Naas Sun, 10th Nov, 2024  The Busy Fool He's a lovely big horse. They are a great crowd of guys to train for and they've been hugely lucky, we've had a lot of winners. They've been very patient with this horse, he was a big weak horse. You can see he's a big backward fella. I didn't want to go over fences until next season so we said we'd keep him for a few hurdles this year. He won in Tipperary last season over two and I felt the step up would suit. Obviously Tiernan's claim got rid of his winner's penalty. The form of the race in Tipperary worked out well, the horse that was second to him was second in Punchestown at the Festival. I think Tiernan will be very important to me this year for some of those handicaps. It was great to have him on board and great that he rode a good winner. He got a very easy lead, he came up the home straight the first time with his ears pricked going a nice steady gallop. With a 7lb claimer off 10st 4lb they gave him, a galloping horse, a very easy lead. I was going to look at the two-mile handicap in Fairyhouse but we'd want a lot of rain for that. We'll creep away. He can come back a bit in trip with an ease in the ground.

Naas Sun, 10th Nov, 2024  The Busy Fool He’s a lovely big horse. They are a great crowd of guys to train for and they’ve been hugely lucky, we’ve had a lot of winners,. I didn’t want to go over fences until next season so we said we’d keep him for a few hurdle races this year. He won in Tipperary last season over two miles and I felt the step up to two and a half would suit. Obviously Tiernan’s claim got rid of his winner’s penalty. The form of the race in Tipperary worked out well, the horse that was second to him was second in Punchestown at the festival.

Galway Tue, 8th Oct, 2024  Hazelhatch Lady I'm delighted she's won. I was praying for the line to come, we had one yesterday and the line never came for us but we got away with it today,. On her day she's actually a good mare but she has her problems. Top-weight today was a little bit of a worry but on her home-work she's always been good. She could throw a spanner in the works the next day but that's just her. She's after winning a bumper, two hurdles and a chase so we'll see what she does after today. She was 115 or 116 over hurdles and he'll probably put her up to that over fences now so we'll see where we go. She's much better in a smaller field, that's obvious. In a smaller field when she gets her own way in front she's not too bad. Hopefully she can go on again.

Killarney Sun, 6th Oct, 2024  Inchidaly Copper We thought the ground might be a bit soft so we were hoping he would go on it, but we're near home so said we'd take our chance and were lucky. He seems to have matured this year and handles this ground better than he used to: as a young horse he didn't want to have any of it. I'll talk to his owner but the horse has a nice bit done and we might now keep him for next year. Luke's brother Andrew is riding in America at the moment and will be home soon, so he got the spin today and deserved that.

Downpatrick Fri, 20th Sep, 2024  Tell Nobody Nothin I am absolutely thrilled because I thought he would need a run. . He wasn't really a bumper horse - he jumps well, so we decided to go straight away over hurdles with him. . He travelled great. He had a breako bviously over the summer and I'm thrilled with him. . We'll take it steady, we'll look for a rated novice with him or something like that.

Galway Fri, 2nd Aug, 2024  Battleoverdoyen He was high class; he was a Grade 1 winner. He was very unlucky all winter with the ground being very soft, he was struggling with his wind on real soft ground,. said Elliott. We went hunter chasing with him and had a great plan to qualify him for the Foxhunters this year but didn't get to qualify him, everything went wrong. For him to come back and win for the lads here is great because they've been patient with him. He wasn't going to have too many more chances which just goes to show if you don't give up. He's a lovely horse, it's great for Pioneer and great for Danny Gilligan, a local man, who was touched off in a couple of races during the week. I thought when he hit the front a half furlong down 'I don't know if he'll get home with his wind'. I'd say it just did catch him for the last half furlong. He's been a horse of a lifetime for me, I've had him since he was a four-year-old. Obviously he's a Grade 1 winner and to come back and win for the boys today, if he doesn't do anything ever again he's going to have a great life. In fairness he has dropped a lot in the handicap, he's 123 there and was rated 160 at his best. We'll enjoy today and make a plan after that. He might go to Listowel for one of the handicap chases there.

Killarney Thu, 18th Jul, 2024  The Gray Ghost We thought he'd win the last day but Pa (King, jockey) came in and said he got his tongue over the bit. He is a devil for that so we tied down his tongue today - he has never made a noise but fiddles with it. In fairness to Pa he gave us invaluable feedback. We were wicked disappointed the last day as we think he is a fair horse and she gave him a lovely ride today. He is a big baby and is for sale. He is owned by my landlords Ray O'Connor and his partner Neasa Haverty, who are friends of mine and I'm delighted for them. It is the second time Neasa's colours have been worn and the first was by a horse which fell, when going to win a point-to-point and was sold afterwards.