Going - Soft. Overcast and cold
Jackpot Pool - 1,044.98 Dividend - 499.60 Winning Units - 1.47. Placepot Pool - 35,582.19 Dividend - 63.80 Winning Units - 390.29. Days Aggregate - 134,396.51 (7 races). Last Year 142,684.33 (8 races).
Foxhunters winners land Punchestown's opener
James Smyth had this mare and she is out of a half-sister to Tammys Hill. There is novice handicap at Naas at the end of the month and the Ulster National could be a plan, as going distances would be her thing. We'll see what the owners are thinking but they are great men to celebrate and they'll celebrate this for sure!. She backed up her Naas run (finishing second to subsequent winner Money Heist) and she's a great jumper. She's a lovely mare and she won well there. She's grand and is very quiet.
Spillane's Tower ends Mangan's wait for graded win
Annie Power's son becomes new Supreme Novices favourite
I was very impressed with him, he wouldn't show that at home and seems to save his best for the track, which is a great trait. We were a little bit worried about the heavy ground as he's coming from a summer campaign but it looks like he went through it very well. We gave him a break after he had his couple of runs in the summer and brought him back to see if he would handle a winter campaign. Mark rode him a couple of weeks ago and thought he had improved hugely from when he had ridden him earlier in the year - he showed that today. At the moment you probably wouldn't go any further than two miles until you have to. Mark said he rides a lot quicker on the track than he does at home. I thought he showed a fair turn of foot there. I know the (McManus) camp have the second favourite (Jeriko Du Reponet) for the Supreme as well so they might want to split them up. We'll get him home, check him out and then Willie will decide plans in a couple of weeks.
Lisnagar enjoys better Fortune with Punchestown win
the penny is dropping a little bit with him and on form he was entitled to win after the run in Mallow (Cork racecourse). He's just taken a while to come to hand and learn his jumping and things. I thought today was the best he has jumped and he'll progress away. From getting beaten a few times he has plenty of experience going forwards. He'll end up going further but he was too keen. He's starting to race now and to learn. He'll end up going back out in trip in time but I'm not sure if it's the right time yet.
Mullins-bred mare scores for Curling
Hanlon on the mark with UK import Easy Bucks
it was hard to know coming from England what kind of mark they have but hopefully he can build on it after such a long absence. I sat on him last Thursday, gave him a pop over two fences and was happy with him so we left it up to them. I'd say he can go up in trip and he's fairly ground versatile as he's done all his winning on good ground. It is soft ground here today. He's a nice horse and in fairness he's done it nicely. Mickey Bowen, who is (jockeys) Sean and James' brother, works with us in Shark's and brought the horse over. Mickey and Abby have done all the work with him.
Fortunate Hardwired wins Punchestown's Amateur National
he's a lucky old horse but he's a bit of a toe-rag. I'd say he was beaten as the horse (Bonnie Kellie) looked to be cantering alongside him. He (Harvey) said he wasn't doing a stroke and when the horse disappeared he nearly pulled himself up. He's after winning three now though and he is out of a good mare (Summer Star) who Katie used to ride and she won four times on.