Smooth-travelling Central gets the Party started

I'd say she's a black-type mare to be fair. We had her in a black-type race last week but I thought, with the mark she had, she was too well handicapped to run her in it. We said we'd keep her for this and we could always get black-type somewhere else down the road. She has plenty of it already. Davy gave her a beautiful ride and when she got there she just pulled up, she had done enough. She's a nice mare. Noel and Valerie like to have a few broodmares so we'll try and make her into a broodmare. They'll be going to Cheltenham for the week so if they'd like to run her she'll be on the lorry.

Galopin Des Champs impresses again

I wasn't as happy with his jumping as I was at Christmas but then Paul said it was a Grade 1 pace today. Bryan Cooper got down off my other horse and said the same thing, they were going so fast. Paul said he didn't want to let him down to jump fences the way he did at Christmas otherwise he would maybe have been in front too early, on softer ground, so he held on to him a bit longer. He didn't go with them a few times and the horse was very brave and I was wondering how long that was going to last. They finished together, which is good, and both would have learned a lot from today's run against real stiff company. The horses behind him were really good horse, Grade 1 winners. When they jumped the second-last I said 'is there anything going well' and you could see all the jockeys were sort of nudging. I said 'Paul is still going well, all you've got to do now is jump the last' and that's what happened. My heart was in my mouth jumping those fences down the back whereas at Christmas I was waiting for another fence to come up because he was really pinging fences. Paul didn't want to let him do that today, he tried to teach him something. We'll just try and keep him right now and then decide where we are going to go. A lot of things can happen between now and Cheltenham. Hopefully we are sound and well the week before Cheltenham and we'll know then what's happening.

Chacun Pour Soi resumes winning ways

He's back to himself. He was very good all week and he trained very well. I thought I had him very ready the last couple of times and he disappointed so this week I decided I was just going to get him here at 95 percent and I think he's better like that. He's been pleasing me at home doing that so that's what I'll be doing for the future and hopefully I can get him across the water in that sort of form. He doesn't seem to bring his A-game when he gets on the ferry, whatever it is. Maybe I'll go undercooked rather than properly cooked the next time. Maybe the travelling takes something out of him as well. We always think a day on the boat is like a piece of work so maybe we'll do one bit less at home with him. He has never brought the sort of form he has brought around here to England.

Drop back in trip suits Birchdale

He always had the ability and I just think he has matured as well, I'm not taking much credit for it. I thought he got a great ride from young Mark, I've known him for a long time as he used to come in and ride out for us. It all came together today and 9-7 was a help. It was Mr Berry's idea to use him, it's getting harder to get fellas to do the weight. Mark is riding well and it was an easy decision. He was outstanding on him. I was getting mixed up with the red cap (on Winter Escape) and blue cap. I said 'we're going to be third' but next thing someone said to me 'well done' coming down off the stands. I was certain I was the red cap so it was a pleasant surprise!. I'd say the loose horse coming towards him as well probably carried him on. This was kind of the plan and it's a prestigious race to win.

Honeysuckle the star of the show again

That was absolutely brilliant. She was great again, the pair of them. I'm delighted. She jumped well, I thought, throughout. She maybe went a little bit left at the third last but winged the second last and took off again. It felt like a long straight after the last but she was brilliant and Rachael was brilliant on her. The atmosphere has been amazing here today. Every second person you meet says my daughter, or son, is a massive fan of Rachael and Honeysuckle. It's incredible, it's a dream for us to be involved and we feel very lucky. It's just great having everyone back and isn't it great she was able to do it on the day. We did a lot when there were no crowds around so it's brilliant to see the crowd appreciating her and giving her and Rachael the reception they got.

Sir Gerhard a sixth DRF Grade 1 for Mullins

I was disappointed how he jumped down the back, he galloped through two or three hurdles. I was giving out before the race that the second last was taken out but halfway down the back I said maybe it's a good thing. He jumped the second last well and jumped the last well and galloped the whole way to the line which was fantastic. He hung off the bend past the stands and then was all over the place going to the hurdle past the stand. Was he just idling in front, I don't know, or was something annoying him. We'll find out when Paul comes back in. He got very keen on Paul around the top bend and when he got keen he didn't jump well. He was so efficient here at Christmas, he jumped like a handicapper so I was disappointed with his jumping. I'm not really worried about his jumping, I think he just had a blip there today. I think he could go either way, I'd have no trouble going to the Supreme Novices' with him or to the Ballymore. We'll see what is in either race and then make our minds up. He settles well enough in a two mile race and he has stamina for two-and-a-half.

Russell pounces late on Call Me Lyreen

Davy gave him a good ride. We said we'd ride him a bit cold today, creep away, and that's exactly what Davy did. There is only one winning post. Shane Fitzgerald gave my other horse a lovely ride as well to finish second but unfortunately he bumped into one. The horses are running well, that's our third winner of the weekend and most of the rest of them have been placed so we're very happy with the way they've been running. Danny Houlihan is a big supporter of the yard, he always has three of four horses with us, and he's a lovely man so it's great to have a winner at Leopardstown for him. It's great for Boardsmill Stud, John Flood is a good friend of mine and we live beside each other so it's nice to get a winner for Boardsmill.

Lily Du Berlais lands a thriller for the Crawfords