Going - Soft to Heavy. Overcast
Jackpot Pool - €443.37 Not Won. Carried forward to Dundalk on Friday 20th February. Placepot Pool - €31,572.13 Dividend - €6,386.20 Winning Units - 3.45. Days Aggregate - €141,055.13 Last Year €81,257.56
Stars align for Dancing Jeremy
Last season lingered on for him and I had him in for the Mayo National (late May) but he didn't run and, when he came back in, he picked up a niggly injury which set us back. Fair play to Padraig Roche (trainer) who took him and swam him for a while, which kept the wheels turning, but he was very lucky to get here today as the lorry broke down. We had to swap him over on the motorway and just got here on time. Heather (partner) was travelling with Dancing Jeremy, but her lorry broke down and it wasn't able to go over 30km per hour. Luckily, I was travelling behind with the later runners, so was able to swap and he got here just on time. We were fortunate winners, but they are there to be jumped and he has been a savage servant for us. He won a Listed race last year, and our young lad Charlie is only four but walks him around the yard and loves him. He has an attractive mark over hurdles, so we might go that way now.
Karia Des Blaises off the mark in Ireland
Breakthrough win for Foster's 11-year-old
He had promised a lot, but that was a very long time coming. He was a bit non-committal about everything, so I jumped him over banks and ditches hoping to ignite his enthusiasm, which I think it did. I wasn't expecting this but he was very good, and I'm delighted for his owner Jules Sigler who also won with Westandtogether at Navan recently. Georgie gave him a gorgeous ride and when I was doing my Gordon Elliott gig, she won the Ladies Derby in the Curragh, so she has sort-of ridden for me! She is well able to ride and did exactly what was needed to be done today.
Thurles black-type double for Mullins & Townend
Double for Donovan as Mason outstays rivals
He jumped well early and his jumping is generally good but, whether he tweaked something or not, I thought he was beaten after making a mistake at the top of the hill. For the mistakes he made, he did it well in the end and you'd be very impressed. You wouldn't be going to any other track only here, due to the bad weather, as he isn't suited by heavy winter ground. He had been ready for a point-to-pointing some time ago but had a small setback, although hopefully now that was all for luck as he is winning. I think he'll be better on nice ground.
Campbell Black strikes on handicap debut
Back-to-back bumper winners for Conor Houlihan
