Going - Heavy. Fine
Jackpot Pool - 5,546.34 Dividend - 298.60 Winning Units - 18. Placepot Pool - 20,477.60 Dividend - 6.00 Winning Units - 3066.0898. Pick Six Pool - 25,000.00 Dividend - 17,500.00 Winning Units - 1.
Mastermind has all the answers in Gowran
That was nice and he had a good first run (over hurdles) at Fairyhouse. He was a little bit free in Fairyhouse so we put the hood on him and it seems to have worked well and he switched off well today. He's not a bad horse but I was a bit concerned about the ground and Denis (O'Regan) said if it was the last race, he might have been in a bit of trouble but was able to find fresh ground all the way around today. There aren't a huge range of options for the three year olds but we'll look to the usual sort of programme and go for a winners' race next.
Carter Mckay successful on hurdles debut
I travelled the whole way down to the last and I think I was getting the better of Davy's horse (Mortal) at the last. I had the horse under me to keep going forward and I was going better than him. He'll come on plenty from that run and it was nice to get it out of the way. Carter Mckay jumped like a chaser rather than a hurdler but he'll get better at it as the season goes on, I hope, and he appears to like that winter ground. He'll have no trouble going up in trip, being a point-to-point winner.
Mullins and Townend at double with Sharjah
I thought Paul (Townend) was very good technically and tactically on both horses (Carter McKay also) and it was a good performance from him (Sharjah). Obviously nobody wanted to make the running but Paul certainly didn't want to and thought he could use his speed to beat them. It worked out well and he got the jump at the last when he needed it. He'll have no trouble going further and we'll take those novice races as they come and see where he fits in.
Fahey working oracle with Roja Dove
I'm thrilled for the syndicate as much as anything as they're a good bunch of lads. They're from Maynooth and have leased her from Noel Doyle. Fingers crossed she goes on and her next run might be in a rated beginners' chase at Tramore in a few weeks time. It's grand to have her and she seems to be on a nice enough mark and hopefully we'll continue to have fun with her over the winter. I've been surprised with her, as from day one I've been thinking 'is this too good to be true?' as her homework and everything was good but it's great and fingers crossed she stays going.
'Dynamite' Min gives Mullins/Townend treble
After that he was dynamite everywhere - long and short whatever he wanted to do. He eyes them up himself. It was a good performance. He's off the track a long time and probably on that ground I was trying to go a stride slower than he wanted to go. He was very good and galloped right through to the line. It was as good as we hoped. He was impressive. We hoped he would do something like that and he did and it is on to the next day now. That was a tremendous return for Min and I thought his jumping was good and he was fresh and well. I loved the way he jumped and put himself right and while he didn't have much opposition and had a lot of things his own way, he was still very good. We now know he goes two and a half miles and he wasn't stopping either so it opens up a few more options. The John Durkan is too soon and I'll be looking at Christmas unless there's a juicy one before that. Hopefully I'll have a few more for the Dial-A-Bet Chase at Leopardstown.
Dounikos makes a mockery of his odds
Persian Wind blows strongest in Gowran