Going - Standard. Fine
Placepot Pool - €17,636.31 Dividend - €124.70 Winning Units - 98.95. Quadpot Pool - €2,057.77 Dividend - €6.70 Winning Units - 225.3. Days Aggregate - €199,569.00 (8 races). Last Year (7 races).
All credit to Chris Hayes after Adams Barbour's success
He was in serious form last week, and we had the money on him then, but he missed the kick and wasn't really in the race. We were disappointed,. He dropped Chris going out there as he was in such great form and I thought we had blown our chances again. He threw him in the air with a massive buck going out but the warm up to the start did him no harm. I said to Chris that he has to be ridden prominently, he won like that before, and he's won it again. He is what he is, he's going to be a low grade handicapper, but he'll give the owner a lot of fun. It's his second win for us now and we had the half-sister who won three for us over five furlongs. Their dam seems to produce nice speedy stock so we'll certainly be looking for the next one out of her if we can find it. Credit to Chris for getting back up on the horse. Going out like that it looks nasty and it's hard to explain that he's in savage form and seriously well in himself. Chris ran to the start and got back up on him. I said to him 'he'll win now, he's had a good warm up so let's get it done' and he did. He doesn't know the horse, that's his first time sitting on him, so for him to take my word and get back up on him I appreciate that. All credit to him. My missus Georgie rides him at home and she said to me 'Lee I can't understand why he didn't win last week, he'll win tonight' so in fairness to her she got it right.
Falak goes back to back at Dundalk
When he's right he's not a bad horse,. He's come down the ratings and with Siobhan's claim he was back to what he won off the last day so we were confident enough that he'd run a big race. It's just been about patience and getting his confidence. He had a few little issues but we sorted them out and I'm delighted. He might go back jumping and could end up in Galway for the two-mile handicap there. The owners like to go there.
One three for Lyons in main race of the day at Dundalk
That's a step in the right direction for her. She works very well at home and last year it was a combination of ground and weakness,. We were always hoping that with her work at home a winter under her belt would help her strengthen up. We're delighted now that that has proven right. Colin said she appreciated the surface so going forward we'll look for good or better. She's experienced worse and now that's she stronger that'll stand to her. She got the trip well. We are hunting black-type, whether she gets that or not we'll see but that's a step in the right direction and we're delighted with that.
O’Brien and Heffernan take Baton of success to Dundalk
The door opens on 20th knock for Dedillon
Simple job for Twomey as Maoilin makes winning start for Team Valor
It's nice to get a winner,. To be fair she ran very well for the Slatterys last year. Team Valor bought her afterwards and my job has been simple. She's a nice filly with plenty of ability and I was hoping she'd do something like that tonight. I didn't like the look of the draw but she's gone and obliged. I'd say that trip is the absolute minimum and that she's probably a mile-and-a-quarter plus filly, maybe even a mile-and-a-half later in the year. I didn't think past today with her. She's 17 hands and should improve plenty. I'm thrilled, Team Valor have been very good to me since I started training. They have plenty of horses in training with me and it's great to be able to reward them with a winner.
52/1 Dundalk double up for champ Keane
The cheek-pieces worked and he got a good ride from Colin Keane,. He got him across, I thought we were going to be in trouble with the draw but he jumped well. Colin said he should win again and said to go on the grass with him now. We'll see what the handicapper does. He was running off 51 tonight and he should improve. I wanted him to win because we have the mother at home and she's due to foal soon.
Love has "turned a corner now" and on to Cork Saturday
He was 3lb well in as he got a 9lb rise the other day,. I have him in at Cork on Saturday and he'll be declared in the morning for it. He'll have a day or two on the beach now. He had a little bit of a wind problem last year and we got it sorted out. He has been difficult but he's turned a corner now and we'll keep rattling on with him while he's in that form. He is what he is and hopefully the handicapper won't be too hard on him but he's never too nice to you when you win two in a row.
