Going - Good to yielding. Fine
Jackpot Pool - €1,205.84 Dividend - €844.20 Winning Units - .09. Placepot Pool - €20,457.99 Dividend - €18.30 Winning Units - 780.47. Days Aggregate - €120,474.20 Last Year €158,564.00
Meyler takes The Road To Fame
He was workmanlike and all he does is stay and he wants further. He also wants it softer and just about got away with it. He is a tough little horse, jumps well and if the ground came up softish at Punchestown, he might go for the Connolly's Red Mills Series Final. It is great to have a first winner for Eddie Walsh, who was a good friend of my father and they were in business together years ago.
First win for Midnight It Is
the was entitled to be thereabouts off his mark and it was grand to get a win on the board as he had been trying hard without succeeding. He should go on a bit of nicer ground and will race away during the summer. He'll also go back chasing sometime.
Donoghue doubles up with Santa Rossa
She is a good mare and will improve a hell of a lot for that. He said it was hard to pull her up and she took a good blow after the second last. It was an ideal race to start her off in today and we might go for a Grade 2 hurdle at Fairyhouse next. I think she will be even better going left-handed. She got kicked out in the paddock, before Liverpool last year, by one of our own and cracked a bone in her joint. Hence she missed that time and she'll improve a hell of a lot for that and I couldn't ask for a better return. She sprinted at the back of the last. The owner likes to breed so he mightn't chance going chasing but it depends, as she does jump well.
Masterstonemason gritty in Limerick
This is fantastic and was five years coming (since horse's last success)! . I had him tuned up for today and everything was going to plan at home and he was beating everything. He has a turn of foot, that's what you need and always showed it at home. He had problems the last few years with his back but we got that sorted and this is great. It is amazing for the old man - he loves this sport and and this is his thing. We are riding out 14, it is a small family operation and we have a few nice horses at home at the moment.
Lifetime Ambition relishes a staying test in Limerick
It was nice for him to get his head in front, going up to three miles and Robert said he wanted every bit of it. He'll have an entry in the 2m5f novice handicap and also the three mile Grade 1, both at Punchestown. Robert said he is a proper English National horse in the making for next year and said he loves that nicer ground. We'll campaign him differently next year, have him ready for the autumn, keep off the ground and have him for a spring campaign. For a big horse, he had us confused and we were doing the wrong thing for a little while but we'll get there some day! Today he was jumping like he did in Down Royal (in October).
Taking Tiara makes all for Limerick win
Sean (Flanagan) said if she put-down at the second-last, he wouldn't have been found for days!. she was bought broken-and-riding for just €1,000 as a three year old at Goresbridge — she'd have cost that just to break her, so was cheap. She jumped great and is a good leaper. We thought she'd win another hurdle before going back chasing but had little issues and was getting caught at the finish, so I got her palate fired. She loves going forward and going from the front and today's race was an ideal opportunity. They did a great job watering and it was safe ground. She is a versatile mare. She is better over fences, is heading the right way and maybe next year could be a Galway Plate mare.
The Dara Man rules the roost in Limerick
He is a class jumper and is still a novice chaser until November so will compete in novices. He is an own brother to Mystery Stowaway, a really good mare who I had which was killed. She was extraordinary and this is a lovely horse over a fence. Schooling at home, he would take lengths out of horses.
Impulsive Dancer skates home for Townend
He is improving all the time, his work at home has been very good and I don't think he needs heavy ground either. It wasn't a surprise on his final bits of work at home and he is a horse to look forward to mix it on the flat and over hurdles. Both he and Mercurey won their bumpers on heavy ground but the winner is a more mature flat type whereas Mercurey is probably an immature jump horse. I'd imagine Impulsive Dancer will go to Punchestown, possibly for the Champion Bumper, and could continue racing during the summer. I don't know whether or not I'll run Mercurey again this season.
