Going - Yielding (Straight Course), Good To Yielding (Round). Overcast
Jackpot Pool - €10,000.00 Dividend - €614.00 Winning Units - 11.4. Placepot Pool - €30,132.76 Dividend - €27.20 Winning Units - 774.34. Pick Six Pool - €15,000.00 Dividend - €10,500.00 Winning Units - .1. Days Aggregate - €219,273.00
Sunday takes the opener at newly redeveloped Curragh
I was happy the way he did it. I felt that he'd come on a lot for his first run and he duly did. That's what I hoped would happen. I wouldn't make any hard and fast plans at the minute.
Impressive Ickworth now two from two as Lee doubles-up
She's a sharp little filly and I was delighted to see the drying ground all week. I'd say a bit quicker ground would suit her even better. She's very easy to deal with once she gets out on the track. She's a little bit busy at times but she settled lovely and it suited us to get a lead into the race. Everything worked out well and she quickened up well and ran right through the line. Sheikh Mohammed loves to have runners in Royal Ascot and she's going to love the fast ground so if I can just keep her sound until then would be the thing. I don't think she'll run before that.
Shelir stays on best to take the Tetrarch
He did it very nicely and is still a horse with plenty to learn about racing. I was always confident over the last furlong that he was going to get there. He'll obviously appreciate a mile which he won over in Navan, and the logical thing is to come back here later this month for the Irish 2,000 Guineas. He was a little bit keen in the early part of the race and then settled. It's just his second start, and most of the other horses had a lot more experience than he had. He's a work in progress and I think there is a nice bit more to come from this horse. I purposely ran him over seven today just to see would he have the pace for a Guineas, and you saw there that he does and is entitled to run in the Irish Guineas and represent us well. He could well be a mile and a quarter horse in time.
Magical performance delights O'Brien
I'm delighted with her and we're thinking of coming back here for the Tattersalls Gold Cup. She's coming along lovely. They went a good gallop today. Seamus didn't dawdle around in front (on Flag Of Honour) and there were three Group 1 winners in the race plus Jessie's horse (The King) is decent as well. Flag Of Honour is getting his act together. The reason we were a bit hard on him last year was because he acted up in France last year, so we just had to waken him up a bit. He'll be better again when he goes up in trip again to a mile and a half plus. The Coronation Cup could be a possibility but we will see how Kew Gardens gets on first. Kew Gardens will run in Chester and if he's okay going around there he could go for the Cornoation. He disappointed there in the Derby last year but maybe it was because we didn't give him a chance and rode him to far forward.
Lee completes 370/1 treble on Verhoyen
When nothing got to me at halfway I was able to coast away, and after Niall (McCullagh on Cruella Dovil) got to me in fairness he stuck his head out and battled to the line. He’s a clever old boy and was saving a bit for himself. I had nice rides coming here today and was confident that they would be running well. You would be hoping to ride a winner or two but to ride three is great. He was due one. He reared up as the stalls opened last time at Navan and was only beaten half a length. He pinged the gates today and I told Billy not to disappoint him. In fairness he battled today which has always been a question mark on him. He was second in a Listed race as a two-year-old so he has lots of ability. He’d work as well as Texas Rock in the morning and is the only one that can go with him. It’s great to get a winner.
Hit The Silk bounces back to form
We tried a hood on him the last day and he kind of fell asleep with it so we rode him more at home with it just to take the fizz out of him. It seems to have worked for him today. The ease in the ground helped and I think the straight track helped as well because he just gets a bit keen when he's tight upsides. We always thought a lot of him. His mark has dropped down but it was more his head that was the problem as he was running too free and not using himself properly in his races. We had to work a lot on that at home. He has ability and if he could just settle and do his job he would be a great horse.
Red Tea 'quite impressive' in Curragh finale
She had a good run first time out for me in Gowran. Donnacha got a nice clean run up the outside and she was quite impressive. She's a decent filly and could go for something like a Hunt Cup before aiming at Stakes races. I think they went fast and a good few winners have come up that stands’ rail today so that was probably a help to her.
