Fairyhouse Wed, 1st Jan, 2025  Aurora Vega She at least put that run in Wexford behind her and looked like she’s back on an upward curve,. I’m very happy with how she jumped and how she handled the ground. I think there is the Solerina race here towards the end of the month and we’d be looking at that. I like when they show a liking for here because you can always look at the Grade 1 race here at Easter.

Leopardstown Sun, 29th Dec, 2024  The Enabler He was good and just got a bit close to the last. I’m not sure what his trip is as he wasn’t getting home over three miles and two miles looked too short,. Michael and Anita (O’Leary) are racing here today and it’s great to get them a winner. He looks a chaser for next year.

Limerick Fri, 27th Dec, 2024  Uhavemeinstitches She’s a lovely filly and we’ve always liked her since day one and it’s great to get a winner for JP at Christmas,. She was jumping so well she was even jumping into the back of a few of them. Simon said it was straight forward. She ran around a bit down the home straight, had a little look about when she hit the front, but she was good over the last two. She ran here in the spring, but she was only a frame and has really filled out over the summer in Martinstown. I was really pleased when she came back in the autumn and knew I had a mare to train. With her pedigree you would say stamina is going to be her forte down the line. Bluesea Cracker is still with us and is in the stable just across the yard from this filly. She is rising 24 and is still fit and healthy. It’s great to see her daughter coming through now.

Limerick Thu, 26th Dec, 2024  Dream In The Park forty years ago today, I trained my first winner with For Jon, with Michael Byrne riding him. It was at the old Greenpark racecourse so there have been a lot of changes since but we’re still at it and haven’t gone hungry yet!. Dream In The Park jumps well and was handicapped better over fences than over hurdles, so we decided to have a go at this. We schooled him at home the other day and jumped particularly well. That’s Calum’s first winner over fences and his 7lb claim is very valuable: he gave him a great ride. Conor (McNamara, son) had the pick but went for (stablemate) Cahirdown Boy who has been lucky for him in the past, but he made an early bad mistake, so his race was gone.

Leopardstown Thu, 26th Dec, 2024  Croke Park He’s been busy enough and probably doesn’t need to run again before Cheltenham. I don’t think he wants real winter heavy ground. He maybe didn’t jump as well as he did the last day. Sam (Ewing) said he slipped going into the first. The second horse didn’t lose much in defeat either, probably more of a test will suit him. He was well up after the line. Even when he won the Martin Pipe in Cheltenham he looked like a real stayer. As he’s named, there will be Better Days Ahead.

Naas Mon, 16th Dec, 2024  Shuffle The Deck He did it nicely. He stays and jumps. He looks like a horse that will make a nice chaser. His first run was a goodish run and he came on from it, it looks like he's improved a bit from that. He is what he is, he stays going and he gallops. He's only a four-year-old and with his pedigree he should make a nice chaser. His half-brother Verdant Place won yesterday. Hopefully, he goes on to be a nice horse, lots of horses win a maiden hurdle. I've had a few nice novices over the years and I'd say he's as good as we've had at this stage, but he has a long way to go. Somebody asked me there how good he was and I said 'well he's not Rince Ri'. He's entered in the Lawlor's (at Naas) and he'll probably run there unless they (JP McManus) have something better.

Navan Sun, 15th Dec, 2024  Verdant Place It was brilliant to get it. Fair play to Simon, that's his third win on him now. He's probably not the most straight-forward horse in the world but Simon really knows him inside out. I don't tell him anything, away he goes. He was good today. His jumping probably still has to improve a little bit, he's not the slickest over them but you could ask no more. Three miles around Navan takes a bit of jumping. He's won over two-seven over hurdles and three miles is probably his trip. If the ground was softer you could drop him back a bit more but definitely on that ground he needs three miles. He won't be running over Christmas and we'll find something similar in the New Year.

Navan Sat, 7th Dec, 2024  Sa Fureur He stays well and he's a grand horse. He could end up being a Galway Plate horse. We'll see, maybe the Dublin Racing Festival (next).

Clonmel Tue, 3rd Dec, 2024  Kiltealy Park Conditions suited, her 7lb mares' allowance put her in lovely and was deadly to jump, apart from fiddling one fence. She had been so well schooled for her point to points. Sean thought he'd finish second once the leader kicked on, but she hit the line well. She won her maiden hurdle, a handicap and I'd say the ground was a bit quick the last day she ran. We'll look to Christmas now and might step her up a little in trip.

