Cousin Kate continues on an upward curve

It’s unreal, she’s an improver. It’s an emotional day as Hughie Mulryan bought her and he’s not with us today, all his family are here. She’s been so good and Liam Mulryan has been such a good supporter of mine since I started training. We’ve had good days and I’ve cost him a lot of money over the years as well but he’s always stuck with me and been very loyal, as have all the Mulryans. They are good friends of mine now. I’m just delighted for them and it’s good to have a filly like this in the yard. This year we’ve been rolling with winners but no big winners. We buy a lot of second-hand goods and it’s hard to reach these heights. This was well bought by Hughie off Kevin Doyle. 50 grand out of Augusta Kate, who is breeding winners galore. She was a Grade 1 winner herself, and you can’t beat breeding. She’ll be entered in the Mares Novice Hurdle at Cheltenham now. She’ll be roughly 130 after today so she’s earned her entry. She’s on the improve and with these fillies when they start to go this way you just don’t know where they’ll end up. She has breeding and you can’t beat breeding. I think she might have been somewhere else last season and when Liam first sent her to me he said they didn’t think a lot of her. He said to me to tell him quick enough if she was any good or not. I sent her down to Tramore on her third run for an unplaced maiden and I sai

Cheekpieces prove just the trick for Kaid D'authie

He’s always a horse that showed me a lot at home. I’d think just putting cheekpieces on him today has made a huge difference. It’s bringing out the sort of ability that he shows me at home. He’s a horse that’s always been disappointing to me, on the racetrack. The cheekpieces just made a big difference to him. Mark said he only made one bit of a mistake, at the third last, but he said otherwise he was foot perfect.

Talk The Talk comes out on top in a thriller

'That's the real Majborough' - Mark Walsh completes a Grade 1 double

Mark Walsh was very adamant that he wanted them (cheekpieces) on and that he wanted to ride him his own way. We’d been telling him how to ride him one way and then someone else the next day. Mark said ‘I wanted to do it my way’. We failed so all credit to Mark Walsh. He was terrific. You could see Mark was enjoying it and the horse was enjoying it with him. It was just poetry in motion down the back. I was afraid that he might not have enough left in the tank over the second last, but Mark said to me there that he had plenty in the tank. When horses looked like they might swallow him up going down to the last Mark just gave him a squeeze and he picked up. He threw a terrific jump in at the last and galloped away up the straight. I was wondering over the first three fences if they were going to kill one another and leave it to Marine Nationale but every jump he put in he was getting a half-length or a length off the ones behind him and it all paid off in the end. We’ve had a few funny days, but Mark got the tune out of him today and it was fantastic.

Backmersackme books Cheltenham ticket after big handicap win

That was great. Sean said he was a bit flat to the boards early doors and he let him find his rhythm jumping and he was able to sneak into it at the third last. It was pretty clear sailing from there. He’s improved. I was saying to Sean beforehand that there was a handicap hurdle in Navan last year, the Proudstown, and the winner was Mark Fahey’s horse (Flicker Of Hope) who is going for the Irish National. We were second and Oscar’s Brother was third, so we were the only horse that hadn’t gone and done something over fences yet. That was strong form and it’s all come together now. I suppose over the trip the slower ground helped, definitely. I think ground-wise he’s fairly versatile. He had a tongue-tie on today as well so that probably helped with the slower ground. The plan was the National Hunt Chase over 3m5f at Cheltenham. He was 125 today and that’s 145 so that should be still on the cards. He’ll have a bit more weight now but we’ve a great pot behind us so we can’t complain.

Brighterdaysahead puts up Champion performance at Leoopardstown

We knew she had improved from the last day. Whether she was good enough to beat Lossiemouth we weren’t sure. Jack had a plan that if nobody was going to make it, we were going to make it. She’s very, very tough and she stays. It’s great to be involved in these races and to win them is extra special. I was so nervous coming to the last, just thinking ‘I hope she jumps it’. Lossiemouth is a superstar and our one is a superstar as well. We’re lucky to have her. I was happy the whole way but thought going to the second last ‘here comes Lossiemouth now, we’re in trouble’ but I knew Jack seemed to be happy. I was delighted when I saw him switching to the inside and he could let her roll on. Michael and Anita (O’Leary) are here today. In fairness to them they are big supporters of Irish racing and big supporters of Cullentra House. I’m delighted they are here. He hasn’t been racing in a while, since Cheltenham. It’s brilliant he’s here and Anita as well as a few of the kids.

Kennedy & Elliott on Fire as they complete 40/1 double

He’s a bit of a monkey. You don’t even give Jack instructions going out, just do what you want, drop him in and get him in every bit of trouble you can. Maybe getting his head in front the last day helped. I thought he might be badly handicapped in that ground but it’s great to win. It’s great that the lads are here. Dave (Page) and his brother and a few of them own this fella. Dave is with me a couple of years, and they are big supporters of Cullentra. We’ve had good days and bad days, but they stick with me. Without these lads you can’t do it. They travel over from the UK to see their horses when they can, they don’t get enough credit these men.

Grade 2 success for Moonverrin in dramatic mares bumper

My nephew rang him (Maguire) this morning because he rides her the whole time. We said ‘if you get done for being late we won’t mind’ because once she hits the front she actually stops. What could he do. He said she didn’t travel down the back but the way she battled back! I’m speechless, it’s the first time ever!. This is for all the lads at home. It’s not just me, it’s all the boys at home. We don’t ever ring a jockey beforehand, but my nephew Michael rides her the whole time and he knows her so we just said we’d let him know that if he gets done on the line for being late we wouldn’t lose a night’s sleep over it. His hand was drawn; he was just cruising. It looked down the back like she was struggling but she just devoured the ground. She came home like a train but in saying that she had to battle at the same time. I still think we don’t know how good she is. The way we train them at home, up the hill, we don’t ever drill them. She’s working with Battle Of Ridgeway, who runs tomorrow, and he’s a good yardstick. I’d give him a serious shout tomorrow. It’s our first graded winner and it’s special, especially at the Dublin Racing Festival. She’s going to be entered in everything but whether we go to Cheltenham or wait for the mares’ races, we’ll see. The young lad warned me ‘don’t mention Cheltenham!’ so we’ll probably wai