Going - Good. Fine and Sunny
Placepot Pool - 36,059.41 Dividend - 198.90 Winning Units - 135.91. Days Aggregate - 599,047.59 Last Year 663,167.00
Weld off the mark in first
It was a star studded ride from the jockey,. He went out on a novice and rode him like a handicapper. He went straight into the lead and probably won the race at the second last. He asked him for a big one and he pinged it. He's entered for the mile-and-a-half handicap on Sunday and all being well he'll reappear.
Kalellshan back with bang at Ballybrit
Mark was super and gave him a great ride. He's some value for the seven pounds,. I've ridden a good few winners but my heart was going 110mph there. There's only two or three I've been on the ground for and it's very different. I got some kick out of that. Liam (O'Kelly) has been very good to the yard. He sent me a different horse and when he won he said he would sent this lad. He had a year-and-a-half off and has been minded like a baby so I'm delighted. He's entered in the Galway Hurdle but even with a penalty he wouldn't make the cut. He's also in a two-and-a-half mile hurdle on Wednesday but that might be plenty far enough. There is also a chase here on Sunday that he could run in. He's had three runs on the Flat and has improved with every run. When we saw that he had 123 we decided to be fair to him, give him every chance by claiming off him and Mark was available. It was a hard one but if I'd got chinned on him by half a length I don't think the owners would have been too happy!
Weld doubles up with Thunder
We had a beautiful ride by Ruby Walsh in the opener and a lovely tactical ride by Pat Smullen there . on a two-year-old off the home turn,. You can see the benefit of a run. He leans a bit right, as he did at the Curragh, and to be drawn on the rail was an advantage. That said he did it very well. The favourite ran off the bend and he was in the right place at the right time. When you lose ground on he bend here you don't win. His half-brother Riviera Poet won this last year.
Mangan makes history as Weld run continues
Kanes gives McCreery first Galway winner
The draw is all important here,. I told him to jump and reel her back for cover to give her a chance and he did exactly that. Pat Cosgrove has been a great supporter of mine and I'm delighted for him as he bred her himself. He's only back from France an hour ago or he would have been here. That's my first winner here. I've not had many runners and haven't had much luck around here.
Improving Reef scores again
We finally got his trip right. He's been a big baby,. The plan was to be handy. Shane did well to jump out. We were a bit worried about the ground but he handled it. He's improving with every run and is a lovely big honest horse. Shane is riding out of his skin at the moment and there is no better man to have on your side. He wasn't afraid to make the running and knows what he's at. He stays well for a Choisir. We always thought he had a bit of pace but his dam won over 1m6f. We might stick him in again on Sunday. We'll see how he is. We don't want to be too greedy.
Cul cruises home in bumper