Going - Standard. Overcast
Jackpot Pool - €38,917.99 Dividend - €208.50 Winning Units - 156. Placepot Pool - €50,405.04 Dividend - €26.20 Winning Units - 1342.37. Pick Six Pool - €14,185.75 Dividend - €1,750.00 Winning Units - 5. Days Aggregate - €295,323.08 (8 races). Last Year €214,289.73 (7 races).
Prendergast 1,2 in Dundalk opener
It's a good result as he's broken his duck. He wasn't going to win a handicap off 75 as my other horse who was second is a 55 and they are about the same at home,. That's why these claimers are important when you are in handicap wilderness. It was a plus ten bonus and he's a home-bred so it's great to win a maiden. These maiden claimers are a good concept. We get a nice pot and if he's claimed I wish his new owners the best of luck. The second horse ran very well. In a handicap he'd be getting 20lb.
Heights gains 6th Dundalk win
He ran well here the last twice so it's grand to get him to win,.
Ken's foils gamble on Pal Tal
She has plenty of ability but she's just taken a while to come to hand. She's just been learning her job, but slow at that,. She did that well. Dropping her in over six is probably the way to ride her. The horses she beat there would have been well handicapped. It's good for the owner (Thomas Kelly). He's a good supporter of mine and is from Lanesborough. I'm delighted for him as well. We might leave her for the grass now and give her a little break. Over a straight six she'd probably be alright.
Foley back in domestic action with a double
It''s nice to win with him. His form entitled him to win and he done it,. They went good and hard, he got towed into the race nicely and picked up and won well. It's good to have Shane back in good form as well. He loves that surface so we'll see if we can find something else for him here or else we'll wait for the grass to dry out a bit. He's a lovely straight forward horse. The handicapper mightn't stir him a whole lot as the horse that was second tonight, he beat him further the last night. He's a nice horse, he's tough, and he'll probably step up in trip in time.
Biting dogs don't stop Try Again
That's two in two days (Boher Call won for the yard at Thurles yesterday) — it's a miracle!. I think he's improving. The only thing that put me off was that they don't normally win three-in-a-row up here. I just thought he had improved all the time at home. He had one set back since his last race. On a windy night a bunch of dogs got in and one of them bit him on the leg. He was lucky to be here!. Luckily he was alright and maybe the few days off did him good. He's actually in here next Thursday. I'd be greedy to run him but I probably will! I'd prefer to go to Leopardstown though — that's the original plan. It would be more sensible to go to Leopardstown as he will go with a bit of cut in the ground.
2 for Smullen as winning Story goes on
I'm delighted. I've always thought a massive amount of this filly,. I'm not sure if I'll go to Lingfield with her as the track might not suit. I've spent a long time getting her correct so I'll pick her races. I'll pick a Listed race and try and go from that, and look for good ground. It's taken so long to get her right. She was in work, this race came up and I thought I'd run her and see where we are. She was getting very fresh at home so I said I'd run her. It wasn't a major plan to get her ready for it but she was getting herself ready. Now I can back off her and give her a bit more time again. She won over six as a two-year-old but I knew she wasn't a six furlong filly. It was just the race that came up. Ronan (Whelan) always thought she'd be a miler. I feel very sorry for Ronan (who is serving a suspension) but I had a very able sub in Pat.
43/1 Dundalk brace for Orr
He gave him a great ride. We thought there was going to be plenty of pace so we dropped out and took our time,. He was tracking Wayne (Lordan) a lot of the way and the gaps opened up brilliant. I thought he got out a little bit early but it was perfect. The horse has been a revelation around here this year. I don't know why but he is. We have him entered in the Lincoln. We probably won't go — it depends what way the ground is. He's on form and we'll just tip away here. He's probably going to go up a bit now and we might even look at Lingfield. Sean is a great patron of mine, a great supporter, and he's delighted.
Hogan/Halpin combine to good effect again
That was a top class ride. He knows him well now, dropped him in lovely, took his time and weaved his way through. Gary has been very lucky for me,. He's a horse that can hopefully go in again. He has to have top of the ground. We would jump but it would need to be real good ground. He had a wind-op before Christmas and it did help. He just wasn't getting home in his races. He was very good. We weren't sure as he'd only won over 1m2f and got beat over 1m4f in between. We just thought dropping him in over this trip was the job. He'll probably come back here again.
