Going - Heavy. Overcast
Trifecta Not Won. Pool of 465.84 carried forward to Dundalk on Tuesday 26th March. Jackpot Pool - 930.10 Not Won. Carried forward to Dundalk on Tuesday 26th March. Placepot Pool - 31,718.94 Dividend - 64.50 Winning Units - 344.91. Days Aggregate - 174,801.46 (7 races). Last Year 206,383.73 (8 races).
Lyons strikes with first runner of turf campaign
Colin said to me she'd win if she did what we've seen at home. It's about whether they handle the ground or not,. We said we'd throw the mud at the wall and see what sticks, they are working today instead of yesterday. She's a nice filly and it's nice to get the maidens out of the way with the likes of her and Sakti (won at Dundalk on Friday). We thought if she handles that ground if one of the trials comes up soft then we have one for it and if it turns up good we've one for it too. I'm not saying they are Guineas horses or anything, they've to prove that, but at the minute we've won our maiden and they are horses we would like to be going to a trial with and see where the ceiling is in time. Chris was keeping her in there and it gives you that chance to get that breath as well. She has ability. If he'd kept her in and she wasn't able to get back up you would have accepted but it's nice to just win the maiden and get on with it now. There's nothing that gets going until after Punchestown so that gives us a chance to take a breather and obviously the trials are what I wanted to aim at. Ultimately it's all about stakes race with all the horses.
Lily has classic aspirations after winning return
She's a nice filly and she wintered well. We just gave her the one run after the breeze-ups last year and she was good. I like her, the horses have done loads of cantering but they haven't done much fast work. When you are taking on a 108-rated colt you are asking them a question and she did it well. We might look at a Guineas trial and then the Irish Guineas. Newmarket might come a bit quick and I think we'll take our time. That's only what was there the day she ran, I'd say it doesn't matter. She's versatile, she has a lovely attitude and is a lovely filly to train. Hopefully we have a good year with her.
Sweet Listed success for Sunchart
Church completes hat-trick with impressive Madrid win
He's a right little horse. It's nice when a plan comes off and to bring up the hat-trick by winning the Madrid is a great result,. He's a turf horse really and I knew what he did in Dundalk wasn't going to be what he could do on turf but he still won twice. He's progressed with every run and it's a fantastic result. I'd probably be in favour of having a go at the Gladness at the Curragh over seven, all going well. He has lots of options. He did win impressively. You don't mind foregoing their handicap mark when they win a premier handicap in that style and you know you have a black-type horse.
Janoobi makes winning return from serious injury
There is a lot of satisfaction in that because he's come back from a massive injury and the team have done a marvellous job,. He wintered with Ronnie Boland and he didn't come into me until he was ready to start back. He had a bad fracture in his front leg and it was touch and go whether he was going to be with us. They did a massive job with him and it's a credit to anyone that had anything to do with him. He started back at the end of last season and he's had a good long prep. He hasn't missed a day since he started with me. It's credit to the horse to come back from an injury like that and to do that first time out. He's a horse that we always liked and it's just a bonus to get him back, to win with him is just massive. He's a good fun horse to have on the team and every day we have with him now is a bonus.
Naisiun swoops late under Cleary
Master Garvey gets in right on 21st start