Fairyhouse Sun, 1st Dec, 2024  Croke Park That was brilliant. The horse probably won an average enough beginners’ chase here the last day and I didn’t know if the form was good enough, but that’s why I run them in the races,. Sometimes people say I shouldn’t run as many, but if you’re not in you can’t win and that’s what racing is about. This lad was 22-1. Sam gave him a great ride. Those are the races you want to see, there were four or five of them within a couple of lengths jumping the last. They went steady but it was a great race. I thought Henry’s horse would make it, to be honest, and Sam would sit second.

Fairyhouse Sun, 1st Dec, 2024  Croke Park Michael (O'Leary, owner of Croke Park) had asked if I wanted Sam to get off Croke Park and on Firefox, but I didn't think it was fair as both owners (O'Leary and Noel Moran's Bective Stud - Firefox) have a lot of horses in my yard. You have to be fair to every owner and I just didn't feel it was the right thing to take him off Croke Park: Sam might have been disappointed but that's the game we're in and you saw what happened.

Fairyhouse Sun, 1st Dec, 2024  La Malmason she was very good although we were clutching at straws with her but she had kissing spine surgery during the summer and it's obviously done the trick: she had been making a lot of mistakes last year so we got her checked out at the end of the season. I was a little bit concerned the ground wouldn't be slow enough as she'd appreciate softer going and will definitely get further. I'm delighted with the way she jumped today, Keith said when he jumped the first he knew she was a different mare so hopefully she can kick on from here. I haven't looked beyond today, this was the plan although I couldn't rule out the Thyestes or an Irish National. I'm delighted to get a winner at this meeting; we got one in Navan (Troytown weekend) and if you can have a winner at these big meetings it's great.

Punchestown Sat, 23rd Nov, 2024  Binge Worthy I’m a little bit surprised, but the horses are flying. He kept going well and we’ll find something similar for him.

Punchestown Sat, 23rd Nov, 2024  Butch Cassidy He’s a lovely big horse and a real chaser in the making. He has loads of size and scope and he gallops. He’s big and raw and we felt whatever he did today, that he’d improve. He has a good attitude. I didn’t get a schooling hurdle into him which I would have liked, but his jumping improved as the race went on. Darragh was brilliant on him and delighted to get a winner for the Magniers who are fantastic supporters.

Navan Sat, 16th Nov, 2024  Down Memory Lane He's a good horse and had a few small little problems last year. I thought it was a very good performance there today, he jumped great and galloped the whole way to the line. It (Drinmore) might come a bit soon - obviously, I will have a chat with Frank (Berry) and the whole team and see.

Clonmel Thu, 7th Nov, 2024  Pink In The Park It was a good performance. She took on the geldings the last day and while we were disappointed, she ran a respectable fourth. That probably sharpened her, she jumped great across the top and battled well at the finish. I didn't think I'd be beating Allegorie but you never know, especially with mares and these races can often throw up funny results. She has had a good consistent summer and is going the right way. I won on her brother Mister Pink in Punchestown recently, they're a good breed so people could be lining up for the next one.

Fairyhouse Tue, 5th Nov, 2024  Any Road I was very pleased as it was his first run back. To be honest he was a bit disappointing last year, I don't know what the reason was but I thought he ran a little bit below par. While he working nicely I wasn't confidence with it being his first run - I was hopeful. It looks like he'll have to go straight into a handicap now. He should get into the good handicap here at the start of next month, whereas off 125 I didn't think he'd get in. He did very well on the ground, I was very pleased with him.

Fairyhouse Tue, 5th Nov, 2024  Croke Park it was grand, Jack said he was only doing what he had to do and was very idle in front but there is a lot of improvement in him. It's a nice starting point. He'll go with an ease in the ground as well. He won a Grade 3 in Navan last year and we had a few problems after. We'll see how he us and see where he slots in, we've plenty of horses for that division. He could end up back here in the Drinmore, it wouldn't shock me.

Fairyhouse Tue, 5th Nov, 2024  Croke Park The Mediator deserved to win as he's been knocking on the door for a long time, so it's great. He's got loads of ability but he's been frustrating. We'll stick him in a handicap now and see what he does.

Fairyhouse Tue, 5th Nov, 2024  Croke Park It was grand, Jack said he was only doing what he had to do and he was very idle in front, but there is a lot of improvement in him. It’s a nice starting point,. He’ll go with an ease in the ground as well. He could end up back here in the Drinmore, it wouldn’t shock me. He won a Grade Three in Navan last year and we had a few problems after. We’ll see how he is and see where he slots in, we’ve plenty of horses for that division.

Curragh Sun, 3rd Nov, 2024  Jetara She’s been declared twice and I couldn’t run her because of the ground. She did it nicely and Shane said she was always in control. We are going to run her in the Lismullen Hurdle and then either the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot or Leopardstown at Christmas. We can look at the Flat with her next year but I wouldn’t be running her on good to firm ground.

