Going - Good, good to yielding in places. Overcast and breezy
Jackpot Pool - 10,241.96 Dividend - 643.50 Winning Units - 14.35. Placepot Pool - 23,948.24 Dividend - 33.20 Winning Units - 504.26. Days Aggregate - 361,128.90 Last Year 224,654.16
Well bred Diego Velazquez overcomes greenness to make winning debut
We had him ready to run about a month ago and he got a little injury so we had to stop and start again. He was just ready to come racing today,. We wanted to get him out. Ryan said he was very babyish but he obviously has a massive engine. He doesn't even know what he's at yet. He said he only came on the bridle with 50 yards to go, he said he only realised he was racing then. (The blustery weather) is not ideal for a first time out two-year-old. We felt with him at home he could go anywhere but looking at today you'd like to give him another run somewhere before he goes for a big one. He was absolutely half speeding with horses (at home) and came today and didn't take hold of the bridle. That can happen first time. It happened to Paddington first time in Ascot last year, he never took a hold of the bridle. He's probably going to come on and learn a lot from it.
A Lilac Rolla maintains unbeaten record with photo verdict
She probably learned a lot the first day. The trainer was a bit worried about the seven furlongs but the owner assured me that the dam had won over ten and the jockey said she got it well. She hasn't done a lot since the last day. The plan had been the sales race on Champions Weekend and I figured more experience was no harm for that. I thought that giving 7lb to talented unraced fillies was a big ask for her. I thought you'd have to be stakes level to do it and I hope she is now. Her plans might get upgraded. It's a 300 grand race but black-type is forever if she can get it.
Blossom a class act as O'Brien and Moore double up
Moss Tucker a Group 3 winner in Phoenix Sprint Stakes
It's great to have him, we need him. He has a great record at the Curragh and he was good today,. He just seemed to enjoy it, the ears were forward and Billy said he never felt like they were going to get him. He just lengthened and extended the whole way to the line. He didn't have the likes of Art Power to contend with, I suppose. There was no obvious pace maker and maybe it just suited him but you have to have the horse to respond to it and he did. He was very good and for a sprinter he's ultra reliable. To be fair to him he goes on most ground, he does seem to be better when it's heavy or testing. We took the view that if he didn't run here and we waited for the Flying Five there could be a dry spell, we are due a bit of a break in the weather, and then where would you be?. The l'Abbaye has been sort of the plan all year. He ran well there last year and does handle those testing conditions. He might go straight there now but if the ground is on the right side for him in the Flying Five he'll go there.
Crystal Black justifies strong market support to land Curragh gamble
He's a horse that's had a lot of niggles. He ran a nice race here the last day and was finishing very well. We bought him and he had a lot of problems, he's still only recovering from the time Mr Weld's horses had some sort of a virus or something. He has loads of ability but we found it hard trying to get him right. We thought he was coming on his last couple of runs and he was fit today. Today was going to be his day unless something went really wrong. He's a lovely big horse. He won his maiden over a mile-and-one at Ballinrobe and he was high enough then. He's come down 6lb since we got him, I don't think it made a difference to him anyway. He has an entry in the Cambridgeshire and if he gets in he'll probably run. He's turned a corner and the horses at home are running well this season for some reason. We only have a handle but they are all running well. We're not doing anything different. You just can't do it without the horses.
Fuerte too strong for Phoenix rivals
He was very impressive. We had him here 10 days ago doing a piece of work and Robson (Aguiar) got off him and said to me 'this is the best horse I've ever rode'. He was definitely correct in that one,. He's a serious horse. That's three runs and three wins here, he's the horse of a lifetime. I'd say it'll be the National Stakes now and I don't think he'll have any problem stepping up to seven furlongs. He would prefer an ease in the ground but he has won on good ground. The ground today would be a bit easier than the last day. He was very impressive in his maiden here on heavy ground but it's not an issue for him as he's won on quick ground as well. It's unbelievable and it's hard to explain it. Robson is a master at picking horses at the sales.
Magician lunges late to enhance Hassett's Curragh record
We love this place and we love coming here and taking on the big boys,. It's a family effort and it's absolutely great. He gave him some ride and he took a bit of riding there, he probably wants seven. I thought he was caught for a bit of toe at one stage, and he got stuck into him. He's as tough as nails. In Galway he was drawn 17, got cut in half and met more trouble than you would outside Supermacs in Thurles on a Saturday night! . Seamie (Heffernan) came in then and said it was a non-event. He said to run him again.
Flynn's grey proves a Queen yet again in Curragh sprint
She's just getting stronger now and quicker. A good stiff five is probably ideal with a little bit of juice, as she doesn't like it too quick,. We had a few different options and went for the slightly better race. It was great to see her winning it. She's a really tough filly, she finishes second a good bit and that's by far her best performance. Robert gave her a great ride, he has one winner left on his 7lb claim so he's great value for the claim. Hopefully he can lose that tomorrow for me!. He's a great young lad and rides well. I told him not to take on Dun Na Sead today, just come with one rattle, and he followed the tactics perfectly. It's great to win here at the Curragh but the only disappointing thing is the prize-money, it should be better. It's a 0-100 handicap and the winner is only getting 12 grand. It sounds a lot but for that calibre of race it should be a lot more. If you want the horses to stay in Ireland we need more money for these types of races, especially at the Curragh with a Group 1 on the same day.