Blackmore dictates on Avenir D'Une Vie

McConnell Construct's a plan for Galway

He was good to go out first time out and make it, it takes a fair horse to do it. He was a little bit novicey, but he has that class that he could be a bit novicey and still beat that field. It might not have been the best maiden hurdle ever run, but you would think there's a lot of improvement and better days for him. He's a fine, big horse and he probably hasn't even come to himself yet. I looked at him today and thought he's only fit now. We won't over-race him, he likes that ground so we will keep him going for the next couple of months and then give him a break. He might end up in Galway on the Monday. It will be baby steps with him because he is a baby. Even when he came into the ring he was green as grass with the big crowd. He was good out there and I was delighted with that. We bought him last October in the Horses In Training Sale and we schooled him a good bit - we had Triumph Hurdle aspirations and he even got an entry in it, but we just said we would leave him a novice until next year. He schooled around the Curragh with Hannon and Pearl Of The West a couple of times and then we schooled him a good bit for the EasyFix hurdles because they are a different kettle of fish. We knew he jumped well enough and I was hoping his Flat rating would translate because I think his Flat rating is a fair reflection and he could even be better than his Flat rating.

Inishbel goes one place better twelve months on

She was actually second in this race last year and we did plan to come here. She jumps very well and had quite a bit of experience. She kind of deserved that. Bryan (Cooper) said to probably go straight for a chase instead of hurdling, maybe over two and a half miles. She will probably come back here for a chase.

Easy for Peaches as Cromwell registers yet another success

Finegan & Short are Happy lads after Downpatrick win

He won his bumper here last year. He was a bit slow jumping his hurdles. It took him a while and maybe we left him point-to-pointing too long, he was just a bit too careful. He seemed to jump better today and he got his own way and he did it well. You need a bit of luck in this game!. I think he'll stay further, he just seems to love this place and likes it up here. If we see something here again we'll be bringing him back. Poor Danny (Hand) got a fall this morning and hard luck on Danny. We got Adam (Short) at the last minute, it was brilliant. Delighted to get him!

Canadian goes a few places better 24 hours on

They went too slow yesterday (in Sligo) and they didn't quicken. He's entered for Killarney later on in the week, but we'll see what he is like in a couple of days. He might run but I'd say it is a bigger chance he won't. Looking at it this morning you had to go for today's race - if he was a five-year-old horse you wouldn't do that but sure he is a 10-year-old horse. He came out of yesterday 100 per cent and we scoped him yesterday evening to make sure he was 100 per cent. He could have finished third today as handy as winning. Conor (Orr) is a very good jockey - I gave him a lot of rides and he had no luck for me for a long time but I stuck by him.

Saint just prevails under Codd for Elliott