Going - Soft. Fine
Trifecta Not Won. Pool of 8,207.11 carried forward to Leopardstown on Friday 28th December. Jackpot Pool - 50,000.00 Dividend - 1,041.60 Winning Units - 36. Placepot Pool - 35,183.85 Dividend - 74.90 Winning Units - 352.01. Daily Double Pool - 458.00 Not Won. Carried forward to Leopardstown. Pick Six Pool - 1,828.75 Not Won. Carried forward to Leopardstown on Friday 28th December. Days Aggregate - 568,163.90 Last Year 477,837.85
Flaxen shows his Flare for hurdles
We always thought he was nice and he beat Diplomat in a schooling race at Fairyhouse. It's hard to really fancy one in these 3yo hurdles as they can be a bit rough and ready. We have been quite lucky with 3yo hurdlers. He is probably not as fast as Shadow Catcher but he might keep going a bit better.
Jumbo another for Mags, Danny & Barry
He was just beaten in Listowel and Barry (winning owner Barry Connell) wanted to come back here with him. He is a nice horse and it has worked out well. We will find a winners of one for him now.
Europe lands the odds in Dial-A-Bet
He looked like he was going to win easy but in, fairness to Rubi Light, he came back at him. He could have gone faster early on and when I saw him running keenly early on, I wasn't feeling that comfortable. There are no easy Grade 1's but when you are 1/3 favourite you expect to win. That was the pressure today. He'll probably be entered in three races at Cheltenham (Champion Chase, Ryanair and Gold Cup). His performance in the Clonmel Oil was great, certainly more impressive than today, and maybe he needs two and a half miles now. He could go for something like the Red Mills Chase at Gowran Park. We'll have to have a think about it.
Jezki eases to second successive Grade 1
Double for Mags & Danny as Cairdin scores
We put the blinkers on him today and they seemed to work. I don't think he is dishonest but he was a terrible horse for looking all around him and they helped him to concentrate. We will consider bringing him back here for the Boylesports Hurdle in January.
Well backed Colbert wins the Paddy Power
I thought he had an each-way chance but no more than that and I was surprised by how well he travelled through the race. They went a fierce pace. He is lightly raced and that was only his fifth run over fences. Like a lot of the others we had this race in mind for a while. I was a bit disappointed with him in Navan but the horse that beat him (Roi Du Mee) was so well in. He might be an English National horse in time.
River wins the last at Leopardstown
I was disappointed with him the first day and he wouldn't have won at any trip. Maybe it was the ground and he is probably still a bit innocent. I'd say he will go hurdling in the spring as he will go over fences next season.