Going - Good. Fine
Jackpot Pool - 8,520.00 Not Won. Carried forward to Clonmel on Thursday 8th March. Placepot Pool - 44,314.61 Dividend - 9.90 Winning Units - 3335.96. Pick Six Pool - 1,583.00 Not Won. Carried forward to Clonmel on Thursday 8th March. Days Aggregate - 139,536.71 Last Year 148,598.00
A stroke of Genius from Murphys!
I'm delighted! He'll probably go for a novice hurdle but we'll see what the handicapper does first. The ground suits him, he is by Norwich (the same stallion as Murphy's Champion Chase winner Newmill) and they seem to come into their own at this time of the year!.
Pittoni pulls up lame after Leopardstown win
Park steals win on line
Steel Park just got there and was entitled to that. He has had bits of problems - he used to bleed and had back trouble but that's all sorted now. He has always loved this place and was second in good bumpers here - he'll probably go to Punchestown now.
Geraghty completes double on Slieveardagh
Slieveardagh shouldn't really have been running against Donnas Palm (the Noel Meade trained runner-up) handicap-wise but I thought Donnas Palm had a very hard race at Navan and he is probably better at Navan than he is here. My horse is better on that ground but I don't know where I'll go from here. He has a preference for going left handed, which doesn't help with Punchestown and Fairyhouse and while he is in the Grand Annual at Cheltenham, I doubt he'll go there. Paddy Power Bookmakers subsequently cut Slieveardagh to 12/1 (from 16s) for the Grand Annual Chase and to 14/1 (from 20s) for the Pulteney Handicap Chase also at Cheltenham.
Leanne leaves it late
I was a bit concerned about the ground coming here but Bryan said he was going to drop her in and take his time. She is in that 3m Pulteney handicap chase at Cheltenham on the Tuesday and we'll decided about that later in the week.
Mr Eko shows the way
there were a few scary moments with other fallers but he is a big strong horse and is getting his act together. We were worried about the quick ground but he got away with it. He jumped great and we'll look for something similar and maybe step him up in grade a bit. He is a smashing horse and keeps trying . my horses are running well at the moment which is half the battle!
Cheltenham dream alive for unbeaten Jezki
I'm delighted with both horses. I didn't really want to run them against each other but I had no real option. Jezki is a possible for Cheltenham now as I don't think he did any more than a gallop there. He learned a bit more and I think a faster pace will suit him better. I'm also delighted with The Big Easy - Patrick said when they quickened the second time, he was just a bit slow to get into gear.