Going - Standard. Raining
Jackpot Pool - 5,045.05 Dividend - 2,207.20 Winning Units - 1.6. Placepot Pool - 31,400.75 Dividend - 30.40 Winning Units - 721.23. Pick Six Pool - 2,952.75 Not Won. Carried forward to Gowran Park on Saturday 9th March. Days Aggregate - 142,789.00 Last Year 106,587.65
Togoville sets bar higher with 11th Dundalk win
I actually thought he had won a bit further when he passed me at the furlong pole. We've changed tactics on him. Everyone was telling me that he needs to be out in front. The last night we took our time - maybe it's not ideal over five furlongs. He's not a bad horse. It might not have been as good a race as it was last year. It was a last minute thing to enter him. I wasn't supposed to run him this week as there is a mile next week but it takes nothing out of him and he's a very easy horse to train. It's not down to the trainer, it's the horse and all we have to do is keep him right, keep him sound and feed him well. We changed a lot of things last year, he's bedded on paper and moved down to a different barn. He's a different horse now this year. It's credit to the horse and credit to Patrick McCann (owner), it's just a pity he wasn't here tonight as he's away on business.
Annabelle Rock wins Claimer for McGuinness
we were a little bit worried about the trip but she had very good form here behind Beau Warrior, a good filly of mine. She's a gamey little filly and I knew she'd run a big race. I'd say six furlongs will be her ideal trip and she's a real fun filly. She's a home-bred so it's great for Tom (Heatrick) to breed a winner. There was basically only one horse going to beat her, and that was Joseph's (O'Brien's 4/7 favourite and third-paced Vhagar), otherwise she was weighted to win the race.
McConnell's €2,000 purchase secures second win
he's a very genuine and consistent horse. He ran very well from a bad draw over five the last day so we thought he had a chance but I thought it was a competitive heat. He got a great ride from Ronan so I'm thrilled. I did get worried for a little while with the horse in front but he does finish off well so I thought from a furlong home he was going to get him. I wouldn't quite say 'never in doubt'!. A strong pace probably suits him. He wants six around here or a stiff five on the turf. He was a cheap yearling (E2,000 at Tattersalls September Sale) and he's won two now so we're delighted with him. We'll freshen him up and come back here or go to the turf. He handles good ground on the turf and doesn't want it too soft. We'll be selective but he doesn't owe us anything.
Nifty Thrifty 'rattles home' to win on debut
Whelan completes Dundalk treble with O'Brien's Cautious Approach
it's our first winner of the year so it's great and it felt like our season was starting today. She was one of the ones at the start of the year that we were hoping would wins races and she's gone and done it. She had a couple of bits of work done and she was ready to start. It wasn't a great race and she was able to win it and Ronan was terrific on her.
Sheisdiesel motors to treble, Meade spared 'kick up the ass'
the trainer took a long time to find out that she needed the trip. We ran her over seven and a mile for so long and I need a kick up the ass to be honest for taking so long to get to a 1m2f!. We felt when she ran in the 1m2f the last day that she looked like she's stay a 1m4f and she stays it quite well. I often thought before that jump trainers end up with horses that stay a little further because we train them a little bit different than the Flat trainers. Everything about her pedigree would suggest five, six or seven would be as far as she'd get but she's getting a mile-and-a-half around here and she loves it here.
Lizard Point finally gets his head in front
Flynn & Hoban win last two races at Dundalk
it's been a great night and it's great to get that for Pat at the start of the year. In the race everything went to plan until the two (furlong pole). I thought the two leaders would take each other on but unfortunately I thought they'd bring me a bit further. He's a horse that has no turn of foot so I had to commit when I did. He didn't do a stroke and pulled right up underneath me. If I had been chinned I would have been kicking myself. When he gets into that stride you have to keep him. He made the running the last day and he was fine but today when he hit the front he completely idled. It's daunting enough as it's a long way up the straight but in fairness to him I think if something came to me he'd have battled again.