Going - Soft (Straight), Yielding To Soft (Round). Overcast
Jackpot Pool - €5,000.00 Dividend - €375.00 Winning Units - 10. Placepot Pool - €27,698.82 Dividend - €51.40 Winning Units - 403.72. Daily Double Pool - €325.00 Not Won. Carried forward to Punchestown on Wednesday 12th October. Pick Six Pool - €4,186.50 Not Won. Carried forward to No Course. Days Aggregate - €136,463.90 Last Year €97,724.00
Battle leads Oxx string home in opener
He was supposed to win at Navan on Wednesday. I had himself and Zalantoun in hoping they would be in seperate divisions but they ended up as reserves,. But they got in today and were first and third. The winner ran well at Gowran first time and improved from that. He's quite a nice horse and we might look at the Eyrefield Stakes at Leopardstown (November 6th) for him. That's 1m1f and he looks like he stays quite well. He should improve again hopefully.
Queen rules in Listed contest
She always worked like a very good filly but took a while to win and she ended up at Fairyhouse off a mark of 72,. Then she had a great run here. Maybe I was running her over too short. She's a good mover and has a big heart. She's a very well-bred filly. Joseph said to go to America (Breeders Cup) for the fillies race. We'll see. Obviously she's a filly with a lot of ability.
Ballet completes hat-trick in style
That's absolutely wonderful. She's so game,. When you get a filly like that it's wonderful. She wants to do it and obviously has a bit of ability. I'm not sure where she'll go next - whether we call it a day or go again. But it's a great thrill today. Every race is precious with the fact that she did a leg and was off for two years. Every race has to be considered carefully. She has the potential to go for a nice handicap and that's what she'll be aimed at as long as the handicapper doesn't think too much of her.
Rifles hits the target at Curragh
He's a horse that like to get his toe in and they had plenty of rain here last week,. He's run four times for me and run with great credit every time. He's still open to improvement and that's not the ceiling of his ability. He's just thriving at the moment. This looked a race that he had a good chance in. He's in the sales and some lucky fella is going to buy him at Newmarket. The owner Graham Wylie doesn't have the same interest in the Flat as the jumps. I was very privileged to be given the job of training him and he's been very kind to me.
Minsk proves shrewd buy for Connell
I thought the handicapper might have got him. The rise he got after last time seemed plenty,. It just goes to show you that when they are improving you don't know where they will end up. He's won well again. I had a little doubt about the distance as he won so well over a mile-and-a-half but he travelled well and quickened up. Barry has a nice horse. It nice to see it turn out well when someone buys one. He's due off to a jumps trainer now - Dessie Hughes - and i'm ringing him in the morning. He'll head on to a new life in the next few days.
Treble up for Oxx with Swing
She won well. From the number one position she had to hold her position,. I thought she might be racing a bit keenly but she was obviously not taking too much out of herself and she quickened up well. She's not a bad filly and it might be worth taking a chance in the (Listed) Trigo Stakes (Leopardstown October 30th) with her. It's hard to see where she fits in and that might be a bit tough but we might just let her take her chance. She had a little setback after her first run but is grand now and perfectly sound. She could make a nice four-year-old and the plan is to keep going with her. She's adaptable ground wise as she handles that and also ran well at Dundalk.
Sapphire closes Curragh season
She won here in March on the first day and has now won on the last day,. She's been a lovely filly to train all year and has run genuinely and consistently all year. It's lovely after she was Group 2 placed last time to come and win today. I got the feeling last time that she would stay a mile-and-a-half. She's a filly to look forward to next year. I had looked at the (Grade 1) EP Taylor Stakes (at Woodbine) next Sunday for her but it comes too soon and that'll be it for the year. She has a lot of physical development in her and hopefully she'll be a replacement for Profound Beauty. She's like a little ease in the ground but has also won when it was pretty fast.
