Going - Chase - Yielding Hurdle/bumper - Yielding, yielding to soft in places. Overcast
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Zenta books Cheltenham ticket despite a few scares
She jumped super and then things just fell apart but I think she will improve. She's essentially a good jumper and it was just maybe being in front. She's a nice mare and I think she's going to improve. She'll head for the Triumph Hurdle, I'd imagine. If she just keeps her jumping together she's going to win lots of prizes. She's one we have been looking forward to. We sort of had to rush her preparation to get her ready for this but we felt she needed it if she was going to go across the water. She passed the test, she didn't pass it with flying colours but she passed it.
Volantis benefits from patient Donoghue ride
The last day when Keith rode him here he thought he was going to win turning in and he got to the front early on him. He doesn't do a whole lot when he gets to the front, like he did again today. Today he said he was going to ride him like Harchibald! It was a lovely patient ride and Katie rang me straight away afterwards and said it was a peach of a ride. He's a great leaper. We bought him in the summertime after he was third in a bumper to a horse of ours, Realistic Optimism. He's turned out to be a very consistent horse and Keith said he's going to be very competitive in handicaps, a good fun horse on nice ground in the summer. We won't be rushing him and obviously with the boys (Monroe family) connection he'll definitely be going to Galway.
L'yser provides Connell & O'Sullivan with further success
It was a competitive race. After Leopardstown there wasn't another two-and-a-half mile race worth a few quid so I think everybody was in the same boat waiting for this. It was a little mini Galway Hurdle. It's not an easy race to win, it takes a good horse to do it. Obviously he got in off a light weight and Michael was claiming 5lb so it was all a help. He's a horse that handles a bit of nice ground, for a big horse, so I'd say we'll keep him going. We'll probably take in another handicap hurdle before the end of the season and then probably look at going novice chasing in the new season. He's very scopey. His jumping was a little hit and miss today but he has a good old engine.
Happy Dreams edges out Wee Charlie in a thriller
Kemboy back to winning ways in Bobbyjo
That was good, I thought a drop in grade at this stage of his career was probably no harm. He was careful at some of his jumps and then got some really good jumps. He jumped well when it mattered over the last. The dry conditions were a huge help to him. I might try and pick out another race like that. The (Grade 3) Imperial Call Chase at Cork (April 9th) might be a possible. The Aintree Bowl is a possibility but you are running up against Grade 1 horses there and we might be as well off keeping below the radar. That's his first win for two years and I'd prefer to keep him in a lower grade at his age and be competitive. Then we could try and finish up at Punchestown where he had a great day with Ruby Walsh, if he could roll back the years maybe he could do it again.
McGivern seen to good effect aboard Ballykeel
He's a good little rider and he's good value for his 7lb. The horse likes that ground, he jumped and travelled. If he got into the Kim Muir we'd take our chance. He's a straight-forward horse and would suit that type of race. He's been knocking on the door. He'll be entered in the Irish National as well and we'll see what happens.
Impressive Down Memory Lane completes quick Elliott double
He's a nice horse and I'd imagine we'll leave him alone until next year. I think he's nice, I haven't had him that long and we'll put him away now.