Wed, 1st Jan, 2025  Champ Kiely He did everything as it should be done, he galloped and jumped. Paul was very happy that he’s much more relaxed over fences than he was over hurdles, which will hopefully bring about more improvement in him. We’ll have to look at the two-mile-five at the Dublin Racing Festival. He could easily step up in trip, Paul remarked that he was so relaxed which means you could step up. Chosen Witness ran a cracker and I’m very pleased with him. I’m disappointed for O’Moore Park, he was running a great race and didn’t deserve to fall. He jumped well throughout the race and the last fence just let him down.

Fairyhouse Wed, 1st Jan, 2025  Allegorie De Vassy It was nice performance from her. She enjoyed being in front today and Paul said she just enjoyed her jumping and galloping,. Even with the 24mm of rain they had here the ground needed it all. It’s still not real winter heavy or anything like that and she enjoyed that nice bit of ground. She put in some super jumps and I’m very happy with her. We’ll possibly look at the Opera Hat next at Naas, it’s down in trip which wouldn’t be ideal but it’s a mares’ race.

Wed, 1st Jan, 2025  Allegorie De Vassy It was nice performance from her. She enjoyed being in front today and Paul said she just enjoyed her jumping and galloping,. Even with the 24mm of rain they had here the ground needed it all. It’s still not real winter heavy or anything like that and she enjoyed that nice bit of ground. She put in some super jumps and I’m very happy with her. We’ll possibly look at the Opera Hat next at Naas, it’s down in trip which wouldn’t be ideal but it’s a mares race.

Fairyhouse Wed, 1st Jan, 2025  Sounds Victorius He’s a lovely big type, a real chasing type. He’s just really laid-back and he just idled. When the other horses came around him, it took him a while to pick up and go again. With the new configuration of hurdles here, so they don’t have to take them out because of sun, there is a lot of racing without a hurdle. Paul said he lost complete interest going down the back. It’s a better system, though, if they can have all the jumps in and I applaud Fairyhouse for that. It looks like he’s crying out for a further trip. We’ll be aiming him higher now and he might be an Albert Bartlett type. He’s out of a Presenting mare, so he’s going to stay all day and he’ll go on better ground.

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.

Tramore Wed, 1st Jan, 2025  More Coko He won well with me here in August. My mother bred him and you can see he is a French bred as Madam Jacky Mullins is down as the breeder. She sent two or three mares over to France five or six years ago, kept them there and used the French stallions. They came home then when the foals were 18 months (old). She wanted to try something different and I think she has a nice one here. His owners, Paul and his brother John are here today. I won on Onlyamatteroftime in my own colours at Warwick in the summer and they had a horse in the race. They bought Onlyamatteroftime off me and he got injured on his first run for them. There were looking for a second horse, so they bought More Coko. They are from Galway, but based in the UK. They came over to see him run today and it's great that he has won. Brian came in and said he could be a chaser, he jumped with plenty of scope. He is obviously very versatile regards the ground, it was very heavy today and good in August. We will just keep tipping away with him and he might head over to England for a novice hurdle. We will build him up slowly. In England you can go for those novice hurdles, winners of one, winners of two and we don't have those races here. He might suit one of those races.

Leopardstown Sat, 28th Dec, 2024  Galopin Des Champs That was some performance. He put in some fantastic jumps and to win the way he did after giving the other horse a lead the whole way was one of the best performances I have ever seen around here. It’s frightening to think he could still be improving and hopefully he hasn’t left his whole season behind him, but what a great day and a great atmosphere with people all around the parade ring. He’s done it the hard way and jumped out in front today.

Sat, 28th Dec, 2024  Galopin Des Champs That was some performance. He put in some fantastic jumps and to win the way he did after giving the other horse a lead the whole way was one of the best performances I have ever seen around here. It’s frightening to think he could still be improving and hopefully he hasn’t left his whole season behind him, but what a great day and a great atmosphere with people all around the parade ring. He’s done it the hard way and jumped out in front today.

Leopardstown Sat, 28th Dec, 2024  Kaid D'authie He’s a lovely big, long-striding horse who has very little respect for his hurdles and looks like he could be more of a chaser. He’s a big chasing type and is a similar to Majborough. They both cover a huge amount of ground when they gallop. I’d say he’ll come back here for the Dublin Racing Festival and take on the top two-milers and we’ll see where he is then.

Leopardstown Sat, 28th Dec, 2024  Kaid D'authie He’s a lovely big, long-striding horse who has very little respect for his hurdles and looks like he could be more of a chaser,. He’s a big chasing type and is similar to Majborough. They both cover a huge amount of ground when they gallop. I’d say he’ll come back here for the Dublin Racing Festival and take on the top two-milers and we’ll see where he is then.

Leopardstown Thu, 26th Dec, 2024  Green Splendour That was a very good performance, he's a nice type,. I'm very pleased, he looks a good staying type and I think he'll improve. We'll find a winners bumper for him. It looked a strong bumper and I'd imagine you'd have to look at coming back here for the DRF with him. He's a course and distance winner so we'll have a crack at that.

