Going - Good. Overcast
Jackpot Pool - 254.52 Dividend - 178.10 Winning Units - 1. Placepot Pool - 22,451.41 Dividend - 12.90 Winning Units - 1211.76. Days Aggregate - 123,719.00 Last Year 113,163.00
Game effort sees Chestnut Brave gain 1st win
she is a tough auld devil and she deserved that. She wouldn't be the quickest, but she is all heart and Brian gave her a great ride; I said to him if you can try and stretch the favourite (Gracemount) from the third last, and then hopefully she'll wing the last few. All she does is gallop and stay going and she'll get further too. She will tip away for the summer, she likes that goodish ground and she'll probably go for a handicap next so hopefully Noel (O'Brien) won't be too hard on her. I’m delighted for her owners Joe and Hannah (Lee) who are in Portugal at the moment.
Linehan registers first jumps winner
we've had a few seconds but that's my first winner over jumps and he deserved that, as he is very consistent. I think he was crying out for that trip and something to jump and I’d say the sooner he gets a fence the better - that's his job. He is in entered in the sales at Ascot on the 18th, and he might go there but we might decide to go for a handicap at Galway instead. He takes his racing well, has been a good fun horse and hopefully he will keep improving, which he should do.
Nulife enjoying a return to hurdling
I was boxed in a bit, but I knew I had plenty of horse and I didn't want to get there too soon. I was loving it the whole, until I wheeled out at the second last - if I was back again I would have stayed in a bit longer. I'm thrilled as this horse has been frustrating but has plenty of ability. He has been raring up in the stalls (in his flat races recently) and had cheekpieces and a hood today - I think it was a good job. He has a fierce sensitive mouth and that's what has been happening in the stalls - the minute a bit of contact comes with his mouth he rares. He’ll win a Flat race but the stalls are a problem so I’m delighted for his owner Tony Ryan who has persevered with him. It's been a year since he first ran in Killarney and I didn't think he'd be a year a maiden but hopefully he can go on from here.
Rathnaleen an easy winner for Byrne
It was a brilliant ride from Andrew. Her run the last time in Kilbeggan was the best run of her career time wise so we knew we had a chance coming here today and her owners had a few bob on her. This time last year she was favourite for a race at Kilbeggan but on the morning of the race we felt her leg and she had heat in it and a 10% tear. She had been off the track for a year, had her come back run at Kilbeggan ten days ago and it left her right for today. Her owner John Moylan from Nenagh stuck with her and it paid dividends today. She is in on Tuesday at Roscommon but is fifteen on the ballot. Andrew made sure of the win today, but I didn't mind because he had to get her over the line. It's been a while since we had a winner. It's not that they have been running bad, we just didn't have the numbers. Charlotte's Chum ran well at Kilbeggan last time out, and she is out again on Sunday, so hopefully she will run well.
Fahey eyes Galway with Peregrine Run
I'm thrilled with him to be honest and he has taken to fences really well. It was a different race today and they went a really good gallop but won snug enough at the end. He'll go to Galway next for the Grade 3 novice chase over two and a quarter miles. I think stepping him up in trip will definitely improve him a good bit and his best form over hurdles is over a trip as well. Fair play to Roger, he does everything with the horse and is getting a tune out of him every time. When we went to Cheltenham (in March) we gave him a few weeks off, and we came back with the aim to get a few nice runs into him and get experience for Galway. Galway was always going to be the aim and hopefully we can keep him in the same form until then. We've been very lucky with them, and the form they are after hitting in the last while. Full credit to the team at home, I was away for a while and they've kept everything going. Long may it continue and we'll enjoy it while it's lasting.
Rathviden gets back on track
Robin scores second handicap chase win
he battled really well; he has shown real battling qualities on his last two runs but we weren't sure that he had those qualities. It was great to see it. He was under pressure a long way out and I wasn't too confident looking at him coming around the home bend. Fair play to him, he kept pulling it out of the bag. We'll just keep tipping away with him, looking for more of the same. It does look like he will get further than that, and we'll probably try him over further in time. We'll definitely be thinking of Galway, and we'll see if there is anything suitable for him there. He is still pretty low in the handicap.
Lavery has Smooth win for old boss Mullins
that was the plan (to make all) as she is very keen and very forward going. I never rode her before but I talked to David Casey (Mullins’ assistant) who rides her everyday, and he just said don't fight with her. She’s not too bad and stayed going very well. I haven't been in Willie's in a good while, but I'd said there is plenty more to come with her.