Going - Good to Yielding, Yielding in places: changed to Good to Yielding on the Hurdle/Bumper track after Race 5. Fine
Jackpot Pool - 19,956.57 Dividend - 26.30 Winning Units - 530.31. Placepot Pool - 78,803.73 Dividend - 56.70 Winning Units - 971.32. Days Aggregate - 524,832.37 Last Year 212,873.00
Jezarus a first for jubilant Cribbin
It’s great for the Cribbin family and especially the young man that rode him. It’s what Punchestown is all about, the joy he’s got from riding that winner. I told him to keep an eye on Barry O’Neill (rider of Alpha Male). He’s ridden about 700 point-to-point winners and he won’t put you too far wrong. This horse had leg trouble and was off for a good while. He’s run in a few point-to-points but is no star. He’s done what we hoped he might do and he could come back for this race again next year.
Foley seals conditional crown on El Barra
Down the back he never missed a beat and he was so clever going down to the last - it was either sort yourself out or be long. In Limerick he was very good at sorting himself out so I left it up to him. It is a brilliant win on a big stage especially for Willie. It has been unbelievable (season), I've so much support though - obviously Willie, David Casey, Patrick (Mullins), Ruby (Walsh), Paul Townend, Danny (Mullins), all they want to do is help me. My riding is after improving so much having them in my corner anyway. Man and dad always made sure we had the best ponies to give it a proper go jumping. My heart was never in the showjumping and it took them a while to come round with the racing but they love the racing. They are not here today but they will be up tomorrow and there is no doubt they are watching at home. I've three rides tomorrow and I'm actually looking forward to all three of them. It was a very polished ride. I think I’m going to use him as my driver. He found his way around all the traffic there and I got held up in traffic and only saw the end of it!. He’s a very good young rider. He started off with my brother Tom and we saw how good he was. We invited him to ride some of our horses and he’s champion conditional ride this year which is fantastic for him.
Scarlet And Dove gets revenge on Elimay
I didn't want to go looking for a big one at the third last, I knew I had plenty left. She was quick to fiddle away. Funny, she usually goes right but maybe she was jumping out to Elimay a little bit today. She picked up well going to the second last and it was a fair performance. She did everything right (in Cheltenham), got the split and I had a little look at the last that day and maybe it was the winning and losing but she was 25/1 that day and it was a cracking run. I'm delighted to ride a winner in these colours (Gigginstown House Stud) again. They have been very good to me and it is great to be here. She ran really well in Cheltenham where she missed the last two fences and was still close to Elimay. We weren’t sure we’d beat her today but thought we’d give her a good run for her money. Bryan gave our filly a great positive ride today. She jumped brilliant apart from the third last. I was delighted with that. I suppose winning a Grade 1 would be the main objective next season. She’s a Grade 2 winner and a big mare so there is no reason why she can’t be even better next year.
Honeysuckle simply peerless in Punchestown
State Man brings up double for Mullins
Paul thought he had lots of speed and he showed lots of gears there. He’s a horse to look forward to next season. With a performance like that he could be a Champion Hurdle horse — that is probably the route we will go down. He’s very novicey and improving all the time. Paul said he was concentrating on keeping him settled and when he picked him up he switched gears. He was only going through the motions after that. From the first time we worked him at home he looked decent. Joe and Marie (Donnelly) have also purchased his four-year-old brother before Cheltenham.
Billaway a treble for Mullins and 200 for season in Ireland
He is (hard work). He has a fabulous record in these races, he just has momentary lapses in concentration but in fairness to him he always finds a leg. There was one down the back where he just stepped out of my hands. We were lucky that the Christie horse made a mistake at the last as well as us. He's kind of always just doing enough. Fair play to him.
El Fabiolo a fourth winner on card for Mullins
He’s a lovely horse, a real chaser in the making. He had a hard race in Aintree so to come back from that and put in a battling finish like he did there was very good. I’d imagine we will look forward to going chasing with him. He’s a big tall horse and is only learning how to race.
Green Glory one for Byrnes and Barron
They are a lucky bunch of owners (Come Home Sober Syndicate). He had a nice first run and was still very green. He had one or two niggly problems and that is why he didn’t come out till now. I thought he would be in the first three but couldn’t say he was going to win.