Going - Good to Firm. Overcast and breezy
Jackpot Pool - 1,001.89 Dividend - 701.30 Winning Units - .09. Placepot Pool - 21,880.51 Dividend - 534.30 Winning Units - 28.7. Days Aggregate - 107,349.12 (7 races). Last Year 160,209.32 (8 races).
Cordouan wins Gowran's opening claimer
he (Cordouan) was a classy enough horse but he's had plenty of problems and that's why he's in this grade. He's just a fun horse now. He ran some good races for us last year and it's great for the boys, and great for Cian to get a winner on him. We can't do a huge amount with him at home but I think the less we do the better he is at the minute. He gave him a good ride and the race just panned out for us. We put first time headgear on him today and I think it probably helped him. We'll either go back handicapping, he was well in today to win this race off his rating, or he'll go back into another claimer.
Goffs graduate scores on Gowran debut
Exquisite Acclaim provides connections with boost
the boys have good fun with Exquisite Acclaim and fair play to Tom O'Connor. He has horses with Henry (De Bromhead) as well and it's great to get a winner for them. I think his mother isn't well so that will be a bit of a tonic for him and I wish her well. he battled well, I think the horse on the inside (Bellaphina) helped him along and he's a tough ole soul. We were going to go to Leopardstown but I thought this track, a front-runners track, would suit him well and the horse needs fast ground. Adam know him well.
Listed success for blue-blooded Wingspan
Smooth Tom beats Bling for a dramatic late win
he's not fully fit and he said he blew up a furlong down. It's his first run back, he's been away on a break since Punchestown and should improve a good bit. That could leave him right for the Petingo Handicap on Champions Weekend hopefully. I also had in the back of my mind the English Cambridgeshire, he's better on a straight track so a straight mile on soft ground there could suit. The ground would have been plenty quick enough for him there. We'll maybe go for some of those decent handicap hurdles too along the line. we gave him a break after Punchestown because he had been on the go all year. He won his maiden hurdle in Listowel, then won his novice and we kind of had no choice but to keep going in his novice season. We ran him in a Grade 1 when the ground was bottomless in Leopardstown and he actually ran well. He's only back in about seven weeks.
Cancelled leads home unusual '1-3' for trainer McCreery
Cancelled deserved it and it was about time. She loved that quicker ground. We went into a black-type race the last day and if anything, I don't think she got home over the mile-and-a-half so we'll stick to a mile-and-two. She's a good honest filly. She's rated 83 and she'd hardly move much off that.
Seventeen-year-old Casey bags winner on second ride
I'm delighted with him, it was a great run from him. I'm delighted to get one so early. I'm 17 and from Poulmucka near Cahir and I went to RACE. I have to thank Denis (Hogan) for giving me the ride and for giving me the opportunities to get started.