Aintree Sat, 10th Apr, 2021  Happygolucky We were beaten fair and square at Cheltenham by a revitalised horse, but we were staggered we did get beat. That was a great performance today. He’s a novice, but he’s very professional. I think we’ll be limited in terms of options for the rest of this season, but we are running out of time, it will be nice if he can come back here this time next year (for the National). He jumps so well and seems to stay, (but) I think you could run over shorter on softer ground. To start off next year there are the early races at Cheltenham, but if it’s soft we could think of the Paddy Power, maybe the Ladbrokes Trophy.

Aintree Fri, 9th Apr, 2021  Belfast Banter I’m absolutely thrilled — we’re celebrating here at home!. After Cheltenham we picked out this race and I said to the owners we were just hoping he’d go over and run a big race. To come out and win is absolutely unbelievable. We went into the race thinking we were riding him to be placed, just because he’s that type of horse that follows along, so to go and win has given us all a massive buzz. I don’t think he’ll go to Punchestown, to be honest. I’ll have a chat with the owners, but he’s not in any of the graded races there. The plan was to go to Aintree and if he ran well and went up a couple of pounds, he’d be guaranteed to get into the Galway Hurdle. We’ll see what way things are now and see what the handicapper does — we might be out of handicaps now, I suppose. The Galway Hurdle is worth a lot of money, but I’d take a Grade One over that any day.

Cork Mon, 5th Apr, 2021  Master Artist after his last run in Gowran he had something wrong with his knee and had to get an operation. He came back and was very keen the last day I rode him at Thurles and then didn't really put up a show but was a lot better today. He switched off today which was the main thing.

Tipperary Wed, 24th Mar, 2021  Broomfield Hall We took a chance running her back quick but it being a point-to-point race I had to take a chance and there wasn't a suitable race for a while. She also hasn't come right in her coat and that was my biggest concern with her. We'll keep her for hurdling next season and she is a fierce honest mare and the further the better for her.

Cheltenham Wed, 17th Mar, 2021  Sir Gerhard I have to say well done to the Cullentra (Elliott) team. He came in great condition. The first night he came, we didn’t have any of the feed he’d been eating at Cullentra, so we just gave him our usual feed — and he didn’t miss an oat. He’ll probably go for the Champion Bumper at Punchestown. We’ll have a word with (owners) Cheveley Park, but that would look the obvious target. They are two good horses, and I’m delighted to have them. Looking at it, Kilcruit looks like a Ballymore horse and Sir Gerhard a Supreme type (next season).

Cheltenham Tue, 16th Mar, 2021  Appreciate It It’s a great start to the meeting. I couldn’t believe that he won so easy. Things were looking a bit tough rounding the last bend in Leopardstown (last month) and we were wondering whether he’d left his best performance of the year there (at Christmas), so we just brought home and freshened him up and it seems to have worked. The way he finished the race today he looks as good as any of our previous winners of the race — it was a Vautour-like performance.

Clonmel Tue, 9th Mar, 2021  Quarry Lil That is her third win here and she loves it here. We might give her one more race before leaving her off for the summer. We have 16 in training, a lot are young and if we had a few more like her we'd be grand.

Navan Sat, 6th Mar, 2021  Santa Rossa She's a good mare. It wasn't the plan to make the running but he said she didn't settle. That was my only worry, if she was fresh and well on her first run back. He said she gave him a good feel, travelled and quickened at the back of the last. She jumped well and she's a very nice mare. Her form was there in the book as she was a good bumper mare too. The owner will be hoping for black-type over hurdles now. She has it in bumpers but we'll be wanting to get it over hurdles as well.

Navan Sun, 21st Feb, 2021  Atlantic Fairy I'm delighted with that and she's a lovely mare. She got hurt last year and we had to leave her off but she's come back really well and is doing it all well. I think she'll improve for the run as she hasn't run since Christmas. She should come on a bit from it. She has her ideas of what she wants to do (tactics-wise) and she's a lady you really don't need to tell what to do. She's in at Cheltenham but we'll see as there is also the mares novice hurdle at Fairyhouse which is only a couple of weeks after. That might be the more sensible route for her. I'm delighted to win the first running of the Apple's Jade Hurdle and delighted for owner Mark Phelan; I'll see what Mark thinks as it's a hobby and it depends what he would like to do.

Leopardstown Sun, 7th Feb, 2021  Appreciate It He didn't jump with as much fluency and was never in control of the race like I thought I could have been but the good ones get it done and thankfully he has done it. he was very good once Paul set him alight and I thought he put it to bed straight away. After the second last there looked to be a gang of horses queuing up behind to challenge him and the minute he changed gear there was only one horse, Ballyadam, and he fluffed the last. I’d like him to jump better than he did today. He was a bit careless down the back.

Clonmel Tue, 19th Jan, 2021  Broomfields Jeremy He deserved that as he is a very consistent horse and all his runs have been good. He has learned to settle and settled lovely today. We'll go for something similar in the spring and he handles that ground well and has good form in that ground.

Clonmel Tue, 19th Jan, 2021  Quarry Lil Paul had a bad fall riding out this day week so this is a good tonic. It will take time to recover but he'll be fine. She would have hated that ground and I thought Gary rode a smashing race. I'd like to thank everyone in the yard with the boss being out. They got us here today because it was a rough week.

Leopardstown Sun, 27th Dec, 2020  Appreciate It He surprised me and impressed me. I was wondering if he was a two and a half miles horse or a two-mile horse. I know he can easily do it over two and a half but to come back to two miles and put in a performance like that in a Grade 1 was impressive.