Recent Quotes
Ballinrobe Mon, 22nd Jun, 2026 Merlin The Wizard I told Dylan to pop out and be handy, and to settle him where he was comfortable, and he gave him a brilliant ride. I was happy watching it, because I knew it was going to be hard for the fancied ones to come from the back. The last day when he won (at Limerick) it turned into a three-furlong sprint and he was tapped for toe a bit, so I wanted him to be handy and that's usually the way to ride them around here. His owners are from Galway and that's the plan for him now. It will be more competitive there, but this was a nice race to win anyway. We just have 10 stables in the yard, and that's as many as I want. Luckily we've managed to find one or two decent horses most years and if they're good enough, I feel I'm good enough to train them.
Limerick Wed, 10th Jun, 2026 Monvoe He has really turned the corner this year as he was a nightmare last year. He had been free and wasn't racing properly, but for some reason with a winter under his belt, he has come back a different horse and is racing properly. I think the faster the ground the better he is and even today, that ground is slower than he'd like. He is a fine big horse and you'd be thinking he can only improve further. Darren Dwyer bought him and fair play to him, as I'm lucky to have such a lovely horse. I entered him for a 1m1f €100,000 three-year-old handicap at the Curragh on Derby Day and he'll go there next.
Limerick Wed, 10th Jun, 2026 Merlin The Wizard The owners decided that we’d go back to a claimer to try and get his head in front and it mightn’t have been the worst race in the world. The trip was obviously a worry, going up to 1m4f, but I thought after the last day, at the Curragh over a mile, he looked to be on his head all the way. Colin said he got the trip no bother there which is great as it opens a few more options. I'm delighted for his owners Lorna Honan and her husband Chris Fennessy, while his other owner Ronnie Quinn didn't make it, as he unfortunately got stuck in traffic.