Ballybawn a Belter in Punchestown opener

I did say to him that his dad would have waited longer, it was a long final furlong!. I'm delighted for him and Conor and Audrey, it's a great day for them all. He probably kicked a small bit too soon and could maybe have kept the bit higher in her mouth for a furlong longer, to make it easier on everyone as the trainer gets a little worried in the last furlong, but it's not a criticism as it was a beautiful ride and he's a very good rider. I think she might have been in season the last day in Fairyhouse, so that would explain that. She just didn't operate at all and was like a lamb in the stable. She was kicking the house down when we were saddling her there, so we said we might be back in business. I think the extra two furlongs brought out a small bit of improvement as well. She got a lovely clean ride off a light weight. I think that ground is riding a bit drier than everybody thinks it is and it's important to be handy. We might have a look at something in Galway for her, she might have a small break now. I'll see what Frank (Berry) wants to do but she seems to handle this good ground quite well. I don't think she'll get into the Galway Hurdle and there is a nice two-and-a-half mile race there. We've had two wonderful days with her. James Rath, my head lad, bought her for small money so she's come a long way. She has already jumped a fence because she was supposed to run in a point-to-point. She showed plenty of gears so we said we'd go for a bumper.

Nolan's choice of race suits Sandor Clegane

He is a horse that gets into a nice rhythm and jumps well, he was probably jumping too well to that hurdle (second-last) and he just met it on a half stride. A bit of a guess just when we were starting to get rolling. Overall, he's a good jumper and it was a good performance. The two of us (Three Card Brag) probably were in the same boat in that we wanted a nice gallop, but neither of us were really mad to make it. We went along upsides and we went a nice, even gallop all the way. It kind of suited both of us and, in fairness, this lad picked up nicely into the straight. It is beautiful ground - it is just yielding, it isn't any slower. It is lovely jumping ground. We didn't declare for the Grade 1, we had a talk and some were for it and some against it. If he wasn't going to win this, he wasn't going to win the Grade 1 in an hour's time. Why take on a horse rated 10lb above you? He'd won one maiden hurdle and is the best horse we have in the yard, so it's nice to get another win with him. He'd prefer easier ground, it's as nice as he'd want it, but it's lovely ground and the track looks fantastic. Next to my father Dan Browne is the greatest gentleman I ever met and is a great supporter for the yard. I delighted for Jim Coffey and all the lads involved. It means an awful lot for every trainer to win here and thanks be to God we got one. We'll probably start off over two-and-a-half over fences next season and build it up. Please God it will lead to Cheltenham again. It's nice

Grangeclare West another for Mullins and Townend

I'm very happy with that performance. He's a decent horse who is improving, he had a little setback during the year so it's great to get compensation on a day like today,. He had been doing everything right. I think if things had done right for him during the season he wouldn't have been qualified for that race, he would have been better than that. He'll be one for novice chases next year, but we might go to France with him as he missed part of the season and he could go for something like the French Champion Hurdle. He'll stay the trip and he may as well get a bit of practice jumping French hurdles.

Mullins and Townend double up with impressive Gaelic Warrior

The trip was a big help to him. I was hoping the ground would be a help to him but Paul thinks it wasn't. I think the trip was a lot of it and Paul was once again ice cool, sitting in behind a wall of horses waiting for the right gap to come and he produced him at the right time. He must come into staying hurdle territory now after that. He has the option of going chasing, but we'd have to have a good look at keeping him over hurdles. That looks to be his job there. We'll get home and think about it but what I saw there, the way he improved going that extra trip, he looks to have the Stayers Hurdle written all over him. He does jump a bit right, but those type of horses always settled the more racing they get, he'll get the hang of it.

Fastorslow provides big shock in Punchestown Gold Cup

Martin (Brassil) always had a lot of faith in the horse, he's some trainer isn't he?. He was running over two miles and he wasn't struggling too much overt that trip, so we were always wondering if he got three miles could he do something like this. I was planning to hold on to a bit, I think he likes to be ridden like that. It is a long way around on this outside track, there's a long way off the bend to the second-last. I just wanted to hang on and save a bit to come home and see what happened then. It's unbelievable! It is unreal and I owe a big thank you to Sean and Bernardine (Mulryan, owners), Paddy Aspell, Martin and all the lads there. These big rides are hard to come by. Martin has between 15 and 20 horses, he had Panda Boy who was fifth in an Irish Grand National and Longhouse Poet. To do that with a small team of horses is unbelievable. He was going to be carrying top weight in a lot of those handicaps so we just felt we might as well dip our toe in the water and see how much we find. There were only five runners and the first two in the betting had hard races in the Gold Cup. If there was a bit of a chink in the armour I thought we could hopefully exploit that. I didn't think we'd win but I thought we wouldn't be far away. They quickened from the back of the fourth last and instead of going with them he hunted away behind them. JJ is a cool customer, he took the shortest way around and the horse jumped well, everything fell into place. The Mulryans are great suppo

A Dream To Share 'worth getting up for in the morning'

He's a very, very special horse and I'm very lucky to be riding him. I thought when Jody (Townend on It's For Me) went along the outside, we got racing plenty early and I was just trying to bide my time. You can get sucked in there a bit early around that bend to get racing. He's so straightforward, he has so much class. It just wows me. He's such an honest horse, he gives you 110 per cent every morning even on the gallop. He tries his heart out for you and he had to dig deep today. I thought he was even more impressive today to show that toughness. He's an amazing horse to keep his form for so long. He had to dig deep at the end, I think Patrick's horse (Mullins on Tullyhill) is a very decent horse. John was against a strong man and did well for his age. The races all came at a distance apart, they were timed that we were able to work it. The space between Dublin, Cheltenham and now suited us. JP was a great man to go out and buy him but he bought a nice horse. He's a great battler, he battles well and that's a big plus. I couldn't have had him better and I was delighted with him coming here. He had jumped before we thought anything of him but since he showed us something we were minding him. From here on now I'd say he'll learn to jump. I'll keep going for another while but very soon my nephew Tommy is going to join me on the licence. He'll take over and do long journeys and I can sit back and watch. I'll be around though for as long as I'm left. This horse is worth getting

O'Callaghan wins Grade A handicap chase on first ride for McConnell

Unbelievable! I can't thank John McConnell and the team at home enough. Just a spare ride, bottom-weight, claim 7lb off him and he was dynamite. I was talking to Ben Harvey before and he said to jump off, put your finger in your neckstrap and enjoy him. The plan was to be in the first three or four but he was a bit slow to the first so I just rode my race from there. His jumping got him into it. Turned in, no weight on his back, gave him a kick in the belly down to the last and he winged it and hit the line very strong.

Mullins at treble through Junta Marvel