Leopardstown Thu, 26th Dec, 2024  Kopek Des Bordes It was a very good performance considering he got unsighted at the first and Patrick said it just unnerved him for the rest of the race. He didn’t jump properly, he’s a way better jumper than that. I’m hoping there is a lot of improvement in his jumping. He looks a tip-top animal. We’ve always thought a fair bit of him. He’d want to brush up his jumping, but he’d look like one that could maybe come back here for a Grade One at the Dublin Racing Festival. He looks to have that type of an engine.

Leopardstown Thu, 26th Dec, 2024  Kopek Des Bordes It was a very good performance considering he got unsighted at the first and Patrick said it just unnerved him for the rest of the race,. He didn't jump properly, he's a way better jumper than that. I'm hoping that there is a lot of improvement in his jumping. He looks a tip top animal. We've always thought a fair bit of him. He'd want to brush up his jumping but he'd look like one that could maybe come back here for a Grade 1 at the Dublin Racing festival. He looks to have that type of an engine. Kawaboomga ran great to be second, he stayed on well and probably wants a trip. I was very happy with Zillow, who learned a lot from his first run to this run. I think he's a horse that's going to improve as well.

Thurles Sat, 21st Dec, 2024  Blue Velvet She is a nice addition to the mares ranks,. She was very green and lazy so was learning on the job and to pull it out again in the final 100 yards when the other horse came to her, was a great sign. She looks like a really nice type and looks another one for the DRF mares' bumper. Hopefully then she will go across the water and to Punchestown.

Naas Mon, 16th Dec, 2024  Baby Kate That was great - she looked beaten, but once she pulled out and got daylight, Brian said she just got her second wind and away with her. I'm very pleased with her because I think the other mare (Karoline Banbou) is good, two nice mares first and second. At this stage of the year, everything has to step up into graded company. There's not much left, but it'll be after the New Year.

Naas Mon, 16th Dec, 2024  Lecky Watson That was a good performance, I'm delighted how he jumped and settled in front. It looks like a big improvement on his hurdling form. Fences are bringing out improvement in him and I'm very happy with that. His attitude to jumping was tremendous as well. Paul was very happy with it and I was very happy watching. He seemed to be able to put in quick ones and take a flyer when he wanted. Generally, for a horse first time over fences it was a very good first start. Paul was giving me the impression that he wouldn't be afraid to go further. He said before the race that he thought this was his trip - I thought he might want a bit further, but he thought this was the right place to start him. Maybe we'll stay around this trip.

Fairyhouse Sat, 14th Dec, 2024  Future Prospect She was lugging left a bit all the way. I wanted to go down the inside, but I tried not to fight with her and we ended up in the middle of the track which was fine. She settled in front even though we were going a good gallop, and I was pleasantly surprised how well she picked up. I’d imagine we’ll look to the DRF with her for the mares’ bumper. She might be a slightly easier ride going the other direction. I think she’s the first Order Of St George (sire) that we’ve had and I wouldn’t mind a few more of them if they were like that.

Fairyhouse Sat, 14th Dec, 2024  Judicieuse Allen That was a good performance. He’s always been a strong galloper at home and going hurdling at that distance was probably always going to suit him. He jumped good and sharp and is a lad that should be well able to make the next step up the ladder.

Punchestown Tue, 10th Dec, 2024  You Oughta Know You Oughta Know was good but it was a funny race with Paul's lad (Port Joulain) pulling up lame. I was a bit raw in front but ability shone through in the end and it was a good performance from him. He started off last season very well but whatever went wrong he seems to be back showing what he can do now. He's well able for that ground and his form last year says when it gets slower he should have no problem with it as well.

Punchestown Tue, 10th Dec, 2024  Hey Sunshine in fairness to Hey Sunshine she's improving with every run, has a lovely attitude and really wants it. The gap opened for me (on the inner) but you need the animal to take you there. The step up in trip helped and she hit the line strong again today. The ground was a bit of an unknown but she handled it well and that opens more doors. I don't know if she'd handle heavy ground but she'll handle nice winter ground. I'd say she's just improving all the time and she's tough.

Cork Sun, 8th Dec, 2024  Energumene Normally we skip Christmas (with his Hilly Way Chase winners) and the Clarence House Chase was what we did previously, so we’ll see how he comes out of it before making any decision. He (Jonbon) put in a terrific round of jumping, it’s there to play for. We’ll give him competition, it’s one we’ll all look forward to whenever they meet. Hopefully we can keep them apart until Cheltenham.

Cork Sun, 8th Dec, 2024  Energumene That was a very exuberant display from him. I thought Dinoblue would make more of the running but Paul (Townend) said his horse was just looking for fences to jump and wanted to go a better gallop, so he left him on instead of fighting him. I was very happy with how he jumped and he had been doing everything right since her came back in August. Hopefully he can keep going that way and it was a nice performance to build on for the season. He didn't look like he needed the run, galloped the whole way to the line and had looked excellent since he came in. Normally we skip Christmas (with his Hilly Way Chase winners) and the Clarence House Chase was what we did previously so we'll see how he comes out of it before making any decision. I'm told Ferny Hollow is fine and the news back is that that he is good and came home and I was very happy with how most of the rest ran. It was nice to get them out and started for the season so we'll try and find opportunities for them.