Going - Soft. Overcast
Trifecta Not Won. Pool of €1,578.54 carried forward to Down Royal on Wednesday 2nd February. Jackpot Pool - €55,476.00 Dividend - €1,014.80 Winning Units - 41. Placepot Pool - €26,403.63 Dividend - €59.20 Winning Units - 334. Days Aggregate - €161,456.00 (7 races). Last Year €115,134.00 (8 races).
Silver gets one back on Zeb
It just goes to prove the old adage that if you're not in you can't win. He didn't jump well early and he only got into it in the last half mile. His style of racing suits being dropped in like that though. I'd imagine he could go straight across the water (to Cheltenham). I was thinking of the Ryanair but we'll leave him in the two (the Champion Chase as well) and see what happens. I thought he could be a bit flat coming here off the back of recent runs but maybe he is better suited to having a run rather than being trained.
Some double as Mullins/Townend on Target
I'm particularly pleased as I thought he had a tough task with the weight he had in his first handicap. Going a slower pace helped suited his jumping. He'll keep to that type of race and the 4-miler would look the target for him at Cheltenham.
Mullins 1,2 as he shares treble with Townend
I'm delighted with both horses. I brought Gagewell Flyer back to two miles to get more experience of a fast run race into him and to get him jumping faster. He'll probably go for the Neptune Novice Hurdle at Cheltenham now. Earlson Gray looks a nice recruit for hurdling. He is still a maiden over hurdles but he won a chase in France and he can't run in maidens as a result. He'll stick to novice hurdles.
4 from 4 for Mullins/Townend
I saw him in the parade ring in France and I thought he was a beautiful horse. At the same time my wife Jackie saw him on the television and rang to ask me what the beautiful grey horse was, so we ended up buying him. He deserves an Albert Bartlett entry after that. He was only getting going at the end there. He was bought as a chaser, he'll get an entry in the two and a half mile race (the Neptune) at Cheltenham as well but he is an out and out stayer. He gallops, jumps and he stays.
Square is another for Tyner
She done that well. They're in great form but I thought the ground had gone a bit fast for her there - she enjoyed herself today though. She'll head for a mares beginners chase now and we ran her here to smarten her up. She was off a nice rating over hurdles.
Celtic gives Mullins a fabulous 5-timer
He's an out and out galloper and he enjoyed himself. He'll probably go jumping rather than for a winners bumper but I'll have to talk to Patrick first. The way he races a winners bumper could be a bit hard on him. It's been a fantastic day and I'm delighted with that. I was hoping Gagewell Flyer might be my winner for the day and I have to say that Paul (Townend) was fantastic on all of them (Golden Silver, Some Target, Gagewell Flyer and Raptor.
