Going - Yielding (soft in places on Chase course). Showery
Jackpot Pool - 5,787.86 Dividend - 154.60 Winning Units - 26.2. Placepot Pool - 27,388.92 Dividend - 5.50 Winning Units - 3453.57. Pick Six Pool - 1,607.50 Not Won. Carried forward to Dundalk on Wednesday 19th December. Days Aggregate - 97,566.00
Easy to back Embrun makes winning start in Ireland
Oldest in the field but Alfie "still fights away"
Even though he's getting on in age he still fights away,. He's handicapped nice but when he goes up in weight he's not able for it. We'll see if we can get a bit out of him when he's the way he is. If the ground got too bad it wouldn't be the best for him as he likes that type of ground there. He's a strange type of horse as there are tracks he likes and tracks he hates, maybe like myself!
74/1 Naas brace for de Bromhead and Blackmore
Champion bumper heroine Relegate wins her maiden hurdle
That was good and I thought Ruby was very good on her,. She didn't help him much over the last two. She was probably just going a bit too fast for her. I'd imagine from now on we'll go way out in trip with her. Unless there was something at two-and-a-quarter but I'd be looking at two-and-a-half. To win a two mile hurdle was good. I think she'll jump a lot better when she goes out in trip. I'll just try and find the easiest race I can! I'd be looking for mares races or novice races, I doubt she'd come back here for the Grade 1. I'll just step her up the ladder quietly. The race in Cheltenham is two-mile one-furlong. I'd imagine I'll be trying to go out in trip with her all the time.
Chasing now for maiden hurdle victor At Your Ease
The conditions were made for him and thankfully it all worked out,. He'll go chasing now, straight chasing. He's a staying chaser in the making. That was sharp enough for him there today but the class got him through. He'll make a nice chaser. We had the fourth dam, Funicular. It's an old family and my father had a lot of them. It's nice to have the family again. Christy (Roche) had Bannow Bay from that same family.
2 in a row for McManus at Naas
He's a bit of a tricky fella and he's had 101 chances,. In fairness to him he jumped well today. They went quick and the race was run to suit him. He's been disappointing in fairness but things just worked out for him today. They were coming back to him and he was sneaking away. The stiff finish probably suited him. He's not a fella I'd be trusting with my life but it's nice that he's after winning a race now.
Hot Flame well-backed and delivers at 3rd attempt
That was good. I fancied her as I think she's a lovely mare,. It didn't work out for her the first two days. She's hot and it didn't really work out for her but thankfully it went right there today. I think she's not too bad and when the ground gets softer she'll love that too. Where we go from here I don't know. I won't rush her because she's a hot enough type of a mare. We'll take our time and keep her head settled.