Aintree Thu, 8th Apr, 2021  Monmiral The owners weren’t keen on Cheltenham. Although usually the Triumph is a cavalry charge and this year there weren’t many runners. This is a lovely race to win and there’s lots to look forward to. It has to be the best juvenile performance by a horse this side of the (Irish) sea. It will be hard to go novice chasing next season as a five-year-old, you don’t get as much of an allowance as you used to. It might be nice to think about the Fighting Fifth, it’s something to think about over the summer. A bit of time wouldn’t hurt this lad. There’s no panic to make a decision. If he won at Newcastle then we know what route to go down.

Aintree Thu, 8th Apr, 2021  Protektorat I didn’t expect that to happen. I said to the owners, who also had Hitman in the race, that today was a short-term plan to get a long-term result next year. I thought he’d run creditably, but I didn’t expect him to win. It’s a long way back from Kelso, where he was beaten after the second jump — he was jumping right-handed and didn’t want to be there. We mixed things up today — taking the hood off, putting the tongue-tie on and redoing his palate. That’s him done for the season now. I was thinking of starting him off back here in the Old Roan, but if the ground is right, maybe we’ll go straight to Wetherby for the Charlie Hall. It’s brilliant to have owners back. They’ve been so patient through this difficult period, but they’ve stuck by us and hopefully they’re here to stay now.

Naas Sat, 13th Feb, 2021  Gentleman de Mee he’s in the Supreme and the Ballymore, and to me he’d be looking more like a Ballymore horse. I’ll see what connections want to do but I think he’ll improve as he goes up in trip. he had a setback early in the season so I hadn’t as much done as I would like to have had. It was pure natural ability what he did there. He jumped well, a bit green looking at the Irish hurdles even though he’s schooled over them before. Mark thought he was in control at all stages and I’m very happy with the performance.

Leopardstown Sat, 6th Feb, 2021  Gaillard Du Mesnil That was a nice start,. He was very keen and I thought he was going to pay the penalty but it shows how big an engine he has that he was able to still find more after it looking like Danny had stole the race. It was a nice victory in the end and he must be a fair sort to come from that far back in that type of contest. Paul had to sit further back than I was hoping he might which left him a lot to do. He made it up nicely. The Ballymore would look the race for him at this point. It was a tremendous staying performance in what looked a real quality field. Stattler was very good and Danny gave him a well judged ride from the front. That puts him in line for the Albert Bartlett and hopefully Ronnie (Bartlett, owner) can win some of his own money back.

Leopardstown Mon, 28th Dec, 2020  Gaillard Du Mesnil I thought on paper it looked like a strong maiden and we went a nice gallop for the ground. I thought it was a true run race. As it opens up it'll get a little slower out there. I was very impressed with him. The jump he put in at the second last showed how much he had in the tank. He looks like a nice, middle-distance horse and we'll probably stay at that sort of trip with him. As he gets more racing I think he'll settle better, he was a little keen with Paul. He wasn't stopping at the end and was finishing out the race well. He's a horse that will go up in grade easily enough, I think. I suppose we'll look at the Dublin Racing Festival. It depends what we do with Appreciate It as we'll probably try and keep them apart.