Going - Flat: yielding to soft. Hurdle: good to yielding. Chase: good to yielding.. Overcast
Jackpot Pool - €7,889.58 Dividend - €487.00 Winning Units - 11.34. Placepot Pool - €67,854.67 Dividend - €16.30 Winning Units - 2902.2. Days Aggregate - €678,649.04 Last Year €180,280.88
Royal Eagle swoops to conquer under Gainford
It was great and Adam's (Lord, owner) two sons Adam and Jack have done a lot of work with her at home. One of the first horses I had in training Salford City, who Adam owned, got me going and it is nice to get another winner for him. She had a low weight and I thought she'd run alright as she was getting a stone off the favourite and had a good run at Dundalk the last day. She liked the ground and jumped well. She will win on the flat and will mix between hurdles and the Flat and we'll think about the Lartigue Hurdle (Listowel in September) for her. Jack (Kennedy) said they went no gallop and it didn't suit As Tears Go By. That probably played into Jordan's (Gainford) hands as the winner had Flat speed.
Darkened wins for trainer /rider Hogan
There was a wall of horses, 10 abreast, lining up at the start and I was the tenth. We flew to the first but pulled it right up down the hill and hacked, which suited me as he is a miler on the flat. I was happy to commit sooner than normal off a slow gallop as I knew he'd have the gears to kick off a slow gallop. When we bought him we were very disappointed with him as he didn't take to jumping but we ride him on the outside as he loves a bit of space. I rode him a canter this morning going steady and he jinked and jammed on, which confirmed that I should keep him away from horses. I can't knock him this year as he hasn't been out of the first three most days and he could run over 1m4f later in the week. I don't know if people noticed or not but my stick went flying and I got away without it. I don't mind saying it nowadays as I'm not looking for rides! It shouldn't happen though - I was a bit rusty.
Odds-on Tiverton not up to the Pivotal challenge
The plan was to jump out and make the running and he got it fairly easy in front. We knew he would stay and knew he would love that ease in the ground. He (Foley) said he got going early but coming around the corner, looked around and is still learning. He probably even needs 1m2f now and will stay well and is out of a mare who stayed well. He might be a horse for the Eyrefield Stakes at Leopardstown at the end of the year.
Patrick finally adds big amateur handicap to his CV
I wasn't sure which horse to shout for as my wife owns the second! Anyhow, I'm delighted he won it and delighted for the owners in Barnane Stud in Templemore, who have a very good flat enterprise. She is high quality, is a little temperamental in her races but Patrick said they went fast enough to get her settled. He stayed wide and out of trouble. The first and second came from 21 and 22 which hasn't been done in years, if it has ever been done, but the race is changing and becoming a higher quality race every year. Maze Runner ran a cracker and I'm delighted for Eliott Ohgren, a top class Swedish amateur, who has been with us for a year. this race has been a fixture of Galway for many years and Connacht Hotel are great sponsors to keep the tradition going.
Dairerin delivers for Sniper Alley Syndicate
he (Dairerin) has been amazing since we have got the handle on him. We'll probably run him again on Wednesday over a similar trip. It is fantastic and I'm delighted for the lads involved.
Irish Lullaby completes treble for Harrington & Foley
She didn't like the track very much but when she got to the rising ground she put her head down and is a tough lady. It was a big ask (under her 7lb Killarney penalty) for a three-year-old and she has come a long way but is a great stayer. We might go looking for black-type now.
Emmet Mullins lands the bumper with American-bred newcomer
It has been a long road, he didn't make the breeze-ups due to a niggly problem and we had him in training last year as well. We decided to keep him for a bumper and with his pedigree, he was always going to be a good ground horse. I told Michael (Mee) during the Punchestown festival that this was your four-year-old festival horse for Galway, so it is great to be proven right. We kept Crowns Major last year, who had been through a breeze-up, and it worked as we were able to go back to the Flat. That's another avenue as this horse can now go back to the Flat without leaving behind a bumper. There is a winners' bumper here on Sunday for which he'll get an entry tomorrow and knowing the owners, he could be tackling the 1m4f mile maiden here next year. He is a very talented horse, has plenty of gears and has jumped as a three-year-old.
