Going - Soft to Heavy. Fine
Jackpot Pool - 4,481.73 Dividend - 309.20 Winning Units - 10.16. Placepot Pool - 32,281.65 Dividend - 44.20 Winning Units - 511.25. Days Aggregate - 128,093.93 Last Year 101,061.59
D Art D Art obliges over flights for Cooper and Meyler
We dropped him in at Naas, but he got crowded and, with more light today, jumped savage and was deadly. . Ricky Doyle schooled him over hurdles before he ran at Naas and said he never saw a horse go from 'A to B' as quick. . Sean (Flanagan, on Will Wilde) took him on early doors today and while he was gaining on the flat, my fella was gaining over the jumps. He was low and quick. His form is on heavy, but yielding ground shouldn't inconvenience him. I didn't think beyond today and it is hard to know where to go now.
Flamborough takes advantage of race 'almost made for him'
It was a very suitable race and was almost made for him. It's great if you have a horse who fits into these novice rated races and he did. He didn't travel great in the race so we are delighted to get the result. We hummed and hawed about going to Limerick (over Christmas), but in the end we sat tight and decided to come back to a track he had won at. It looks the right thing to have done now.
Largy Hill relishes a stamina test
Allen times it just right on returning Da Capo Glory
It is his first run for five months and Darragh knows him very well having won a bumper and maiden hurdle on him. We couldn't look past him with his 7lb claim on that ground, which is worth its weight in gold. This horse was my first winner, he is still flying the flag and is a mighty horse. He isn't big, but is very well-bred and jumps hurdles very well. He pulled up in the Galway Hurdle when they went a million (speed) and we were behind and beaten after the first hurdle. He didn't really get a race though, but the thing about him is he can hit flat spots in his races. . He ran well when finishing fourth in the Red Mills Hurdle at Gowran last year and that is an option again. It is mighty for the five-member syndicate (Red Strand Syndicate) and there are a lot of happy people here, although two are at home with Covid, another is in Copenhagen and he couldn't make it. They are west Cork people and we had our initial syndicate meeting in the Red Strand (in Cork).
Holden and Morgan forge an alliance through Jet Setting Johnny
That was a long time coming but we got there in the end and Hugh, who is with me full-time now, knows him inside out. . It looked positive coming here today from a good run the last day although we were concerned about the ground. The initial plan was to sell him after point-to-pointing him, but that didn't work out although he is for sale now. We had a recent point-to-point double (at Dromahane last Saturday) including five-year-old point-to-point winner Frisby who will join Jet Setting Johnny and another four or five of our horses to sell at an upcoming Doncaster sale.
In-form R'evelyn Pleasure more than sprightly in Cork
I had to run him back so quick as he came out of Limerick well. They went no gallop at Limerick, he found things so easy so I had to run him.Ã . He ran well in this race a few years ago and I liked him coming today as it was a small field and Mark (McDonagh) kept it simple. He toughed it out well and is really enjoying his racing.Ã The plan is to go to Thurles, over 2m6f, in 15 days time. We had this horse's grandam who I won two bumpers on (in 1996/7) and my uncle and cousins, who part-own this horse, have been involved with this pedigree forever and a day.Ã . Mark (McDonagh, owner) has just gone out foreign so has missed today, but I'm delighted for him and also for a cousin and part-owner Ellen O'Brien who had baby Lily a few days ago.
Lack of sleep not stopping McCann saddling winners
Myself and Aine walked the track and decided to ride her like the best horse in the race. It wasn't ideal going down the inner on the chopped up ground, but we had the advantage of having the inside. We always thought a lot of her and I put a line through her run the last day as I don't know what happened her, so gave her a break to freshen her up. . It might be too late in the season to go hurdling now, so maybe we'll go for another Listed mares' bumper.