I was kind of hopeful enough. 2m6f is probably his minimum, he probably wants at least three miles. He loves good ground. He is a right horse and has been a right servant. If you had a yard full of him, you'd be flying. The ground was very watered the last day at Wexford, and I don't think he was enjoying jumping on the loose ground. He jumped better today but he's just not the quickest to jump anyway. He is safe but he bumped into one the last day for sure. It's a grand pot to win and he won here at the festival last year as well. We've no plan for him and we'll mix it between hurdles and fences over three miles.
Veteran Itsalonglongroad again shows his liking for Tramore
Fabulous August continues for McConnell in Tramore bumper
It's been a good month so far. She is a filly I pushed to buy. She ran a lovely race in her point-to-point, and she has a beautiful pedigree. She came from a good yard that bring their horses along at a nice pace. In fairness to the lads who have her, they stood up to buy her. We were disappointed in Galway. Things didn't go according to plan. They went very, very slow and she got lit up and then got badly hampered turning in. We just said in the ring afterwards that we'd put a line through it. To be honest, I'd say she was fitter today than she was in Galway. She takes a lot of work, she looked sharper, and she was a bit more streetwise today. We weren't going to run her for a couple of weeks, but I saw this race didn't have many entries and just stuck her in. She worked very well the other day and so we came here, and Finn gave her a lovely uncomplicated ride. I'd say she was idling a little bit in front. Pa (O'Sullivan) and Sue (O'Gorman) who we bought her off always said there is loads of improvement in her and that she is plenty green. I think that's true, and I think she'll keep progressing. She's a really, really nice filly. We'll go home and chat with the owners and make a plan. She does like that ground. We'll have to see whether we go and try nick a bit of black type with her in a bumper or go hurdling straightaway. This is the first job done anyway. She has a beautiful pedigree, and her dam is a half-sister to Mcfabulous. She's got good value as a broodmare anyway.