Sir Argus wins readily in Cork opener

Hassett's mare not a Skinnider for some bookies

I fancied her and got 33s! All our horses are going and running well so we're probably punching above our weight. We are under the radar so the bookies don't take much notice of us, so that's all the better. She was second in a very good bumper here to Battling Bessie (in 2021) and I actually thought she was black-type but something went amiss for a couple of runs but she is back on song now. Hopefully there is another one or two in her and I think she wants 2m4f and Kieran thinks the same thing. I knew she'd stay at it, she is good to jump and he gave her a peach of a ride. she was flying at home and we were lucky to get in (as second reserve) so we had to go. I got the call at 10am this morning and was humming and hawing whether to rush her to the races but the boys said 'just go' so I loaded up and went.

Brandy Harbour returns to form to land Cork chase

I work for Paurick's brother Derek (O'Connor) who goes through my races and gives me pointers on my riding, so it is great to have a figure like that telling me where I'm going right and wrong. This is brilliant for Grainne and Paurick who have a small team of mainly point to pointers and hopefully this helps me to keep the ball rolling in my career. he is quirky enough and had been out of form recently. We took him to the beach a few days ago and he was in good order but he wouldn't show you much at home. We changed things at home with him and the less you gallop him the happier he is. We go to the beach a good bit, not to gallop but just to have him in the water and it sweetens him up. I had a good run around and got two big jumps when I needed them. I kept it cool, didn't panic and the race unfolded in front of me and when I asked him he found for me, Everything has to happen right for him or he sulks.

Lar's Lass wins for the Dreapers

My son Thomas and Barry (O'Neill) thought she had the winning of an ordinary enough chase and she did and did it well. She jumps well, has a good attitude and likes it. I don't know what she'll do next but could go for a handicap. Thomas recently completed the trainers' course and has the point-to-point licence but basically we have been a partnership ever since he came back from England, although he wants to be the trainer on the day they win! . The point-to-pointers run in his name but it is a partnership and a family business.

Alan O'Sullivan partners first winner at local Cork

He had a lot of runs in point-to-points and his first run on the racecourse so maybe that livened him up and he was very good. My Dad (William, a Cheltenham Foxhunters Chase winning jockey) is a farmer and my uncle Eugene trains the horses and everyone works together and it seems to work well. I won the pony race on this card on a serious pony called Murphy Brown here a few years ago. I'm hoping to be a jockey but I'm in college in Cork and will get that done first. my horses have been hitting the cross bar but are running competitively so I can't complain. This horse has always worked nicely but has just taken time. He was impressive but I don't know what the opposition was like so we won't get carried away. I might run him again next week in Tramore. sadly his previous owner P.J. O'Driscoll, from Bandon, passed away last September having shown a lot of patience with the horse. He missed today but is probably looking down on us and brought us some luck.

Dinny Lacey wins for Motherway & Swan

He lost his way a bit and Brian (Acheson, owner) suggested we go back pointing him this year and we were hoping to qualify him for the Aintree Foxhunters but ran out of time. It is nice to get the win with him and we had a doubt all season was he seeing out the three-miles. He had a good run behind Lord Schnitzel last time and Harry (Swan) gave him a super ride today and got some super leaps out of him. I'm thrilled to get the win for Brian and Rob (Acheson) who are great supporters of ours. The lads might be anxious to run in Punchestown and he'll definitely get an entry anyway and fingers crossed for next season then.

Flemensface scores for Griffin & Barry

We bought him for plenty money (E36,000) as a foal and he is full-brother to a very good horse and is out of a half-sister to Master Minded. We always had good 'meas' on him, having such a good pedigree and if he went to the sales as a three-year-old he'd have cost E70,000, which is too expensive for us. He won his point-to-point very easily and we thought a fair bit of him after that. I was worried they went steady today and that it might turn into a sprint but he stayed on great. he is a lovely horse and is for sale. He'll be a very good hurdler and long-term will be a good chaser as he is a brilliant jumper. There were well touted horses in the race and the favourite (third-placed What's Up Darling) cost £280,000 so hopefully we'll be in that league next Thursday (at Aintree sale).

Successful, but poignant, day for the Townends