Jacovec Cavern draws first blood on day two at Punchestown

We were waiting on the declarations to see if he’d get in and we didn’t know until about 10.15. It was a long 15 minutes!. It’s wonderful, we are a small team and we enjoy the craic. They are fantastic owners and have been very patient. We ran him in a Triumph Hurdle three years ago, when he was 300/1, and he ran well in it. We thought we’d have great fun with him but it’s taken a while. I really wanted to win a hurdle race with him because he’s won on the Flat and won a chase for us. All the owners are here and we’ll enjoy, on a fine day like this at Punchestown.

Raise You Up leads home O'Sullivan 1-2 in RED MILLS Final

Quinta Do Lago another festival winner for Harrington

We don’t have many national hunt horses now. I’d like a few more of them, we can still train them!. He was bought at the Orby Sale to be a two-year-old and run in the ‘Million’ but it didn’t happen. He was a backward three-year-old so we decided to keep him for an academy hurdle. I was determined if I was going to go for that I was going to win it. Then he won his maiden hurdle here. He went to Cheltenham and finished fifth in the ‘Fred Winter’ and I’d say he’s only really coming to himself now. I’d say what he really appreciated today was the step up in trip. He’s always been a strong stayer. To give them time and patience is the hardest thing.

Le Frimeur too strong for 'home' team in Novice Grade 1

It’s a cliché but I genuinely dream about training Grade 1 winners,. It’s absolutely unreal. Obviously it makes it an awful lot easier with very good horses. Simon actually grabbed me on the arm at this meeting last year and said he was going to send me this horse. To have the access to horses like this is something unbelievable. He got a little setback in the Autumn and he’s just improved and improved all spring. We had no idea how good he was coming here and I’m still not sure we do to be honest. JJ said he did plenty wrong in the race and he’s beaten a quality field well. It’s absolutely unreal. We obviously believed in the horse a lot or less we wouldn’t have brought him here. JJ thought three miles was the right thing to do and it’s absolutely unreal.

Josh Halford lands Grade 1 bumper on With Nolimit

To be fair he ran a good race in Cheltenham, he might have just done a little bit much. I probably gave Harry (Swan) the wrong instructions. We took our time with him a bit more today. All credit to Josh, he gave him a great ride. Barry O’Neill was supposed to ride him but he got a fall. I spoke to him when he was going to the hospital and he thought he’d be okay. Those boys are made of steel. We were never going to be using anybody but Josh if Barry couldn’t ride. The only reason that Josh wasn’t riding him was that he was 7lb wrong with no claim. I’m delighted for Josh, he works in the yard and he works very hard. He’s a lovely fella, he’s from good stock. He’s with me now for a couple of years and got us a good few winners. He comes in everyday and doesn’t say too much and doesn’t give out. He’s patient and I’m absolutely thrilled for him, to win a Grade 1. It’s hard to get them. That’s equal with our best ever season as regards Grade 1s (12). Hopefully we might get another one before the end of the week.

Nouvotic makes all to win Grade 3 Handicap Chase under O'Keeffe

Gaelic Warrior leads home Mullins 1-2-3 in Gold Cup

We’ve never won this race before. It was very sporting of JP to run his horse, the ground probably didn’t suit him but he’s a fantastic horse. I’m so pleased to win it. I’ve not been here since Ruby retired in 2019. I’ve been busy and we had covid and those kind of things. The people here are brilliant and I’m thrilled to win the race. I couldn’t be more delighted. Joe Chambers as well as Willie and Paul and the rest of the team deserve a lot of credit and I’m thrilled for everyone. I didn’t watch it but Joe said we were going well. It felt like it was never in doubt and I’m looking forward to watching it. It was a huge performance. My heart was in my mouth when Paul joined him between the fourth last and the third last. I was thinking ‘would they knock one another’ or what would they do. They were going some lick. Both jockeys just let fly. Over that trip Gaelic Warrior seemed to have the measure of Fact To File. Over a shorter trip it might be different. It was a helluva horse race. It takes two horses to do it. It was great that JP allowed Fact To File to take him on. It made for a memorable day. Both horses got the run of the race the way they wanted to. Fact To File got a nice time in front and Paul was able to settled his fella in. Both jockeys got to ride their horse the way they wanted to. There were no excuses.

Even Tho wins Grade 3 bumper under Jody Townend

That was a huge performance,. Rachael Blackmore tipped us off to have a look at her after she fell in her point-to-point and bought her for this client. It’s one of the many talents she has now that she’s given up riding, spotting horses! If she can buy more like her she’ll make a living out of that. It was a good buy by her and we’ll have to give Rachael the plaudits for sourcing this one. It was an extraordinary performance. I was hoping my own filly was creeping up the inside with Derek but when Jody set her alight it was all over in a few strides. We know she jumps, she’s been around a point-to-point course, so we’re looking forward to going novice hurdling, probably next season.