Going - Soft to Heavy. Partly Cloudy
Jackpot Pool - 2,500.22 Dividend - 1,750.10 Winning Units - .57. Partial Carry Over of 1,068.45 to Roscommon on Monday 8th May. Placepot Pool - 34,756.15 Dividend - 35.80 Winning Units - 678.31. Days Aggregate - 335,754.19 Last Year 390,484.07
Sharlouk off the mark in Foxrock
He’s improving and probably didn’t stay the distance the last time. He travels like a very good horse in behind. He’s still learning. He’s a big, gross horse so I think he’ll improve with a bit of racing, but he has an engine. I’ve no firm plans but I’ll speak with Pat (Downes, racing manager) and the team. He cruises very well and being by Zoustar you would like to thing he would handle better ground as well.
Bigger days loom for Azazat
Colin was very happy with her. We took a gamble on two fronts, firstly taking on the colts and secondly with the rain overnight turning the ground close to heavy wasn’t ideal for her. They are getting through it and the timing of the race suited well so we let her take her chance. She’s entered in the Ribblesdale and the Oaks. We’ll take it step by step and maybe a race like the Naas Oaks Trial might fit in her programme. She’s a nice filly going forward.
Keane doubles up on all-the-way Zarinsk
She’s honest and is surprisingly light compared to what she looks like. I don’t think ground is any issue to her. That ground is horrible, good ground would be no problem to her. It’s pure heart that keeps her doing that. I’d love her to relax more and help him get it a bit easier. It’s been all about black-type for her and we’ll go Group 2 with the hope that she matures into a horse for here on Champions Weekend. As Colin says, if she is going to be at the very top table it might be over in America.
Power Under Me drives a good day for Keane and Lyons
That’s more like it, but Colin said it turned into a bit of a sprint which probably suited him and maybe gives a false reading on the horse. He’s probably between trips, not an out-an-out miler and not quick enough for the proper sprints anymore. He loves the ground and you can see that with his conformation and his action. I thought that type of race was within his remit, but his last two runs didn’t fill me with any confidence. Seven furlongs to a mile and Listed or Group 3 is his thing. You will never see him on anything quicker than good to soft. The only negative is that Vincent (Gaul, owner) is not here today as he’s at home at a house party. He loves his racing and it’s a pity he’s not here to see him.
Sprewell enters Classic equation
We’re very, very happy. We kind of let him down after he won in Naas and he got a bit fat on us, so we had to be quite hard on him the last ten days and he’s come good today. He’s got fancy entries everywhere. I know it would be the owner’s dream to go to the English Derby but we’ll see how he comes out of this. France could be an option as he is very good on soft going. Mum and Khalid will have a chat and see where we go from here. I think he’s a proper horse and as good as we’ve ever had at that distance. I’d say the further he goes the better he’s going to get. He’s a really exciting horse and personally I think he’s only 80 per cent there and there is a good bit more improvement.
Warm Heart delivers for O'Brien and Lordan
Smooth Tom serene in a visor
The visors made a big difference as he wasn’t travelling in his races. We fancied him for the Lincoln and he didn’t get in and he never travelled here about a month ago and got stopped in his run coming home. We worked him in visors last Saturday morning and he worked well in them. He’ll probably go for a Premier Handicap on Guineas weekend. He likes a bit of juice in the ground.
Amusement leads home one-two for O'Brien