Going - Soft to Heavy, Heavy in places. Fine
Jackpot Pool - €1,015.79 Dividend - €711.00 Winning Units - .86. Partial Carry Over of €150.04 to Tramore on Tuesday 25th November. Placepot Pool - €49,338.46 Dividend - €55.60 Winning Units - 620.59. Days Aggregate - €256,830.77 Last Year €268,446.09
Desertmore House enjoying himself over the banks
He loves it now. It was his first (cross-country) run here in the La Touche in the spring and he was good. . We had him here the other day just for a pop around and he was looking for the next bank. He was just attacking the whole thing, and I thought he’d run a big race. . We’ll probably aim for Cheltenham in the spring, and I’d say he’ll love it around there too.
Champagne Kid sparkles at Punchestown
We fancied him to run well and he set the standard as he was rated 118. He ran well behind Koktail Divin last season and that form has worked out well since. . He stays well and would have no bother going up in trip.
Kotkito Bello makes every yard for Hogan and Rothwell
I thought he’d step up for softer ground, and I felt today with 9st7lb on his back the ideal thing was to let him gallop and jump. He has loads of experience and is a lovely little horse. He jumped well and did everything very professionally. We can mix it as he has his chase rating and we’ll find novice handicaps. There is great prize money for them and it’s lovely to be able to come to these nice meetings. The Barden family have been great supporters of the yard. Oliver has been so good to me for 20 years and having winners for them is very special.
Feet Of A Dancer gains emotional victory in Listed Grabel Hurdle
She’s a good mare and I’m delighted for Cathy (Byrne, owner). (Her husband) Phil is looking down on us. He was a great fella and you can see how much this means to Cathy. Phil was with us from the very start and unfortunately he died suddenly last year. It was a horrendous blow for Cathy and the family. He was a brilliant musician himself and called this mare after a song. He owned Sean’s Bar in Athlone. She was a bit unlucky in the Pertemps at Cheltenham last March but she has large black type now which is brilliant.
Staffordshire Knot back to winning ways under Millar
To be honest he’s been disappointing. He came with a bit of a reputation, but I don’t think he was right last year. He never held his condition or looked great all year and this year he looks a lot better.
Westport Cove battles back for Craddockstown crown
He fought back bravely after a mistake at the second-last. He jumped the last well and is a very sharp jumper. I said ‘well done’ to Paul and he said ‘I hadn’t much to do with it’. The horse gallops and once the tape goes down, he’s gone. I haven’t any plan made and I wasn’t sure that he’d handle this ground. The fact that he’s won on it is a big bonus and we may plan to stay training him for the winter. We might find something for him in the new year.
Gaelic Warrior triumphs in thrilling John Durkan duel
It was a hell of a horse race, and it was a pity someone had to lose but both horses gave their all and it was just a bob of a head. Fact To File looked all over a winner coming down to the last and Gaelic Warrior just found more reserves. Paul said he was just so free and well in himself; he just wanted to gallop and jump. Paul said he was a passenger most of the way and out over the first two he didn’t have much say in the matter. He was able to get a breather into him at the fourth-last and maybe after the third-last which gave him a little bit of powder coming down to the last. Paul said he didn’t look around and just kept sitting and tried to get as much air into him as he could for one final effort and it paid off. I’m not going to say anything here now (about future plans) but we’ll look to have something in the King George and something in Leopardstown. We’ll see how they recover, how they come out of the race. It’s only five weeks away.
