Going - Hurdle: Soft, yielding to soft in places Chase: Soft, soft to heavy in places. Overcast
Jackpot Pool - €8,451.56 Dividend - €113.70 Winning Units - 52. Placepot Pool - €73,358.29 Dividend - €107.90 Winning Units - 475.81. Pick Six Pool - €25,000.00 Dividend - €8,750.00 Winning Units - 2. Days Aggregate - €326,219.00 Last Year €226,361.00
Golan on the right Road in mares event
We're absolutely thrilled to be up here at Leopardstown. To have a runner at Leopardstown is good so to have a winner is great. She was very unlucky in Limerick and we took a chance running over two miles today. I rang Davy and he said two miles around Leopardstown was like two-and-a-half anywhere else. She was entitled to win. The owner Seamus (Neville) rides out every morning and got a fierce thrill coming up here today and seeing her do that. He bred her and has the family. I don't know where we'll go now as that was more or less the plan. We'll look for a mares novice or a winners of one.
Russell doubles up on Fletcher
Davy gave him a super ride and Ruby (on front-runner Salsa Sensation) was a big help to him. I looked back five furlongs out when they closed up and was hoping he could stay there. I'm not as comfortable with them in front as coming from behind. When they turned in I thought he had put it to bed and he had. He was impressive in the end. He'll learn a lot from that. He jumped very well and every time Davy wanted one he got it. I don't know where he'll go. He couldn't have done it any better. It wasn't the strongest maiden ever run at Leopardstown but he didn't know that. He was entitled to win on his last run. I was a bit worried when Davy said beforehand that the ground was riding considerably quicker than given but he won more impressively than I thought he would. He'll have to go for a winner's of one now and we'll see from there. I'd still imagine he'll be a better horse on softer ground. The Westerners are tough horses and go on softer. He's a good stallion. I'm delighted as that's my first winner for Philip (Reynolds) and hopefully it will cement the relationship. It's also my first winner in this new enclosure here and I was wondering if I would ever get in.
Vautour back on track with facile win
I think he's back to himself. He did what he probably should have done at Christmas. He strode out a lot better and jumped a lot better but I think he could still jump a lot better. He didn't jump as well as he did first time at Navan. It was a very good test. Probably in reality it was a match. The other horse (Real Steel) is rated 140 and has mixed it with the best novices. He put it up to him the whole way down the back and coming to the ditch and yet he was able to shrug him off and go away. I'm happy he's back to himself and think there is more to come. I think it was just a little muscle problem at Christmas. He appeared fine the day before when I left for Kempton but by the time he came to the racing he wasn't right. Two or three days later he was fine. Obviously he'd had a race and made a mistake so he was a little stiff but he came out of the race normally. I said to Ruby today to make sure he was warmed up plenty but he had rode him in a good bit of work since Christmas and was happy with him. We'll see what Un De Sceaux does now. If he does what he looks capable of we'll try and keep them divided. I'll have to see what the other horses do also and talk to the owners. This fella can go out in trip easily or go back. There is a lot of time between now and Cheltenham. He came back here to get back on track. At this stage I wouldn't think he would run again.
Foxrock is at home in the BoyleSports Chase
If he ran as well as in the Paddy Power I thought he was able and he was probably a better horse than in the Paddy Power. He quickened up well after the last and ran to the line. He jumped a bit high early on. He's only seven and will improve. I just think it's an absolute disgrace that the program committee put this race and the Thyestes on in the space of a week. The Leopardstown Chase should be on in February as no horse that is going to run in this is going to run in the Hennessy. We used to have the Paddy Power at Christmas, the Thyestes in January, the Leopardstown Chase in February and then the Irish National in late March. Those were the traditional dates. Anyway I'm delighted I won it! He'll get another eight or nine pounds. He's finished in handicaps and if he's fresh and well he might run in the Hennessy or maybe the Bobbyjo, those type of races.
Katie supplies Prendergast with big jumps win
She's a good mare and he gave her a superb ride. Brian was apprenticed to me and I'm surprised more of the big trainers in England don't use him because he's a superb rider. The winner got a solo at Fairyhouse (last time) and we were shuffled back a bit. She's been going well at home since. We'll keep her for a nice mares race in Punchestown now.
Walsh completes a double on Mydor
He's owned by a great bunch of lads who are all from Dunboyne and I'm delighted for them. He did it well and if he hadn't missed the last he'd have won by three or four. He'll learn from it and he's only a novice. Hopefully he'll make a chaser down the road and he might go chasing next year.
Another possible bumper star for Mullins
He did what he's being showing me all winter. He had one blip and his last work was bad but we took a chance and ran thinking that that was something out of the ordinary. There didn't appear to be anything afterwards. Patrick said he's a good strong horse and he galloped all the way to the line. He didn't get tired. He's a good staying type and is going to keep improving. He's certainly qualified to go to Cheltenham and we'll think about it and see. There are races to be won at home too. A strong stayer is what you need at Cheltenham. The owners don't have any objections about going there. Last year they just didn't have one that was good enough.
