Going - Soft, Soft to Heavy in Places (Hurdle), Soft (Chase). Overcast
Jackpot Pool - €25,561.75 Dividend - €1,491.10 Winning Units - 12. Placepot Pool - €96,138.10 Dividend - €36.80 Winning Units - 1825.76. Pick Six Pool - €105,063.00 Dividend - €49,029.40 Winning Units - 1.5. Days Aggregate - €595,833.00 Last Year €699,736.00
Handicap 'blot' scores for Champion Hurdle winners
the handicapper was right; she was in here and when I saw she got 125 for her next handicap
Mr Adjudicator wins Spring Juvenile for Mullins & Townend
it was a fantastic ride by Paul. We didn't think there'd be much pace in the race and he dropped him in lovely at the back of the field and there was actually a lot more pace than we anticipated. Paul was a little bit worried was he travelling but didn't want to give him a squeeze and light him up too early. He held, what he thought, was a bit in hand turning in and met the last spot on and they (him and runner-up) are two good battlers and two good horses.
Scintillating Samcro maintains unbeaten record
I'm delighted and Jack gave him a great ride. We can go any road with him now and he's a good horse to have. Nothing fazes him at all and he just does what he has to do; he eats, sleeps and drinks — a bit like myself!. we are lucky to have him and is bought to be a three mile chaser and that is what he is and to be honest he showed a lot of class there today and could be anything. Coming today I thought we'd be going for the Ballymore Novices Hurdle (2m5f at Cheltenham) but he could now go for any race, so we'll see. He has loads of options but will definitely go to Cheltenham. I wouldn't rule out the Supreme (Novices Hurdle) after that but I'll chat with the lads (O'Learys) and see. I don't know where we'll go to tell you the truth but I would be frightened by Getabird (Willie Mullins trained) — I thought he was very good and think he's a good horse. My horses had been running well without getting a winner so we're delighted now and can enjoy the rest of it.
Mullins continues his Total domination
he was very keen and Paul didn't anticipate a slow pace and the horse just winged one or two hurdles and then was in front. He didn't want to be fighting with him in at the back so took a chance letting him on and hoped for the best. You wouldn't think a three mile chaser would want to go much faster but he was going so easy. I think the Bobbyjo Chase is probably next and it would look like he's a Grand National horse. He is still in the Gold Cup and I'll see what way it's working out but the Bobbyjo would look Plan A at the moment.
Leopardstown redemption for Monalee as he gains Grade 1 glory
I'm, absolutely delighted. He jumped brilliant and Noel was fantastic on him. Davy (Russell) couldn’t commit with Cheltenham in mind so Noel stepped in and we’ll rock on to Cheltenham now. He's some horse and it has been fantastic to get him here and I have to say it's a credit to everyone at home and there's a great team behind him and I'm delighted to get him back. We'll speak to the owners but the RSA (Chase) would be the obvious race for him at Cheltenham. It's brilliant for Noel as well.
Lazarus-like Edwulf causes shock in Irish Gold Cup
he (Edwulf) ran out of oxygen and basically collapsed and fainted and was on the ground for the guts of half an hour. The vets were always confident he'd be fine though, as it was basically exhaustion as the race was over an extreme distance and he made a mistake which knocked the stuffing out of him. All the vets did such a good job with him and everyone at Martinstown did so well too. He came back to us and I can't quite believe it! It's been a long road for him. He pulled up here at Christmas when Derek said he just got tired with him although he gave him a nice feel and just blew up. He thought he'd improve for the race and he was right!. Derek is an unbelievable horseman and gets on great with this fellow. I suppose we'll think about the Gold Cup now but we'll see how he comes out of this. It's not too often you get a horse good enough to run in a Gold Cup so we'll think about Cheltenham if he comes out of this race well. It's been an unbelievable weekend for us and for everyone as Leopardstown have done an unbelievable job with this (weekend) and it can only get bigger and better from here.
Plan landed for Doyle & Short with Goodbye
That is a plan landed! He was going really well in the Troytown and split the fourth last. He made a small bit of a noise coming up the straight and Mark (Walsh) just left him alone. I felt there was one of these races in him on his run at Cheltenham last year (fifth in the Close Brothers Novices Handicap Chase). He got in awful trouble there and two horses came down in front of him and he stormed up the hill. We just kept him wide today and fitted blinkers and a tongue tie which did the trick plus he got a beautiful ride from a very good 7lb claimer. If the ground is better in Cheltenham we may look at three miles because he was flying home last year.
Champion Mullins completes Sunday hat-trick with Relegate
We've no decision made although we have a better mare than we thought we had now. Colreevy (beaten favourite and third placed) pulled too hard and was too free - that's what Patrick said to me.
