Going - Yielding to Soft (Hurdle/Bumper); Soft (Chase). Overcast, windy
Placepot Pool - €35,092.60 Dividend - €19.50 Winning Units - 1251.18. Quadpot Pool - €3,212.36 Dividend - €13.20 Winning Units - 179.3. Days Aggregate - €242,772.00 (8 races). Last Year €135,317.00 (7 races).
Blackmore closes gap to two
I was a bit disappointed with him in Leopardstown at Christmas so we said we’d sit with him and wait a bit longer. He ran well at Punchestown and it’s lovely to see him go and do it here. He’s learning all the time and is a lovely big scopey horse. He should be good over a fence in time. We’ll aim for the Festivals here later on in the spring. I’m delighted to get that for Angus Potterton and the Molesworth Syndicate.
Gentleman de Mee enters Cheltenham picture
he’s in the Supreme and the Ballymore, and to me he’d be looking more like a Ballymore horse. I’ll see what connections want to do but I think he’ll improve as he goes up in trip. he had a setback early in the season so I hadn’t as much done as I would like to have had. It was pure natural ability what he did there. He jumped well, a bit green looking at the Irish hurdles even though he’s schooled over them before. Mark thought he was in control at all stages and I’m very happy with the performance.
Opera Hat winner cut for Cheltenham Mares' Chase
that was a nice race to win and shows up Allaho’s (stablemate) form. It’s great to win the Opera Hat in honour of Valerie Cooper’s good mare (Opera Hat) and hopefully this mare might some day be as good as her. Mark was happy to let the pace materialise up front and the ground is quite boggy down the back. The further the race went the better she was going and Mark was very pleased how she finished. That’s a nice stepping stone towards Cheltenham. I’ll have a word with connections but I would imagine that we will send us towards the Mares Chase.
McManus and Walsh complete Naas treble
he’s a bit of a monkey but he has plenty of ability. Mark knows him well and gave him a good ride today. He’s a bit hot and cold and thankfully it worked out today. He missed the fifth last and got a bit close to the last but other than that he wasn’t bad. We’ll try and find something similar.
Druid's Altar wins trial for Fred Winter
he has a good attitude and stays well. Hugh (Morgan) said he was better there with a bit of company because he’s made it a few times. He was in top class company on his last few races and it’s nice to get his head in front again. He’s done it nicely in the end and he seems to cope with most types of ground. He’s a big horse and will jump a fence some day.
Dempsey delivers as Byrnes gamble comes unstuck
he’d been knocking on the door and you’d be hoping he hadn’t missed his chance. He was consistent last year and then got a knee injury and it took him a while to come back. We always thought he wanted two and a half but maybe a stiff two miles suited him. I’m delighted for the bunch of lads that own him, footballers from Clogherhead. He’ll go for something similar. He jumps well and could go for some rated chases later in the year.
Brassil targets County Hurdle with Naas winner
we were waiting for a bit of nicer ground and I didn’t think we were going to get it. Anyway I wanted to run him here to qualify for the Final in Punchestown and also a stepping stone to running in the County Hurdle in Cheltenham. Sean and Bernadine (Mulryan) like to run in the Festival meetings.
Elliott completes Naas double
he’s come forward a lot from his first run. He was very green the last day and we could ride him the way we wanted to ride him today. He stays and is a nice horse. He probably doesn’t want real winter ground. He could mix it between the Flat and bumpers and will go over hurdles. He’ll do everything.
