Going - Good, Yielding in places. Dry and bright
Jackpot Pool - 508.59 Not Won. Carried forward to Limerick on Thursday 30th March. Placepot Pool - 39,477.13 Dividend - 268.80 Winning Units - 102.78. Days Aggregate - 162,585.00 Last Year 166,647.00
French-import Flight foils big gamble
She's a nice filly, Barry (Connell, owner) bought her as a three-year-old out of France. She was third over hurdles first time out (was less than six lengths off Apple's Jade). She's a lovely filly and has shown us plenty. She's after growing since we got her and every time we were ready to run we sort of backed off. Denis (O'Regan) was quite pleased with her there. He said she pricked her ears in front. Hopefully she might improve again. I'm not sure where we will go, it will probably be Fairyhouse or Punchestown with a bit of luck.
Derulo enjoys a step up in trip
It looks like he wants the two and a half (miles). He hit a flat spot across the top and made an awful mistake. Sean said he was lucky to stand up. I don't know what mark he will get after that. We'll look at something maybe for him in Punchestown with nice ground. He wants the two and a half all day there and ridden patiently. An improving horse that I haven't over run because of the ground. We'll probably go two and a half Punchestown somewhere. I'm very pleased. He was entitled not to win it there and he still won it. He got just done for toe in the last furlong of the two-mile race, the flat horses did him in Leopardstown from the last hurdle. He didn't stop, he has great cruising speed but no change of gear. Today was kind of a dip in toe to see about going up in trip so we will.
McNiff just loves Downpatrick!
I've won this three years in a row and also won it a couple of years previous to that. He was in off a handy weight. He's a horse that would improve for a track like this; a small, nippy little horse. We were off nine stone seven so it wasn't hard to make all. It's a pity there's nothing for him next week. He'll probably come back here, he's a horse for here, Tramore or Sligo. He wouldn't be a horse for a galloping track.
Anseanachai wins exciting Ulster National
He's one of these horses that just keeps galloping and staying. We had this race on our mind. We thought he might be very low in the handicap. We were running out of the handicap today thinking we maybe still have a chance. It worked out well. I wouldn't like to talk about Cheltenham at the moment. We'll see after the enquiry. We are here to enjoy the day. Please God it works out well. He just gallops and stays and showed that in the point-to-points and winning the four miler in Kinsale at the end of the year. He had a wee setback early on and we didn't get him back until Armagh point-to-point. After that things were coming together for him so we decided to come here. We'll have to sit down and have a look (at where to go). I'd say we will get a hike in the weights. The Stratford three and a half miler could be something for him. We had a good weight, the trip suited him and the undulating track suited him. We were fairly confident he would run into a place. To win is a bonus.
Drought ends for Merrion Row
Frisby delights connections in hunters
He's not that big but he jumps fantastic and is in great form,.
Reilly and Love have another good mare
She's really good, she's very consistent. We thought the ground might have been a little bit quick for her today. She rose to the occasion. She was on the bridle the whole way and finished really well. The owner is Sean Reilly who used to have Shadow Eile. Aaron (Murphy, on Green Wellies in a hunter chase in 2007) rode a winner here years ago. He rides in point-to-points and his brother is Ciaran Murphy, my assistant trainer.