Going - Heavy. Fine
Placepot Pool - 11,700.88 Dividend - 5.40 Winning Units - 2084.34. Days Aggregate - 81,783.00 (7 races). Last Year 76,618.00 (8 races).
A 2nd Clonmel success for Epson as Wexford fall put in the past
Notice To Close shows right attitude to win again
Walsh cool and odds-on Stand Off delivers
I felt if he got into a battle that he might come out on top because he does stay well and will get further than two miles. Nothing would be impressive on that sort of ground. We'll more than likely look for a handicap next and I don't think he wants the ground as heavy as that. This is all a bit of practice on the way to jumping fences and I think he'll be alright.
No Grey Area's justifies Hassett's faith
He has been threatening and threatening and it is no secret we think a lot of this horse. He is as tough as nails,. He ran free in his bumpers and did so again today but they went handy and it helped. Pa rode him the last day and said he left it too late, but I said 'you did what you were told' although he was absolutely kicking himself. It is brilliant to win today and it is no coincidence he is in the same box as The Conditional (subsequent Cheltenham festival winner for David Bridgwater). We got offers to sell him last year but we said we'd sit and suffer and I know I'll be proved right. He'll go the same route as The Conditional - if we sell him we sell him, if we don't we don't.
Mary Frances impresses in the feature as Hassetts double up at Clonmel
The brother Michael, who was 63 yesterday, rides her out every morning - he'll often say to let the young lads ride her and I'd say 'no, you know her' and she gives 110 percent every morning and at the races,. We are mad to get black-type into her but all those mares races are over 2m4f and there is no three-mile black-type race for her unless she takes on the geldings - unless she goes over fences. If myself and Sean Flanagan had our way she'd jump fences but I don't think John (O'Mahony, owner) wants to. I'm delighted for John because they had some misfortune lately and Mary Frances is named after his mother. I'm delighted for the O'Mahony family as it is a big boost for them and I hope they're smiling. God only knows what she'll get after today and if it was really soft I wouldn't mind going back to the Galmoy Hurdle again next year - she wants bog. we must be the only yard who ride out with lights - we start every morning at 5.30am and have them finished at 7am and then I go to work in Coolmore. We installed seven or eight floodlights and we have 12 riding out.
Further Tipp cheer at Clonmel as Austin's Corrie scampers home
It was a long time coming for her and that's Danny's first winner for me; I think I'll have to employ him in the future,. Her family was good enough (a relative of Austin's own bred Danoli) and she might have enough racing when this season is over, although we have a lot of mares breeding at home and don't want any more.
Clonmel qualified riders maiden hurdle produces another shock
She was going to be third to Appreciate It the last day and made a bad mistake and had previously ran well in a bumper at Downpatrick,. It is great to get one for Pat Fennessy who has three or four fillies with me and Jordan is very good and you'll be hearing a lot more of him - he is great value for the 7lbs claim. I'm not sure what the plan is but she'll go for something over Christmas.