'One more year' for Kodama following Navan winner

Cleveleys scores first Irish win

the owner Caroline Fennessy’s father Tom and his son-in-law Simon Madden picked the horse out in an online sale in August so it’s a great result for them. He won a novice event for Michael Dodds and this is his third start here. He was tough there when he needed to be, he is relatively lightly-raced and I’m sure they will have plenty of fun with him. He handles that slow ground. We might run him at the Curragh next week and then give him a break to come back for the spring. The horses are running well and we’ve a few more to run before the season is out.

'Long overdue' win for Grassick's Elanora

that was long overdue. I was a bit worried the five (furlongs) might be a bit short for her but the blinkers really sharpened her up today. I can’t believe this filly hadn’t won. She’s broken my heart as she works over everything at home. She’s a sister to Texas Rock (a dual Listed winner for the trainer) and it took a while for the penny to drop with him so maybe it might be the same for her. We’ll put her away and find a route for her next year. We always thought she was a Stakes filly and that’s where we would like to end up but she’s still well handicapped. It wasn’t the strongest of races but it’s nothing that she hasn’t shown us at home. The blinkers really worked as she was really on it. We’ve had a good year and she’s the only one that I was disappointed that hadn’t won.

Huddle Up scores for McCreery and Crosse

Mike O’Donnell, a Tipperary man living in Kildare, owns him and he has Royal Canford as well who got black type for him this year. I didn’t run him all summer as I think he needs an ease in the ground. He ran a cracker in Naas the last day and he got stopped once or twice as everyone is trying to veer to the outside which is not good at a premier track. Nathan was good and strong on him and good for his 3lb claim. He got him up well on the line. He’s in the sales on November 1 but doubt if we’ll sell him as I think he’ll be a lovely horse next year with a bit of ease in the ground.

Flights option for Pita Pinta

her mother Bantam ran well in the Mares’ Novice Hurdle at Cheltenham (fifth behind Limini in 2016) so that might be something that we could look at and see if she can jump. She stays well and she likes the ground. The owners have been very patient with the dry summer. She’s in at Galway again on Monday and she might go there.

Jesse Evans moves Champion Keane to 135

I don’t think he did an awful lot when he got to the front but that’s him. He’s better when he has a strong gallop to run at, the faster they go the better he is. He may run in the Naas November Handicap (on October 31) and if he didn’t go there then he could go for the handicap hurdle in Fairyhouse at the end of November. It’s a big pot in Naas and a race that he should have a chance in providing he’s fine after this.

Publican Linehan wins with Belgoprince

it’s a great fella that owns him, Tommy Linehan. He runs a great pub in Trim and he comes in and rides out a couple for us every morning including this fella. He’s a good rider and rode as an amateur about 20 years ago. Everything went right for him today and he always showed that he’d do something like that. I thought that he wanted better ground but maybe that little ease helped him today. He’s a consistent dual-purpose horse.

McConnell notches 40th winner of year

he’s no superstar but he’s a tough little horse and goes through that ground really well. We’ve had a lot of fun with him this autumn and I’m delighted for everyone involved. He’ll probably have a bit of a break now. That’s 40 winners for us this year.