Going - N.H.: good to yielding. Flat: yielding. CHANGED to Soft after 4th race.. Overcast
Jackpot Pool - 9,377.48 Dividend - 20,811.50 Winning Units - .02. Placepot Pool - 50,413.59 Dividend - 402.60 Winning Units - 87.68. Days Aggregate - 934,150.60 Last Year 190,738.00
Lucy gives Fahey fourth winner of the week
she is a lovely filly, is consistent and was unlucky one day in a good handicap at Ballinrobe when jinking left and unseating Shane Fitzgerald at the last. We always knew there was a good day in her. I don't know what it is but the last three or four weeks the horses have clicked into form. I worked her last week with Darren (Harrison) riding and couldn't believe the work she did. The horses couldn't have picked a better week to hit form. Padraic Ryan is a local from Tuam, always had horses with me so to come here to Galway and get a winner for him is great. He'll definitely celebrate it!
Roman Hands wins by narrow margin under determined Foley ride
he is an improved horse, seems to thrive and was tough. As soon as the horse came to him he wanted to battle and he keeps improving. We'll take baby steps now. It is great for Champion Thoroughbreds who are a big Australian racing syndicate who also have another two year old with us.
De Bromhead and Blackmore strike in Blazers with Cross
Sionnach Eile bolts up in featured Guinness Handicap under Gary Carroll
I would have preferred to run him off 82 (his recent Ballinrobe winning mark) but one of the 82s today didn't get a run today. I thought the handicapper was wrong (for his 12lb Ballinrobe rise) but I'd have to say he was right, this time. He is in the Cesarewitch and we have a little question about him getting the two miles but after that performance I think he'll get it. He will jump hurdles down the road and maybe in two years' time he could run in the Galway Hurdle.
Foley and Harrington add another with Willamette Valley
it was very important, being a Galileo filly, to get that winning bracket with her. We'll see where connections want to go next but she loves that soft ground and we'll think about looking for black-type. She is very stoutly bred, loved that stamina test and that distance (1m4f) is the minimum for her. She is very game.
Flame Of Eire a welcome winner for Slattery father and son team
this was the plan and I had a few nice horses coming here this week and thought this was my best chance. She won in Limerick on good to firm ground but when the rain came I didn't know how she'd handle it. We thought she'd handle it when she ran in Tipperary previously but ran badly for some reason, having broken badly. She is a nice filly and is improving. Not everything went right early on and was keen but I think she'll stay 1m4f eventually and goes on any ground. I think she will be a better four year old as she is still raw.
Shanroe swoops late under Colgan in three-runner affair
It is grand to get that out of the way as he has had a bad six months. It was a good performance as it has been an awful year for him. He has been sick since running in York (last August), I've been trying to get him right and I've had to be patient. I wanted to get a run into him before going back to York and this place was ideal, with the ground. He just hadn't been himself and people were asking me why I hadn't ran him but I knew if we came here we'd get safe ground to get him started. He will also be entered for the Irish Cesarewitch.
La Hacienda has the answers in Galway finale
we bought her from Germany and she had won a maiden on heavy ground in France. We couldn't get any weight on her last year, she had a few little problems during the summer and after giving her a little break, she never looked as well. She won on good ground at Leopardstown and the plan was always to come back here. Jake said he got not real run on Wednesday. I wasn't overly concerned about the ground but the way she won at Leopardstown, I thought it might be her preferred ground but we said we'd chance it.