Wexford Sun, 27th Oct, 2024  Fleur In The Park He wants two and a half to three miles and I thought he’d win over two if he is as good as I think he is. He is going for the Monksfield at Navan in three weeks’ time, so we had to get a run into him and that will bring out loads of improvement. Cian (Quirke, jockey) said he had a blow, that he won very easy and he had loads of horse left. He had good runs in bumpers last year but was never really trained for bumpers, as I wanted to give him a chance to be a good horse and I didn’t want to drill him to win bumpers, he still ran very well in them. I think there will be improvement over hurdles and over fences next year, that’s the plan.

Galway Sat, 26th Oct, 2024  Sportinthepark We paid a lot of money for him after he finished second in a point-to-point but we didn't see the horse that we're now seeing. Since he came in this season he is a different horse and while I know fences have changed him, anything he is doing he is doing well. He is a huge big horse so maybe we did too much with him too quick. We were worried about coming back in trip but maybe that trip is right and riding him that way is right. He'll need a few weeks now but we'll give him an entry in a graded race and he will go on soft ground.

Clonmel Thu, 24th Oct, 2024  Birdsandthebees It was a great day and I'm delighted for Peter, who gave her a great ride and is with me full-time. He works very hard and is a very good rider who is only getting going. She had been frustrating as we thought she'd have won something by now but, for only her second chase run, she seems to love jumping. Hopefully, it might now ignite a spark and it is great to get the winning bracket as she is homebred by Noreen (McManus). We have a small number for the winter, but have a few nice horses and team are in good form, so hopefully it will continue.

Limerick Sat, 19th Oct, 2024  Jetara it is great to ride a quality mare like this and it's not every day when you're flicking through form and see '2nd to Ballyburn'. It was a pleasure to put my leg across her and obviously a pleasure to ride for the trainer and owner. She switched off, stuck out her head and did what she had to do having jumped fluently throughout. It is grand to see her settling and hopefully she will come on from it.

Cork Sun, 13th Oct, 2024  Ah Remy Martin That was lovely and I suppose opportunities like that don't come along that often and the race couldn't have been more suitable. You still have to go and do it though, and he jumped well. I thought he might get done for a bit of toe at the back of the last after meeting that fence on a backward stride, but I loved the way he came back and put his head in front. He is on the go a long while so a break could be on the cards: if the ground stays good we might go once more but other that that, we will leave him off.

Gowran Park Fri, 4th Oct, 2024  Park Of Kings He had been a bit disappointing but it all came good today,. He had been difficult at the start a couple of times. In Galway he whipped around a bit and then got into it by coming up on the outside but then got cut off. Every day there was something. Today he jumped off nice and smart and jumped away well. Mark kept him to the outside to try and keep him sweet and he jumped well and won well enough. He's only six and we'll look for something similar. I wouldn't like the ground to deteriorate too much. He wears a tongue-tie for a reason. One some of the good tracks you wouldn't know what would happen (ground-wise). We didn't over-run him as there hasn't been much for him over the summer. Galway was his last run and he had a nice little break until now, we won't be letting him out anyway.

Tramore Wed, 18th Sep, 2024  C'est Rien she was third and fourth a few times but just got worse and worse over hurdles so I was in trouble with her and didn't know where to go. Danny (Mullins) had said, after riding her a year ago, to run her in one of those chases around the likes of Tramore, so he was right! . We tried everything bar blinkers and that was the next thing, if she didn't do it today. She was very genuine today though and I couldn't believe how well she jumped. She'll go for something similar now. I'd said she'll come back here anyway, that's the plan. Is Tramore on again next week?!

Downpatrick Mon, 26th Aug, 2024  Chart Topper Keith (Donoghue, on In The Trenches) set a good gallop putting his experience to use but that suited me. He came out of my hands at the first but after that popped away lovely. He's more inclined to pop than have a crack at them. I could see Keith's horse jumping and hanging a bit left all the way and once he has hung off the home bend, has given us a great split. I think he has plenty of scope to chase; those Walk In The Park's are very natural jumpers and Pink In The Park (Chart Topper's dam) won her beginners' chase so he'll jump a fence no problem. He is very clever rather than brave but there's nothing wrong with that. His work at home was very good and we were hugely disappointed until now; we thought he would be winning at the Punchestown Festival but maybe jumping has improved him. I'd like to see him go up in trip and think he would probably be fairly versatile regarding ground, although I'm not sure he is a real middle of winter horse.