Brides clings on in thrilling opener

She was topweight and the classiest mare in the race. She needed the line and probably just over-raced a bit on that ground. Apart from the first she jumped really well. We have done an awful amount of schooling with her and I think the penny has finally dropped. She wouldn’t want the ground any softer than that and is probably one more for the spring. We might look at Leopardstown as the ground is often better there.

Nurburgring grinds out Grade 3 win

Street good Value for Porterstown success

He deserved that as he got a wicked bad fall here in the race after the Grand National and I thought he was dead when he hit the ground. The lads (Miracle Cure Syndicate) deserved a big day like that and they have been with me from the very start. To come back and do that is unbelievable. He ran well over hurdles in Clonmel but the ground dried up too much in Carlisle the last day. This was always the plan. They went a wicked gallop which I knew would suit him as he stays and Danny gave him a great ride. He kept him wide and he jumped great. He loves soft ground and is much better going this way. If he got in he might go for the Irish National one day. The National Trial in Punchestown could be a race for him. I’m based in Tramore and that’s my biggest win.

Farren grabs Royal Bond Glory

In fairness to Jack he picked this lad, he had the choice of all three and I wasn’t sure he was on the right one.

National winner Maximus bags another big Fairyhouse prize in Drinmore

That’s a nice bonus on his last day as a novice. He won his maiden in nice circumstances here and has come back now to win a Grade 1 novice. He’s a total character as you could see from his early days racing. Paul gave him a great ride in the Irish National and Jody gets on well with him and gave him a super ride there. He looks a class horse now rather than a handicapper so maybe we’ll have to make different plans for him now. We were hoping he’d have a chance over the trip and the fact that it was his last day as a novice to give him the opportunity. He’s clearly improved from last year and obviously shows a liking for Fairyhouse. He has a funny action when you look at him head on and I’d imagine softer ground is to his liking. I thought he was beaten turning for home and to produce what he did up the straight was very good. This year we were maybe looking at going for the English National and whether we change and go for Grade 1 races now I’m not sure. We’ll have to have a word with Frank (Berry) and JP and see what they want to do. I didn’t speak to Paul yet but for me Sharjah clearly didn’t like the ground and you could see that from his head action.

Teahupoo lowers Impaire colours in Hatton's Grace

We knew he was in good nick but obviously Willie’s horse was going to be hard to beat over two and a half miles and we know our lad wants three. Jack gave him a wonderful ride and was very clever on him, squeezed him along and said he was going to have one go at him between the last two. The horse has got a lot stronger. He’s only a young horse and didn’t do much wrong last year. We are going to do things a bit different this year and the plan is to go straight for the Stayers Hurdle now. We might have knocked the edge off him in Gowran last year.

Practice completes good weekend for McManus

Secret rallies gamely to land bumper

He was very brave because he was very green going past the winning post first time around. It’s great for Paddy McSweeney and the Shanakiel Racing Syndicate and I think it’s their first runner since Mrs McSweeney died.