Dundalk Fri, 20th Sep, 2024  Squire Danagher With both horses I thought opportunities presented themselves and we're lucky enough to be able to take advantage. I think it was too drastic a step up last time with him. He's a horse that relaxes in his races so we thought he might get it but I went back and examined the pedigree and it's all ten furlong and mile-and-a-half horses. I just put a line through the last run. He's a horse that has strengthened all year, he probably just does enough and has got himself into winning positions that he probably didn't avail of on a couple of occasions. Credit where credit is due, Wayne gave him a lovely ride, I was very impressed. We'll see what presents itself now, he just wants good ground this horse and I don't know if we're going to be lucky to have this weather for much longer.

Naas Thu, 19th Sep, 2024  Cercene We were never really happy watching it to be honest. She was going nowhere and then all of a sudden she won well. We think she's a very good filly. Whether she runs again this year or not, I don't know. We were kind of working back from the CL Weld Stakes all along but that might come up a bit too quick. Maybe the fillies Listed race at the Curragh (Staffordstown Stud Stake) might be a nice option for her and she's also in the auction final here as well. I'd say she could be finished for this year and she'll get an entry for both Guineas. Hopefully she'll build into that type of filly for next season.

Leopardstown Thu, 22nd Aug, 2024  Evening Blossom It was a nice performance and she came on well from the last day. She has threatened to be a nice filly but for one reason or another it has taken her a few runs this year to get it all together. Hopefully she can continue to progress now. . Being an Australia, we saw her as being a ten or 12 furlong-type filly earlier in the year but I think it's pretty evident that a mile is a good trip for her now. A stiff mile and an even pace. . I take a bit of the blame for getting her wrong at the start of the season in that regard. . There is a nice (new) handicap here on Champions Weekend for fillies but I don't know if she'll get in. If she did, she might go there.

Cork Fri, 16th Aug, 2024  Shamida She is a very brave and honest filly and a very good one. We thought she'd win today, were surprised she wasn't favourite but there you go and she is a triple Group 3-winning filly now. The distance was slightly short for her but she showed a good turn of foot at the top of the straight. She isn't a slow filly. She has plenty of entries in the autumn, we'll see how she comes out of this race and pick something nice. She'll be going back up to Group 1 level again.

Tramore Thu, 15th Aug, 2024  Rauzan The trip was too short for him. He was behind the bridle the whole way, just struggling to hold his position. He(Hugh Horgan) said once he pulled him out wide he just locked onto it and once he met the rising ground he just went away from them. Probably two-and-a-half-miles is his optimum trip. Sure I mean four on the bounce, he is a grand little horse. He is in again on the flat on Saturday over two miles so we will see how he is. Hopefully he might take his chance again. It's great for Hugh, he gave him a great ride. He is coming in there now giving me a hand. Good solid rider so it's great. I own him myself and my mother. It's great to get a winner at the local track. He is progressive so we might look at something like the Lartigue in Listowel or something like that.

Galway Sat, 3rd Aug, 2024  Lady O She had run some solid races and then went through a growing spurt so I thought she was well handicapped. She won on soft at Roscommon the first day and the ground was a little quick for her at Tipperary and Killarney but she relishes this stiff uphill finish as she will be a 1m2f filly for next year. I'm sure the handicapper will have his say but if she keeps progressing, we might try to get to Irish Champions Weekend for the Ingabelle Stakes which the syndicate won in 2018 with Sparkle'n'joy. They are very happy owners who have a good record here and I hope she can keep progressing for all the ladies, as we get great craic of it. There are 12 here today and there'll be big celebrations.

Galway Fri, 2nd Aug, 2024  Toll Stone I told Colin what I thought about the horse and left the tactics to him, I just gave him a bit of info on the horse. He said with 50 yards to go he thought he was going to get swamped but the horse pulled out a bit more and went to the line well. He has a great attitude. It was a big step up in trip but he enjoyed every bit of it. We'll see how he comes out of the race and fingers crossed he's none-the-worse. He's in tomorrow and Sunday and as long as he keeps staying sound he'll keep running. We'll let him bunk in here for the weekend and we'll play it by ear and see how he is in the morning.

