Going - Hurdle/bumper: Soft Chase: Yielding. Overcast
Placepot Pool - 43,104.24 Dividend - 1,185.10 Winning Units - 25.47. Quadpot Pool - 4,630.83 Dividend - 342.60 Winning Units - 10. Days Aggregate - 184,024.00 Last Year 429,716.00
Gaillard Du Mesnil sheds maiden tag in good style
I thought on paper it looked like a strong maiden and we went a nice gallop for the ground. I thought it was a true run race. As it opens up it'll get a little slower out there. I was very impressed with him. The jump he put in at the second last showed how much he had in the tank. He looks like a nice, middle-distance horse and we'll probably stay at that sort of trip with him. As he gets more racing I think he'll settle better, he was a little keen with Paul. He wasn't stopping at the end and was finishing out the race well. He's a horse that will go up in grade easily enough, I think. I suppose we'll look at the Dublin Racing Festival. It depends what we do with Appreciate It as we'll probably try and keep them apart.
Mullins and Townend double up with Dandy Mag
It was a fantastic ride by Paul (Townend) who timed it perfectly,. He was off for a long time before his run at Naas. The ease in the ground and trip were a huge help to him today. I'm hoping that gives him his ticket now to run in the final. We haven't had many runners in it and hopefully he goes there with a reasonable chance.
Improving Porter Floors his rivals to land Grade 1 success
Burlesque Queen puts her best foot forward
I'm very proud of her. She's very small, barely 15-3. We went up plenty in the weights last year and when you start off 81 you tend to think that's it. She didn't settle last year but as she's gone on she's started to drop the bridle. The good pace today really suited and James gave her a beautiful ride, he does get on well with her. I tried ear plugs in her and it probably annoyed her. She had a first-time hood today but her improvement is purely due to settling and having a good gallop.
O'Keeffe in Grade One breakthrough on A Plus Tard
I knew Rachael (Blackmore) said to me before hand that she was going to sit upsides in front (on Minella Indo), and she was only a couple of lengths ahead of me so I wasn't worried. I sat away and had Paul Townend in front of me (on Allaho) and he (A Plus Tard) was pinging fences. When I gave him a squeeze after jumping the second last, he picked up and he galloped right to the line. After the back of the last I did (think I was going to get there). It was brilliant and I'm absolutely over the moon. I can't thank Henry de Bromhead enough - it's my first Grade One winner and my first winner for him. This lad had a real, live chance. There were a few questions about whether he stayed or not but he definitely stayed anyway. It was some finish, he was brilliant. He stayed really well and it was a super ride from Darragh. It was unfortunate with Minella Indo but he seems okay which is the most important thing and Rachael seems okay. It's very frustrating but I'm delighted for A Plus Tard, for Darragh and for Cheveley Park. It was a brilliant ride from Darragh, he was very cool on him. I said it to Chris Richardstown about Darragh and he was very happy after Rachael decided to go with Minella Indo. He's an up-and-coming young rider and we were delighted to get him. He stayed on really well in the end. I thought he was staying on in the Ryanair last season and he definitely stayed on really well there. He won a Grade 1 here over two-one last year and now he's won over three miles. H
Mullins & Townend record treble with impressive Getaway
It was nice to get that out of the way and he jumped well,. We'll look for a winners of one but the way the program is he'll probably have to go up in grade now, maybe back here at the Dublin Racing Festival. The (Grade 1) Flogas Chase could be an option for him.
Ramillies impressive on big day for Mullins