Going - Good to Yielding, good in places. Fine
Jackpot Pool - 643.16 Not Won. Carried forward to No Course. Placepot Pool - 20,218.77 Dividend - 102.40 Winning Units - 138.22. Days Aggregate - 204,327.99 Last Year 106,430.89
Rumi wins on hurdling debut for Blackmore and O'Grady
He is my Sprinter Sacre - I am so looking forward to him jumping a fence because he will go through a brick wall. I'm delighted as she (Blackmore) said he rode very raw and while he ran on the flat, he is 17 hands and she said he rode like a point to pointer. She said he wasn't as sharp as your normal four year old that had run on the flat. She gave him a beautiful ride, was able to see a stride on him and she said he would be better in a better run race, where you could sit him in. He could go up to 2m4f as it would suit, but might run in a two-miles flat handicap at Thurles next month as he has a pretty low rating. I think he will be there or thereabouts for the novice season and I don't think soft ground is an issue, at the the moment anyway. We'll find out but certainly come the spring, when we need him, he will be alright.
Ambitious Fellow survives last flight scare to resume winning ways
he has great form and we were unlucky in Galway as the rain came when he was the one horse I thought would win!. From Punchestown time we were thinking about Galway but the ground went soft and he was brought down, when Sam (Ewing) thought he was only getting going. He had a lovely run around under Darren Harris, who works in the yard, when finishing third in the Corinthian Challenge the other day. even though he won at Punchestown, he is a novice in the UK for the season and might go to the Cheltenham meeting in November for a novice hurdle which (stablemate) Peregrine Run won. He has plenty experience and 2m5f would suit him. Once the ground goes soft he will get a break.
Skippin Court scores for flying Fahey
he had a good win over two miles under Neil Ryan at Sligo and on his last two runs he was slowly away but was getting home really well. He was finishing out his races fairly well so I thought the step up to 2m4f would work. He won here this day last year as well so that gave us confidence he'd handle the track and he is a grand horse. He will be a nicer horse over a fence as he has gone a little lairy over hurdles - he got there easy enough but was running around in front. He could go over fences soon enough. Gavin O'Toole runs the syndicate for friends and relations from Confey, Leixlip — they're staying down so will definitely celebrate.
Penny Jar continues Indian summer for Downey
I'm delighted for Conor McNamara who has been a huge help to me over the last 12 months but am so disappointed for Paddy O'Brien who rode his first winner on him the last day. I had to make a heartbreaking decision who would ride and I know he is hurt but he is a big part of my plans. Paddy and Conor are two great guys who have brought us along. All he does is stay and he kept at it well. Poor old Sean Flanagan (rider of the runner-up), who lives down the road from me, said some nice words as we finished, but they can't be printed!
Hurricane blows away Listowel rivals
Sil Ver Klass another for in-form Tony Martin
'Return of mojo' for McManus chaser
he had won a hurdle in France and then disappointed but he has his mojo back. I don't think he even had a race the way Derek rode him. he has been unfortunate and had one race in the bag when falling in Wexford (in June). He ran a lovely race when staying on at Killarney and the three miles today was a help. I was happy the rain stayed away and I think he had the race in the bag when the other horses fell. He's a nice horse for the future as he is only five and that's job done and I'm over the moon.
Sergeant just does enough in Listowel finale
he is a lovely horse. He missed a year after his point to point and it was the making of him as he has strengthened up into a lovely horse. He was very good in Galway when he wasn't fully ready and won subsequently. All the form has worked out and this race worked out nicely. It broke up a lot to be fair and John Gleeson was top class and is going places. He'll go hurdling now and might develop into a nice novice hurdler. He'll handle soft ground. The horses are running well so long may it last. I have to thank Listowel for the top class ground they have and for the way they treated the lads in the stable yard. There was free food and the owners were looked after superbly and everyone was raving about it. Even today the place is packed and they are putting bigger racecourses to shame with the crowds. Fair play to the committee.