Gowran Park Sat, 27th Jul, 2024  Evening Blossom she deserved to win, she had been consistent in all her runs this year and she was tough when she needed to be today. I'm delighted with her ,she's genuine and Declan said that he felt there is still more to come from her. We thought she would have been rated a little bit higher (than 79) so hopefully she might be on an upward curve. The obvious thing would be to go for a fillies handicap somewhere. We'll see how she pulls up.

Downpatrick Mon, 15th Jul, 2024  Rauzan I suppose the conditions of the race and the weights (suited). Phillip said he nearly found traffic even with four runners (hampered by faller Notkeepinyagoing). He's a horse that travels well and stays well which is a good attribute to have. He said he picked up well at the back of the last. He did it well. I've no real plan for him but we might look at Galway. He's a dual-purpose horse and he is only rated 61 on the Flat, so I might look at the Flat as well. He's definitely improving for a four-year-old. He's a horse we bought out of Mick Halford's and was well recommended by Mick, fair play to him.

Downpatrick Mon, 15th Jul, 2024  Rauzan He's been running on soft ground and probably wants a bit of better ground. He travelled well here the last day and fell at the third-last - Finny Maguire rode him and he thought he had plenty of horse left. Banking on that, we were hoping for a good run but he stayed at it well, in fairness. We did think he would run a nice race. Tramore or something like that next, maybe keep it local. It is a long way up here today, he's in Killarney on Thursday and I don't think he'll run - it's a long way from here to Killarney!. We'll see how he is and make a plan from there. I think he is a horse that will improve.

Curragh Fri, 28th Jun, 2024  Back Down Under I'd like to thank Frank (Berry) and JP and Noreen (McManus) for giving her to us. We leased her out last year. She's been a bit unlucky and we had a bit of stalls work to do with her. Chris rode her yesterday morning and she jumped out well. We thought she'd run well if she jumped and she did, and the step up to seven really helped her I'd say. Chris gave her a great ride, she jumped well and relaxed well. He said at halfway he thought he was going to run well and she stuck it out well so we're delighted. We're going to enjoy today and there will be a lot of celebrations. This weekend means a lot to the town and the lads are all local. To have a winner here on Derby weekend is unbelievable.

Down Royal Sat, 22nd Jun, 2024  Explorers Way The form of his last run (third in Navan) has been franked. He's a grand horse and it just took us a while to get to know him. He likes to be fresh and well on the day of the race, but he gets 1m2f well. I'm sorry for Jack Kearney that he couldn't do, he has just got a little heavy and the weight was too light for him. James is a very able replacement, he is very good. I've admired James for a long time and that is his first winner for me. I haven't been able to get him some of the times I wanted him. Jack was our go to all the time but, unfortunately, Jack is going to be going over jumps. We are going to have to get him a few jumpers!. I had great faith in James today and he rode a lovely race. He was in the right place the whole way and it was nice to watch. The syndicate are mainly from Sligo and they are all here. We bought the horse at the Tattersalls Online Sale back in April. That's his fourth run for us, so he is going the right way and I think he'll give them lots of fun.

Listowel Sat, 1st Jun, 2024  La Note Verte She hated the ground first-time out and is a real summer mare. She is not very big, is light-boned and will run away during the summer. I think as racing went on today, they were going wider and wider and with no chases and six hurdle races, it was getting more chewed up than normal. There was no pace, she was fit and had a run so I decided to go on and it worked out. I think there is a bit more there with her and I imagine she will go jumping now, although she might strengthen up with a break so we'll see what Willie thinks.

Tramore Fri, 31st May, 2024  Rauzan I bought him off Mick Halford. He was running over the winter on heavy ground. He had a nice run in a maiden hurdle at Gowran one day but he just wasn't in love with that heavy ground. We ran him here the last day and he just never seemed to travel over two miles. Mick was running him over a mile-and-five to a mile-and-six on the flat and I'd say he just needs to get into his comfort zone. He picked up well tonight and I'd say he will come on again for the run. He is handicapped on the flat as well, so he could run over two miles on the flat. Hugh gave him a good ride and it's grand to get a winner out here. We'll see what the handicapper does now.

Down Royal Fri, 31st May, 2024  Countess Of Tyrone She handled it (step up in trip) well there today and I thought this race might suit her a couple of weeks ago. I'm delighted the way she did it. Her brother (Earl Of Tyrone) was good and she's a nice filly. It is great to win a stakes race with her and hopefully she can continue in these stakes races.