Going - Good to yielding. Fine
Jackpot Pool - 5,602.12 Dividend - 1,519.60 Winning Units - 2.59. Placepot Pool - 23,975.11 Dividend - 9.50 Winning Units - 1754.33. Days Aggregate - 253,852.25 Last Year 194,837.74
Carrigmoornaspruce makes winning debut over hurdles
It is grand to get that out of the way and Michael's 7lb claim is a help. She is only in since July 14 and, again, with these good horses you don't have to work them too much, they're just able to do it. We had done loads of schooling with her once a week for the whole summer. We then put the hurdles out on the grass with Michael schooling her twice a week for the last two weeks, and she had been jumping great. She will go to Down Royal for a grade 3 novice (November) next and we'll see after that. Her owners Mickey (Veale) and Tom (McCarthy) are farmers and love coming here. She finished second here last year so they're delighted. Michael (29) has turned pro, is basing himself with us and is with us three days a week. I'm sure he'll get those rides for bigger trainers in those big handicaps now as he is a steal for 7lb, so best of luck to him as he deserves it and is a good rider.
Heads Up makes class count to win his maiden hurdle
It is a big relief as I felt sicker (with nerves) today than before Cheltenham. He had been jumping very well at home and while we hadn't overdone it schooling-wise or work-wise, there is improvement left. He is in a good while but we had taken our time so he wasn't fully wound up. He had done enough to come here but, because of the way the ground had been, we haven't been able to school him on grass. He also hasn't schooled at today's speed, so there are reasons to be happy and we can go forward now. We always knew he was a really nice horse so we weren't that shocked to see him run so well at Cheltenham. Before sending him home for the summer, we did two weeks schooling with him and he was very quick to jump. The owners (Darragh McDonagh, uncle of winning jockey) aren't too far from here so this was always the plan and there's a good crowd of them here. We'll go back to Cheltenham in November now which is a great meeting to go to and while he could be a 2m4f type horse, I don't mind if he is a two-miler either.
Last Kingdom leads home McManus 1-2 in Lartigue Hurdle
Fast Felix a popular local Listowel winner for McCarthy
The form of his maiden hurdle win has stood up and his Killarney run was good enough to win this. Tom (O'Connor) is a lovely young fella, he comes in to me one day a week and he is going the right way. Sean and Brenda (Maguire, owners) are from Armagh and are huge supporters of my yard. Over the years they have hugely bought into this festival meeting and this is a huge buzz for them, as they have loads of friends here. We are blessed with our staff at home and they are all very good. You are always leaning on people in this game so it is great to see all the people getting a great kick from a winner from a local yard.
'He could go to Cheltenham in October' - Shadow Paddy brings up quick Listowel double for McCarthy
His owners include TJ and Dave Ryan who hurled for Limerick and the whole syndicate are coming to Listowel since they were children, so this is a big meeting for them. He is a lovely horse but things just didn't go his way in Bellewstown when he got shuffled back at the start. While everything went wrong, he still managed to run a lovely race. The drying ground was a huge help. He is a gorgeous, big, good looking horse and the only reason we were able to buy him for only €8,000 was nobody knew anything about the stallion (Shadow Gate). He will make a lovely chaser. I'll talk to the boys but he could go to Cheltenham in October.
Third time lucky over fences for Mossy Fen Park
Mister Pessimistic gives De Bromhead closing race double