Going - Good: Changed to Good, Good to Firm in places after Race 7. Partly Cloudy
Jackpot Pool - 3,935.15 Dividend - 51.70 Winning Units - 53.28. Placepot Pool - 54,461.28 Dividend - 10.40 Winning Units - 3639.38. Days Aggregate - 970,134.02 Last Year 1,246,987.84
Weld, Hayes and Juddmonte win Derby Day opener
Chris (Hayes) had him in a lovely position throughout. When you are drawn wide here it is important to go and get a position otherwise you will be forced very wide over the nine furlongs, but he got him out and got him over. He tracked Ryan (Moore, on leader Mississippi Rover) and the plan was to have a go at him in the final furlong and that is just what he did. We’ll see how he comes out of the race and another sponsored handicap will be the plan for him. He was gelded and just took a bit of time to come to himself. This was a lovely race for a three-year-old and he had been working nicely.
Marnane on the mark with Slieve Binnian
Mick (Halford) recommended us and I’ve known Paul Rooney for a long time. He’s one of the real gentlemen in racing. Slieve Binnian ran really well on Guineas weekend, and then we put him away for this. He could be a Galway Mile horse and will need to go up a few pounds to get in, so we’ll see what the handicapper does with him. I’d like to have a go at Galway as he jumps smart and travels well. He hasn’t had many goes at a mile. He took a while to get going the last day but came home well and sharpened up a lot from it.
McCreery vindicated as Vespertilio delivers in the Dash
she has lots of speed and needs cover. Dylan was very patient and said when she hit the front she thought she had everything done and pulled herself up. I’m delighted to get her back in the winners enclosure. She won a Group 2 as a two-year-old and was third in a French Guineas so it was hard to persuade the owners to bring her back to six furlongs, as she had such good form over a mile, but it has paid off. Night Of Thunder puts loads of speed into them.
Skukuza's expedition yields Celebration success
we ran Skukuza in the Britannia Stakes last year where he ran a great race but it really jarred him up so we couldn’t risk him on that fast ground at Ascot this year. It was a brave decision not to run when you are one of the favourites for the Hunt Cup but the plan has worked. He’s a Listed winner now so we are growing. Ryan really wanted to get a lead but he didn’t expect any pace, so he said I might have to make my own running which he did. The horse has never done that, but he did everything right and I think the further he went the further he was going to win. He likes coming back here for classic days so maybe there is something for him on Oaks day!
Lynam registers first Rockingham win
the Rockingham is a race I’ve always wanted to win and my grandmother won it when I was a kid in the 60s, with Wingfield Lily. I’ve got a name as being a good sprint trainer but I’d never even got close to winning it. I trained Keke for this race and when I saw the draw on Friday, I thought we were in trouble. We’ve just brought him along steadily and it’s great to win this race.
Lambourn is 20th horse to complete Derby-double
Welcome Derby Day winner for Bolger
it’s been a tough week for the boss as his brother Liam passed away on Wednesday and his good pal Kevin Prendergast’s funeral was on Tuesday so that is a bit of a tonic.
Bellaphina bags another big-weekend Curragh win
she has always been held in high regard and won a Premier Handicap here as a three-year-old. This year she had a good run in Gowran on heavy ground and then got a setback before getting no luck in running at Limerick the last day. She’s very quick and you can’t go too early on her. She’s in a Group 3 at Leopardstown on July 10 (Brownstown Stakes) and all going to plan, she will go there.
In-foal Lot Of Joy signs off in style
I’m delighted for the filly to break her duck on the Flat (in Ireland) and that’s her final attempt, as she’s in foal and goes to stud now. It’s a tremendous way to sign off and I’m delighted Seamie Heffernan did the job for us: he’s always a man you can depend on. The second (Too Bossy For Us) ran very well and might have been a little too keen throughout the race. There is a nice race in him somewhere and he could head to Galway.