Going - Yielding to Soft changed to Soft after Race 2. Overcast. Light rain.
Jackpot Pool - 4,504.91 Dividend - 1,484.70 Winning Units - 2.13. Placepot Pool - 21,776.86 Dividend - 128.50 Winning Units - 118.59. Days Aggregate - 120,346.22 Last Year 145,836.94
Magnetic North hoovers up another claimer
All my lad does is stay and he wasn't stopping at the line. He's 10 now but he's still fresh and well and Ian does a great job with his horses, turns them out every day and keeps them sweet. The ground is soft and they're getting into it. I only have him since April and he's a very easy horse to train, the less you do with him, the better. He's good in theses claimers and I'm happy to have him at the moment because the jumpers haven't been running great!. He's in at a fair price but, if we still have him, there's another claimer for him in Sligo the week after Galway. Dylan's father John owns part of him and wasn't able to be here today. He's mad keen to have a photo on the mantelpiece of himself and Dylan after a winner, so hopefully that might happen at Sligo!
Harrington's filly makes her Presence felt in Ballinrobe
It's a couple of years since I've been here but I love Ballinrobe. I love the racetrack, it's always a good atmosphere here and they do a wonderful job. It's no wonder that they've won Racecourse of the Year twice. The rain that fell probably played to her strengths and, also, the trainer kind of got it wrong, I was running her over a little bit far and bringing her back to a mile and one and a bit is obviously what she likes. I don't think this was the strongest of maidens but she did it well and will go for a handicap now, preferably a fillies' only handicap. (Owner/breeder) Harriet Jellett had never been to Ballinrobe before, so she did the driving and I did the navigating!
Mulvany eyes Galway for Dont Do Dramas
People were saying it was a bad run the last day (at Fairyhouse), but the ground was probably a little on the lively side for him and the first and second were first and second in the Ulster Derby (at Down Royal). Hopefully we're going to Galway with him and I actually thought he might need the run here tonight. The lads (AJ Partnership) want a winner in Galway and that has been the plan all year. The lads actually didn't travel tonight, which is a shame, and that's the second time they haven't been present when he's won. He's in over a mile and a half on Monday and, if he doesn't get into that, there's a race for him later in the week over a mile. He doesn't need soft ground, but handles it well and I think he'll make a lovely three-year-old hurdler.
Foley doubles up aboard Brewel Hill
La Dame Blanche takes feature for Ross and Whelan
Mullins earns training plaudits with Rocky Blue
Suprise Package shades a thriller from Stariam
I was a bit worried that he hadn't got there, I was happy that he was after running a good race. It was a real tussle, but I'm delighted that he got there in the end. Paul (Leech, owner) came in this morning from America and I think he's actually friends with the owner of the second horse of Jessie's (Harrington), so he'll have the bragging rights after that. He's a very good horse who's had plenty of injuries. He got a very bad injury after winning over hurdles at Cork on the Monday after Galway last year, and the plan is that he'll go back there for the same race. Ben thinks he'll go on and be a nice Flat horse. He's probably a little bit behind the bridle at the moment but he'll improve away and hopefully he'll get into some those nice handicaps at the end of the year. This trip, around here anyway, is as short as he wants. I think he came alive two furlongs out but sure then, you're turning the bend and you're stoking him up again. He's a better horse when you're arriving late.