Going - Good. Sunny and warm
Placepot Pool - 20,233.16 Dividend - 44.40 Winning Units - 318.88. Quadpot Pool - 3,517.65 Dividend - 15.30 Winning Units - 169.3. Days Aggregate - 134,890.31 Last Year 125,135.00
Straightforward for Swan in Galway opener
He got done for a bit of toe at the Curragh when he stayed on nicely. He has come out today and Shane got him in a nice place. Shane said he hung a little off the bend but it was only greenness. He carries his head a bit high but is a tall, big baby and will be a way better three-year-old. Shane said the ground is a little on the slow side and that helped him as well. Without a doubt he will be a stakes horse and I loved the way he pulled away at the end. He stayed very well and please God there is a nice future for him.
Casanova bounces back to form
Mountain makes all under Sheridan
Tranquil Lady completes double for Crosse & O'Brien
This was what we were half-expecting first time but from the draw there she got very wide and made up a lot of ground quickly and got tired. Shane said today she was very green. He thought for a minute she wouldn't get there but once she got to the other horse she picked up and had a good look around in front. All she can do is improve again for it. She gave weight away, won with her ears pricked and you couldn't ask for any more. She is State Of Rest's sister and it lovely for those owners and no doubt with her pedigree, you'd be trying to get black-type along the line.
O'Donnell on the mark with well-backed Dragon
We did our dough here last year when he was unlucky having had a bad break but he did handle the track. The ground was a worry but he had come forward massively from Roscommon. Shane (Foley) said he gave a massive heave in Roscommon so we were confident enough that he'd come forward and he has done. He is a strange horse who comes to form at this time of the year - you'd associate that mostly with fillies but he definitely was under the weather and lethargic early in the season. He is fairly buzzing now. We've had half a dozen runners this year, a few syndicates came together and Peter Keogh, who is a big help, joined me with three horses. He rides out in the morning before going to work and is responsible for those horses being around the place. I've done my tour of duty (re training) and you only leave the show room once, but you never turn down business!
Haparanda justifies favouritism in the Oyster Stakes
She did it nicely, it was a lovely ride from Colin and she was a good consistent filly last year. She was stakes placed this year and I wanted to win one with her and I think there is more to come. It was a proper race for her and the way she won, I'd be confident of winning more black-type with her. She is very versatile and has won on all grounds. Coming into the autumn, she is reaching her peak now and while she is entered at the weekend, it was only in case today didn't happen and she won't run. We'll look for another stakes race.
Horizon completes treble for Joseph O'Brien
He was impressive again, his ears were pricked and he has gone and improved. He will go up another 10lbs but keeps improving. He had a lovely position all the way. He is a big strong horse with a future, he stays very well and that (1m 4f) would be the minimum for him. If he got up to a mark, there could be a nice race in him over a trip.
Double for Foley as Pappina denies O'Brien of four-timer