Going - Good to Yielding (Good after R4). Overcast
Jackpot Pool - 3,461.68 Dividend - 3,461.70 Winning Units - .31. Placepot Pool - 16,953.38 Dividend - 63.20 Winning Units - 625.2. Days Aggregate - 1,246,987.84 (9 races). Last Year 933,014.00 (8 races).
Sharinay another Curragh winner for Halford and Collins
Henri Matisse upsets better fancied Railway Stakes rivals
We're delighted with him. We thought he was a bit too babyish to go to Ascot and Wayne said he's still babyish. He said he'll love going up to seven and we might go up to seven next, we'll see what's there for the Phoenix Stakes. He's a lovely horse, tries very hard and is very genuine. He has an unbelievable pedigree.
Lyon's Alfie proves a Mate to Curragh punters
He's been very consistent all year and the blinkers have transformed him. He gets seven and the first furlong had me worried as they did 15 seconds and I thought it would turn into a sprint and they'd out-do him for speed. At home he's bomb-proof and you can do whatever you like but if you run him here without blinkers he just parks and won't do a thing. The blinkers are the difference between winning and losing. It's great for Austin (Whelan) and all his gang, he's called after his son Alfie. I say they'll take a while to get home tonight. We aimed to have three winners this weekend, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I said if we don't win this it's all on the Derby and I don't think that's going to happen!. He's in the Stewards Cup' because it's a £250,000 race. I was fourth in it with a filly many years ago. I was also just chinned in an Ayr Gold Cup, I wanted to be the first Irish trainer to win it. Those are two races that are on my agenda. I don't think he's good enough but we'll see. We're always talking about prize-money. You've got the Wokingham that's worth £150,000 and the Stewards' Cup that is £250,000 so if you are serious about prize-money you have to partake.
Amazon Lady ploughs lone furrow to land Rockingham
Willie(McCreery) said 'when you get done to the start have a look up and if it makes sense to keep over on your own, do'. He said you would only be wasting your time trying to get over from (stall)1. When I started to pick up I had a little glance across and I knew I had them. She was drawn one and there was six metres of fresh ground for the Derby horses, so it would be fresh for the last three furlongs so I said to get over on to that. She doesn't mind racing on her own, she won in Navan the last day on her own. Billy has a good clock in his head and got her into a lovely rhythm. She broke from the gates and was gone, she didn't see anything. She's improving every race but unfortunately the breeder decided to put in her foal!. She's in foal to New Bay and might have one more run in the Sweet Mimosa (Naas July 24th) before going home.
Massusus bounces back in Celebration
We were on a recovery mission, we were so disappointed the last day after the Group 1. We were thinking where did we go wrong but it was just one of those things,. Even during the week his work wasn't exciting but sometimes that can be a good thing, Swamp Fox was the very same. It's a wonderful occasion and we're back in business, where he should be, and I think he's a nice horse going forward. That was a Listed race and he gave 20lb to a good filly. We'll probably travel with, we'll see how he comes out it and see what is available.
Los Angeles overturns Epsom form to give O'Brien 16th Irish Derby
We were delighted with him in Epsom and we thought he would come forward. Obviously he did go forward in Epsom and learned plenty, we were hoping that would be the case so he could come back here. Ryan gave him a great ride. It was a solid even pace and it's an unbelievable track. It's great to have this race at this time of the year so all those horses can come together and you get to find out what's there. He's a big hardy horse. He looks like he was a baby but he is a Group 1 winner at two as well. He is progressing, definitely, and we're really looking forward to him. Obviously he's by Camelot so he has that class, so he can quicken. Ryan said he had a lot more class than he expected and he quickened very well when he got there. We came here thinking that he was going to turn into a Leger horse but Ryan said he has way more class than that.
Irish National winning trainer Gibney enjoys big Curragh success with Booyea
The easiest part was looking at him out there. He's a real handful as you can see with him coming in there now. We had some job tacking him up. I wasn't on the ball today, I should have had earplugs or something on him. He got really upset before the race and I honestly thought that was it, race over. Fair play to him he's a good horse., he's tough. He's very revved, that's the way he is. He actually hasn't been that revved in a long time, last year he was very difficult but he settled down a lot and we thought we were past all that. He got very revved up today but I suppose it is Derby Day. Like I say I just wasn't thinking ahead. It fantastic, we had a winner at this meeting on the Saturday last year. To have a winner at the Curragh is fantastic anyway and on Derby Day is even extra.
Indigo Five lands Fillies Premier Handicap for Feane and Joyce
I'm delighted for Ray (McSharry) and Jim Browne who bred her. She was tough, she battled out well. She'll be a better filly with a cut in the ground but she was very brave today. We had two seconds. Ano Syra just got touched off, she ran her heart out, and Greek Flower ran a blinder, the tactics on the winner paid off going up that new strip of ground. We could have had a great day but it's great to have one anyway.
Harbour proves Star for McGuinness in Derby Weekend finale
That's brilliant, this horse deserves it as he's been very consistent over his last few runs. He was fourth in a €50,000 handicap the last time and the lads have been very lucky, they've been with me since I started. They are a great bunch of lads. He wasn't a cheap horse and I always said he'd win a big race so it's great to get one. He's been very consistent, he won a good one last year in the Racing League as well. He's a great horse. We were to go to Yarmouth for the Racing League but that could actually put him out of the ratings now. If he doesn't go there he could go for the mile-and-a-half in Galway. He's run well in Galway before, he's a Sea The Stars and stays well. It's great to have a horse like him, he's won plenty of money for them. The lads have had a great time with him. They are a great bunch of lads and they all re-invest every couple of years and they always come across a nice horse. I have to thank my staff as well and Adam, who is seriously good value for his claim. I'd like to dedicate this win to my brother who is very ill in St Francis Hospice and doesn't have long left. It will be a great tonic for him.