Champayne could be off to Cheltenham

She was very good and Denis was really happy with her,. Probably nicer ground could help her, and Barry and Rory (Connell, owner) are thinking of going for the Mares Novice Hurdle at Cheltenham. They will have a bit of fun and are entitled to go there with her. She did it well and we were always a bit worried about the ground. Denis said she will be better on better ground but she handled it alright. She showed a bit of class there today. We’ll have a small team going (to Cheltenham) but once we bring them there in top shape that’s all that matters.

Oscar too strong for novice rivals

Force gains effortless success

Bally back in business for McLoughlin

Danny said he travelled into it well and jumped well. He thought he got there a bit too soon but he’s done it well,. He’s by Scorpion and wants a bit of nicer ground. I was a bit hesitant to run him but it’s beside us so we did. It was a bit too far for him the last day. That seems to be his trip now and on a bit nicer ground he’ll get a bit further. Jimmy Sutton (father of owner Raymond Sutton) has a pub called The Fox Inn about ten minutes from the track in Ballymadun, a mile outside Ashbourne, and that’s where the horse gets his name.

Bill lands gamble for Hogan

I was gutted when this meeting was cancelled a month ago, and that was the reason why! It’s great to have somewhere to go with these horses. It’s for horses rated 109 or less over hurdles, and they are very important for me and my owners. Without this race I’d have to race against maybe a 150 horse. It’s great that HRI are putting on more of these races and, if they put on more, then I can keep more owners in the game. I’m delighted for Billy Kelly, Noel Egan and Willie Carey, who bred him. He got injured twice and missed two years with tendons. The boys had the courage to bring him back and the patience to wait. He was a very promising big horse and is just hard to mind the legs. Hopefully the handicapper gives him a chance as he’s ten-year-old now. My other horse (Mister Butler) was not out of it. He came in the corner of my eye, and hopefully we will have a day with him.

Relief for Aherne as odds-on shot delivers

I was under pressure having an odds-on shot here at Fairyhouse but he’s a nice little horse and did it well. He wants a trip and maybe a better gallop,. He goes well on the ground and likes this place - horses for courses. He’ll go into handicaps now and is a good little jumper.

Allannahs strikes Gold in finale