Brendan W Duke

Sligo Wed, 5th Aug, 2026  Canon Law It's great to be here on an autumn evening in Sligo, under the shadow of Ben Bulben. I read Yeats' poetry for my Leaving Cert, and that wasn't today or yesterday!. We were a long time in the wilderness, either with horses who just lacked ability or were out of form, but they're really well at the moment. It's great for the lads in the yard, my owners and my wife Shirley. I said to her a couple of weeks ago that I thought I'd have four winners in a fortnight, and she told me to lie down and that she'd call the doctor. These owners are great, they have six horses with me. Three of them have now won, and I think the other three are capable of winning as well. This horse had been running well. It was a bit quick for him the last day at Cork and he appreciated the easier ground today.

Naas Mon, 3rd Aug, 2026  Zheleznaya Dama She deserved that, she’s been running really well,. said Duke. I might have made a mistake turning her out quickly at Killarney. It’s so difficult with these low-grade horses finding races for them. A mile is her trip. I thought I might get away with six-and-a-half in Limerick and it probably cost me the race in Killarney. It was a little bit quick turnaround. I thought she ran her heart out in Killarney. I kind of have it in my head for her, the juvenile hurdle on the 27th of December in Leopardstown. I won it with Leagan Gaeilge (2019). She’s a very good jumper and she would appreciate an ease in the ground. If I want to go to Leopardstown on Amy’s (daughter) birthday I need to have a fairly good reason. We’re having a good run at the moment, thank God, it’s a big relief. People are actually thinking that I’m not a complete muppet now at the moment!

Gowran Park Sat, 25th Jul, 2026  Sword Of State She's very special and she'll be better as the year goes on,. We'll be very careful with her. There is a novice on the 8th of August in the Curragh and then we'll have a look at the Ingabelle. We might go transatlantic with her because the further on in the year, the better she'll be. There's no surprise here, she has a beautiful pedigree from a top-class outfit. I'd like to say very well done to Caoimhe (Doherty) and the team at Forenaghts (Stud, breeders) for bringing her along before I got my hands on her. I think she's the best two-year-old I've ever had. We needed to teach her the first day. She's a little bit immature in her head. I knew I needed to make the running on her, but I didn't want to make the running on her the first day up the Curragh. I thought she'd be looking down at Newbridge and all that's going on. We decided to get a lead on her. When we really wanted to let her go, she couldn't go. She's taken the race so well. She's like all the good ones, she has a great mind. Please God, we'll be lucky.