Punchestown Tue, 30th Apr, 2024  Tune In A Box the man who does my form work highlighted this series to me and as soon as I read the race conditions, I thought it was ideal for a few of those in the barn. We hit the qualifiers quite strong, won two and were second in another. Where can you go for an €80,000 pot for horses with those ratings - there aren't any races for them with that prize fund. It would have been crazy not to target it. I was watching Montregard (under stable jockey Sam Sheppard) throughout the race but I kept casting my eye back to Tune In A Box and I saw him travelling everywhere. I thought Montregard would be the horse to beat and would close him down but didn't, and the winner is a horse which keeps surprising us.

Leopardstown Sat, 3rd Feb, 2024  Il Etait Temps Danny is just on fire today,. This horse is improving, his jumping is improving and he’s settling as well. He didn’t have much respect for hurdles, but he has far more respect for fences and that’s bringing out improvement in him. It just shows you that chasers come in all shapes and sizes, he’s not the biggest horse in the world. He’s obviously very effective over this trip and we’ll look forward to the Arkle in Cheltenham. He showed plenty of resolution and Danny just timed his run well. Facile Vega will probably stay at that trip as well. I was very happy with him, even though he got beaten. I saw a lot in the race to say that he’s coming along and improving as well.

Fairyhouse Mon, 1st Jan, 2024  Don't Talk There was a little question mark if he would get the two-and-a-half today so I had that in the back of my mind. I would rather be going a stride slower than a stride quicker on that ground as well. I would maybe have preferred if a horse came with me to bring me to the leader but I had to go when I did. He got in tight to the last and was doing the bare minimum in front so hopefully there is another bit of improvement in him. He did it well. Danny gave him a good ride and everything was straightforward, he seemed to improve from the last day. We thought he had. They get caught eventually (by the handicapper) but he's definitely improving and he jumps a fence well. The horses were sick all last year, we just tried to change things around a bit and everything seems healthy now. When they healthy you can make a plan but when they aren't you can't do anything.