Going - Standard. Dry and bright
Jackpot Pool - 185.76 Dividend - 130.00 Winning Units - 1. Placepot Pool - 18,209.37 Dividend - 19.00 Winning Units - 668.82. Days Aggregate - 101,186.05 Last Year 210,379.62
Belle leads them home in Dundalk opener
I was very disappointed in Naas - I fancied her in Naas because the conditions of the race suited her like today. She came up on the bad ground and there is a huge bias in Naas at the minute. I told him (Nathan Crosse) 'you have to get her out sharp today' because she has plenty of speed and I said to be careful going round the bend because she has never been round a bend. She was good and professional. She had been working very well before Naas and I was very disappointed in Naas. I'm delighted as she was only a seven grand purchase for a new woman (Carmel Delaney) who would be a cousin of John O'Dwyer who bred the Champion Hurdle winner Rock On Ruby. He introduced me to her.
Bucket makes it 10 at Dundalk as Crosse doubles-up
Straightforward success for Downdraft
He's a grand, little horse and skips along that surface. It worked out nicely as the horse that made the running went nice and even for him. It was a lovely race to start off in. That's what you'd be hoping (to go for a premier handicap). I think he had a little blowout down the back, so probably fitness-wise there is a bit more improvement in him.
Miss Snossyboots bosses it from the front
Her mother (Nick's Nikita) started out as a handicapper and ended up in a Group Three for us, so we'll see where we end up. She's very genuine and takes her racing great. She is improving with every run and is so straightforward. I wasn't worried about dropping back in trip the way she was working. It was a lovely race for fillies only and a good prize, there's a lovely programme for fillies.
Vivax & Aneczka dead-heat at Dundalk
The Perch springs surprise for McKenna & Farragher
We probably didn't expect it but she ran fairly well when she was a bit out of the handicap in the claimer. The way it worked out she was 15lb or 20lb wrong with a couple of horses. We thought she would maybe run into a place but we didn't expect her to win like that. We were running her here just after Christmas and she didn't seem to be letting herself down on it but she had been running over a mile and four and a mile and three, and we just took a chance dropping back to a mile last week and she ran a cracker and we said we would bounce her out again. I would have been happy with fourth or fifth. It was a hot enough race - I think Noel's horse (Wild Shot) had won three in a row. To do it like that there may be more to come hopefully. She'll go the turf now - there's a race in a couple of weeks over in Ayr. We'll play it by ear and see what happens. He (Patrick McKenna) currently has three (in training), the other two run at the Curragh on Monday. It's a small operation so any win is a good win. We are in Benburb, 45 minutes down the road (from here).
Double for Orr as Pass wins easily