Going - Good, Good to Firm in Places. Fine
Jackpot Pool - €17,631.28 Not Won. Carried forward to No Course on Sunday 20th May. Placepot Pool - €39,687.61 Dividend - €392.80 Winning Units - 70.71. Pick Six Pool - €69,107.00 Not Won. Carried forward to No Course on Sunday 20th May. Days Aggregate - €230,642.00 (7 races). Last Year €519,021.00 (8 races).
Bucky just prevails in Leopardstown opener
He made the running the last day and it was just the wrong way to ride him. His work is good at home and he loves hunting one down. He got there and either he idled or the other horse seen him and had something to chase down. It was a good run and they have pulled clear, and that is what we expected him to do in Dundalk. We were disappointed coming out of Dundalk but I would rather win here.
Progressive Steph wins another Trial
That was great. I've just spoken to Mr Strawbridge and he's over the moon. It's one thing doing these deals and getting big clients into the yard but ultimately you have to deliver. That was a big one for us as he's after entrusting me with the filly and believed what I told him I hoped she was. She is after winning on heavy ground and has won on good to firm ground which is important as if she is going to have a career in the States she has to handle ground like that. She was bought to go to America eventually but she will have a three-year-old career in Ireland. Our horses improve from their first run and we don't aim to gun them first time out. She's not ground dependent and she has a temperament. I'd say she will be supplemented for the Irish Guineas. There is no reason why we won't use today's prize-money for that.
Hazapour springs a surprise in the Derby Trial
He's a very balanced colt and I thought he did it very nicely when he won his maiden in Galway beating Hunting Horn. He's developed over the winter and progressed nicely. He worked beautifully the other morning and handles the ground well. He's a nephew of Harzand (2016 Epsom and Irish Derby winner) so there is only one logical way to go with him. He's a lovely horse to train - a stayer with speed. This horse has very similar characteristics (to Harzand) as he's very tough and genuine. He's very adaptable ground wise, although he may not want very firm ground. It was beautiful ground today, good to firm, which is ideal for him. The extra distance at Epsom would be a concern. He's out of a mare by Daylami but he was getting home well there. He has a lovely way of galloping, low to the ground, and those sort of horses tend to stay. He settles nicely and relaxes and you can put him anywhere in a race, so he has a whole lot of advantages. He has a nice bit of pace and I even toyed with running him in the Amethyst.
Zorion back in the winning groove for Bolger/Manning
He can go over seven furlongs or a mile, and he could drop back to six as well. Hopefully there is another one in him.
Lion returns with a win
It's a great start to the year for him. I had a line through Nanabad to Curley Bill the other night (at Roscommon) and I had a fair idea that we weren't too far off. He's been working well this year and has been a bit sharper. Last year he was third on his first run back after a couple of years' absence but this year we knew he was a bit buzzier in himself. We probably didn't expect to win but we expected to run very well. He's very ground dependent and likes it on the safe side of quick so today it turned out to be ideal. I'm not sure what is coming up for him, and if there is nothing suitable in Ireland then we'll think about going pot-hunting in England with him.
France gets the job done in the last
He's a grand big horse, genuine and stays well. There is plenty of improvement in him still. Once I got him out and gave him a few cracks he went on about his business. The first two are probably nice stayers, and my lad could be for something like the Queens Vase or even a King Edward.
