Going - Heavy (Hurdle course); Soft (Chase). Showery
Jackpot Pool - €7,489.94 Dividend - €1,257.10 Winning Units - 4.17. Placepot Pool - €44,538.73 Dividend - €666.70 Winning Units - 46.77. Days Aggregate - €569,086.00 Last Year €467,107.75
Intellotto shows plenty on hurdle debut
The ground was softer than we thought it was going to be, but it was a lovely debut. Daryl taught him a lot and he jumped pretty well on the whole. Daryl has been a top-class rider for many years and is still at the top of his game. I’m sure he’d tell you riding good horses is what it’s all about and he gets as big a kick out of it as ever. I’m delighted to have a winner here for Simon (Munir) and Isaac (Souede) and he looks a smashing horse for the spring. I think the logical step would be to come back here for the Dublin Racing Festival.
Marine looks a class act on switch to fences
I didn’t enjoy watching it at all. Last year we were coming in under the radar and this year we are favourite for the Arkle and expected to win. It’s a horse race and anything can go wrong but the way he jumped today he’s vindicated what we have seen from his schooling — he’s an absolute natural. He’s only three-quarters fit today, and Michael said he gave a little bit of a blow. He was a little gassy early on, but you couldn’t ask for any more than that. The ground is described as soft but there is a bottom to it. He goes on every ground but probably wouldn’t like heavy ground. He’s just class with a super engine and when you marry that with how efficient he jumps. He’ll come back here for the Irish Arkle, then the Arkle and hopefully on to Punchestown. The script writes itself this year. He’s the horse of a lifetime and I’m just blessed that he came into our yard. They are one in ten thousand these horses. He’s taken a bit longer this year to get fit than last year as he had a proper break for ten weeks but he’s a tall athletic horse and comes to hand quick enough. If you look at the list of Supreme Novice Hurdle winners, there are plenty that just didn’t train on and that was an added pressure. He had a little wind operation before he went out at the end of last season, and we put a tongue strap on him today. We just thought it might improve him a bit.
McManus and Mullins dominate Grade 1 chase in Foxrock as Dinoblue scores
Gentleman De Mee set a great pace in front and jumped fantastic. I wondered at one stage would she (Dinoblue) be able to stay jumping with him, but she held her jumping together. When he took a blow, she kept galloping and she is improving all the time. I’m very happy with that.
Caldwell Potter relishes tough conditions in Foxrock Grade 1
Jack just kept it simple, and he said he loved the ground. He galloped them into the ground. He’s a nice horse and loved the conditions. I wasn’t surprised as he won well in Navan. We’ll enjoy today and then have a think about where we go next. I could see him stepping up in trip at some stage.
One Last Tango justifies good support for Walsh/Griffin
He had a promising run on his return when finishing fourth at Navan and he’s come on a little bit from it. I was a little bit concerned about the ground today, but he handled it well and it’s brilliant to get a winner here at Christmas for JP. It’s been a while since we had a Christmas winner and we’re over the moon. It seemed to go pretty straight forward and it’s nice to get it. Hopefully he might come back here for the Dublin Racing Festival. We’ll see how it goes between now and then and have a chat with Frank (Berry, racing manager).
Paddy Power hero Meetingofthewaters brings up nap hand for Mullins
Hopefully the first of many! Brilliant to get the job done. Patrick and Willie do a fantastic job with this lad. I got away nicely down to the first and ran a bit keen so normally in a Paddy Power you are trying to hold your slot, but today I was trying to tuck him back in, switch him off so that I would have petrol late on. The ground had changed from yesterday so the tactics we were thinking of last night were probably turned on their head by today. You just adjust and attack again. The last few days have been a little bit hit and miss in the results for me, but you have to perform when the pressure comes on most. I could see from when I crossed the road down the far side he (James Du Berlais) was within striking distance. I knew my lad had delivered with every jump I had asked for, so I was trying to keep my powder dry. As I passed Paul (Townend on Adamantly Chosen) turning in, he said 'oh, you're going well!' I just said 'I don't know how much I have left'. In fairness to this lad, he hit the line very strong.
Joystick one of a super six for Mullins
He was third in a point-to-point and we went down to see him at the Doyles. He’s a nice staying type and a real chaser in the making. He’s a real long-striding, old-fashioned chaser and a nice acquisition. He’ll stick with bumpers this season.
