Going - Good to Firm, Good in places (Round), Good, Good to Firm in places (Straight). Overcast, light rain
Jackpot Pool - 10,000.00 Dividend - 1,186.40 Winning Units - 5.9. Placepot Pool - 61,387.64 Dividend - 94.50 Winning Units - 454.64. Pick Six Pool - 33,741.00 Not Won. Carried forward to Curragh on Sunday 29th September. Days Aggregate - 459,355.00 (9 races). Last Year 826,162.00 (8 races).
Buffer Zone relishes 'Bold Lad' assignment
We thought he was a Group horse in a handicap but they have to deliver. He’s been very straightforward since we got him and has gradually moved up the ranks. It never really looked in doubt. He’s a very progressive horse and hopefully he turns into a Group horse. He’s in the Ayr Gold Cup next week. It’s not our style to return (that quick). David (Spratt, part owner) and I will sit down and make a plan.
Weld wins another Blandford with Tarnawa
This has been a lucky race for us and Chris gave her a good tactical ride. The plan was to kick for home early as she gets a mile and a half. We’ll see how she comes out of this race and the Fillies And Mares race at Champions day would be a logical progression. She is a filly that I would look forward to training as a four-year-old and she is very adaptable ground wise.
Fairyland pips stablemate So Perfect in Flying Five
O'Brien in Love with Irish Champions Weekend
Sensational Pinatubo blows away National Stakes opposition
He’s a trainer’s dream once you get to know him because he doesn’t excite you in the morning to say the least. We started his career off at Wolverhampton for a reason as we didn’t really know he was in the yard. He’s done nothing but improve with each run. James (Doyle) said he didn’t really travel in the first half of the race at Goodwood, and I said to William this morning 'don’t panic if this horse isn’t travelling with you early as at home he won’t pick the bridle up'. As soon as William gave him a squeeze he soon came back on the bridle and from two down I couldn’t see him get beat. It’s not often you can say that at this level. I gave him a gallop mid-week with some of the nicer two-year-old's trying to give myself a bit of confidence and I probably did the reverse as Royal Crusade put him in his place. He just goes through the motions and the jockey gets off and says he’s moving well. He goes home and eats, drinks, sleeps and that’s the end of it. We only ever see the best of him when he turns up at the track which is a nice position to be in. The way he’s developing as an individual over the last six week has been noticeable. People were questioning whether he would just be a two-year-old but he’s got a nice walk and presence about him. He’s a very exciting horse.
Weld and Hayes double up with Search For A Song
It’s a very special win on a very special and emotional day. We’re having wonderful horse racing but I’m very proud of our industry the way we are supporting Pat Smullen and cancer research. This has been a very special race for me over the years and it’s the eighth time I’ve won it. She was running very free early on and he’d a hard call to make. I was happy he made the right call because I didn’t want to see him spend the rest of the race trying to settle her. I know how well she stays so I wasn’t too worried. There is a lot of stamina there as her brother is Falcon Eight. She was very fit and very well and often horses that run that free will relax when they get to the front.
Stone Circle a poignant winner for connections
He actually ran really well (when fourth) in Goodwood - I'm not saying he was unlucky but it was just one of those races around there. He travelled quite nicely and to be fair to him he had to stick his head out all the way to the line which he did. It was a great effort. Last year Alex Elliott and my son Nick bought Master Brewer who won the Sales race at Longchamp, and they went to war and bought this horse at Fairyhouse. It was a good performance giving weight all round and he’s a smashing little horse by a very good stallion.
One Cool Poet writes another script in Curragh
The bubble was burst yesterday. I was expecting him to run a lot better than he did. Billy came in and said he was too fresh and too keen, didn’t get home. I said we’ll see how he is in the morning. When he fell out of the stalls and was at the back, I had my head in my hands. Then he started to pick up but I still didn’t think he’d get there. When he did get going he really flew. My confidence was gone after yesterday and I’d say people were saying he’s mad in the head (running him again). I gave him 10 days off after Galway and I’d say I nearly gave him too much time off. He needed every bit of work I could get into him. He’s a bulky sort of horse. We were going to run him over hurdles in Bellewstown but then I thought why risk him getting a knock (before this weekend). He is the sort of horse you need to be racing.