Going - Straight - Soft, yielding to soft in places Round - Yielding, yielding to soft in places. Overcast
Jackpot Pool - €6,109.49 Dividend - €3,580.60 Winning Units - 1.71. Placepot Pool - €13,782.47 Dividend - €21.60 Winning Units - 636.54. Days Aggregate - €145,237.01 Last Year €263,830.12
Saracen makes impressive debut to win opener at the Curragh
He was impressive, he's a nice colt and had been showing up well at home,. He was going to make his debut a few weeks ago but just had a little setback. He quickened up really smartly there and looks like a smart horse for next season. I'm delighted to have, what potentially looks like, a good horse for Al Shaqab and the team. They've been good supporters of ours. This guy will come back for a Guineas trial in the spring. We were a little bit worried about ground conditions but you have no choice at this time of year. We were hopeful that he'd cope with them but given his pedigree and how he looks I'd expect him to be better on a faster surface. Obviously he'll have no problem going a bit further as well, given his pedigree. He's a smart colt and Dylan said he felt like he has a lot of speed.
Riggins gets up late to keep Ryan in hunt for apprentice title
It was never in doubt!. You have to ride him for luck and they didn't go hard early and then they are sprinting. It's very hard when they get first run on you, even if they are inferior horses, to pull them back. He got there in the end. I would have been disappointed as a trainer if I had gone the whole year without winning one with him. I had a blip in the middle of the season when his bloods went all wrong and I had to back off him, and then dealing with ground and everything else. His only bad run was the Bold Lad and I don't know why, maybe because all the owners were here!. He's in tomorrow and we'll see how he is in the morning. There is also a race here on the last day for him.
Whirl shows battling qualities to land Group 3 under Lordan
I'm delighted with them, they ran very well,. Ryan's filly(Giselle) was a bit babyish and a bit green. He was trying to teach her, which was the right thing to do. He was delighted with her. He said she wasn't there yet, he said she got there and got a little bit tired with him. She had a big hold up. I ran her because I thought we'd get Ryan over because I needed him to sit on her again. The experience will do her good for next year. Wayne's filly(Whirl) has more experience, she got out there and is tough and found plenty. Ronan(Whelan on Island Hopping) was very happy with his filly who came home very well. He said she'll be a group filly next year and she'd get a mile-and-a-quarter easy. Wayne gave the winner a lovely ride. He went his pace and he was left alone in front. It's amazing with those Wootton Bassett's, one after another they are coming. They just get better the more you train them.
Rubies Are Red finally gets her day in the sun
He gave her a class ride, as always. She has a lot of ability and Ryan said she'd be way better in a better race,. That's important for her. There is probably not much left for her, there is the Finale Stakes back here on the last day and we might see her again in that.
Smooth Tom wins Amateur Riders Derby under Adam Ryan
He's a versatile horse and I think he'll stay two miles,. I forgot to enter him for the Irish Cesarewitch this year and I'd say it will suit him. We might run him in the Grade 3 hurdle at Down Royal on Friday week if he's alright and give him a little break then. The handicapper can't touch him there at the weights as the second is rated 86. There is also the Listed Finale Stakes back here on the last day but I'll probably run him over hurdles, he likes small fields. He ran well the last day, it was kind of a non event with Daddy Long Legs going out in front and he didn't follow him. He rode for second and got second. He was second in the Lincoln as well this year so he's very versatile. Keith Donoghue rode him in a Grade 1 at Leopardstown last year and thought he'd be an ideal horse for a Galway Hurdle but we had to give him a break at that stage. Adam is a very good rider. A few things went wrong for him this year and he's gone through a lean spell so it's great for him to get a winner. He's well able to ride.
Nans View benefits from step up in trip to give McMonagle double
She's been knocking on the door and finished strongly the last day over a mile,. Dylan said she hit the line well today over the mile-and-a-quarter and she'll probably go a little bit further. She's a nice filly and doing her job, she's at her level. Hopefully she'll improve with experience and it's great to get a day out of her. I think there is a race in Galway over a mile-and-a-half for her. She was second there so we might go back. She's not one for the all-weather as she needs a cut in the ground. If we can get her in before the end of the year she'll run and if not she'll go out until next year.
Fahey completes quick double with Barrogstown Girl
She battled very well in fairness to her. I was a little bit worried about her bouncing two days after her last run, and about the draw,. Neve said she was game out, galloped and kept going the whole way to the line. She's a very honest little filly. She's probably one that will go hurdling, whether we go now or give her a bit of a break I don't know. We'll have a chat with the owners. She was in an online sale recently and there was no interest in her but (my brother) Mick (Fahey) got her sold to a few friends of his and it's paying dividends for them already. I didn't have a double up until this year and that's my second of the year now. We're just having a great year, the horses have been healthy and well and running well. It's a year that I don't want to see finish but it's great to have had a good year. Hopefully a few of the jumpers can take over now and win a few more for us.
Genuine Jim gives Nicola Burns first winner under rules
It's a special day and it was a long finish watching that,. I'm delighted for Nicola and delighted for the owner, Tony McLoughlin, who is a great supporter of mine. We wouldn't be here without Tony. We'll enjoy today. We've had good fun with the pony racing as a family over the past two years. She had two good years, we'll move on now and see how this goes. Hopefully she can keep improving. She only has her licence three weeks and had nine rides before today. I thought she was maybe going to do it for Jarlath (Fahey) in the last (on Warazam who finished fifth). It's great the support she's getting from other people and the support she got from all the people at the pony racing. It's helped her along. She's 16 and she finished out the pony racing season to get as much experience as she could, it's a great school.
