Going - Heavy (third last omitted on chase course). mainly dry
Jackpot Pool - €3,000.00 Dividend - €2,100.00 Winning Units - .2. Placepot Pool - €22,066.07 Dividend - €115.90 Winning Units - 133.19. Pick Six Pool - €10,000.00 Dividend - €7,000.00 Winning Units - .6. Days Aggregate - €90,683.00 (8 races). Last Year €93,982.18 (7 races).
Unbeaten Honeysuckle delights de Bromhead
I'm delighted with that. I was a bit nervous beforehand, I have to say. Rachael was really happy with her and we couldn't have asked her to do any more. She said she was grand on the ground, she said it was tough out there. I'm delighted to get it for Kenny Alexander and it's just nice to have her back, and start her season off well. We need to sit down and discuss thing now. She's in the Hatton's Grace so we'll see. It's a bit frustrating because the two mares races we have are both for horses that haven't won Grade 1s. The one at Punchestown next week is understandable, that's a Listed race, and then the Grade 3 at Christmas is for mares that haven't won a Grade 1 so she's quite limited in mares races between now and Christmas. She's in the Hatton's Grace and then we'll look at Christmas as well but I haven't really discussed anything yet. I don't think we'd go across the water unless the lads want to.
Cerberus devours opposition in Fairyhouse
He won very well. I'm delighted for the lads who own him. Aidan O'Brien is the headmaster of the school. He handled the ground well, we were a bit worried about that before. I'd say he could come back here next month for the Grade 3 race. He got very close to the horse that won very well up the north, A Wave Of The Sea, in Punchestown and I think it would make sense to go there. You'd have to be impressed with him there.
Meade taps into Diol Ker's potential
He's a lovely horse and if you wanted to paint a horse to make a chaser you'd paint him. He's the most gorgeous horse. He was going to win in Leopardstown last year and he stumbled at the last. Whatever he did, I think he might have pulled something, because it took him an awful long time to get over it. He had another run, and got beat in Navan, and we said we'd leave him after that for the rest of the season. He'll have his season jumping hurdles and he'll be a chaser for next season. Hopefully he stays together because he could be a real one when he gets jumping fences. He stays well, I've no doubt about that. He was getting an allowance there off the winners which was a help as well but he's a horse for the future. He'll climb up there. It might take fences before he gets to the very top but he will get up there when he's jumping fences. He's a nice horse.
Lagenod one for Sweeney and Enright
We got there. He did it easy enough today. It's nice to win one here with him. There was a few quid for him but he looked the one they had to beat. We'll try and pick out something else for him now.
Solar Heat burns them off in Fairyhouse
That was good. We weren't sure about the ground, she didn't have much form on it. It was Mark's idea to claim her. She was in for only four grand but I was like 'God do I want her as I have enough of them in the yard'. She's solid though and has form on the Flat, chase and hurdles. She can go any route. It's great. There are a good few friends own her, it's a bit of fun really, and Mark's dad has a share in her so it was good to get Mark to ride her. I'm delighted that she's won because she's pushing on in age. She has a nice pedigree though so I'd say she'll be a broodmare down the line. She's a fun mare and is after doing her job.
Ronald Pump makes an excellent start to chasing
Obviously he won here in his last handicap hurdle off 136 and went up to 145. We could have gone for an easier beginners chase but we said we'd see how good he was. I told Adam to go out there and be confident on him because I think he's a right good horse. He switched off lovely there today and when Adam asked him he just quickened. I'm delighted with it. He's won on better ground all last year, he's versatile and will go on any sort of ground. He's a proper little horse. He jumped brilliant and travelled away lovely. Obviously Bapaume is a serious horse and you couldn't be coming here mad confident. I was hopeful and I'm not overly shocked to be honest. We could look at a good race now for him. Today we just wanted to get around safely and enough it. We could look at three miles as the further the better for him. He's an out and out stayer. If this was run yesterday I probably would have entered him for the Grade 2 on Sunday but because it was today I was thinking if I had entered him and he'd flopped I'd look silly. There is no panic with him. I think he's a nice horse and he did that nicely anyway. It's great that he switched off well enough there today as he was a bit keen last year but he's grown up a bit.
Walton's 'unpaid retainer' reaps dividends with Enduring Love
The lads in the weigh room have a lot to answer for! We couldn't get that horse around. He ran very well in his handicap chase and he wants winter ground. Last year he had two runs, he unseated at the first in Limerick at Christmas when I fancied the life out of him. We went to Wexford on ground that was too good and he slipped on the flat, when running really well. He had no luck the last year but we've minded him because he wants soft ground. So we've waited a year-and-a-half with him. He's a relatively young horse and hopefully he can go on from there. Joanna rode for me in this last year and we were third with Rightback Atya, the horse that was second earlier today. She did well after he made a mistake. Joanna rides well over a fence and has loads of experience. In the ladies' race it's very hard to get a rider so she's my retained one, an unpaid retainer!. I'm delighted for John (Leckey). We had a winner for him at Naas on Saturday and another winner today so it's great. Hopefully this horse might come back here next week.
From Eden battles home under Russell
He deserved to win a race. He ran a great race in Galway and has been a consistent horse. He's owned by my head man Simon McGonagle and a bunch of our friends. It's great that he's won. He's a plucky old horse. He's won a couple and we'll have a bit of fun with him.
