Paparazzi clicks in Dundalk opener

Koybig completes hat-trick in style

Murphy records first double with Approval

That’s my first double. The horses are going well and we knew he was in good form. He went close the last day and got a bit lonely on the rail. I thought the same thing was going to happen today but in fairness to Ben in got him home well. The horse needed every pound of Ben’s claim and he’s great value for it. He’s not the sort of horse you would run back too soon but we may get him out just before Christmas. There is a chance that Koybig may run before Christmas as well. He’s not doing anything wrong and we’ll mind him and see how he is after today. I have four in training at the moment and have a restricted licence in Castlecomer. I’m actually doing the course at the moment to get a full licence and came here from doing that this morning. Hopefully I’ll have the full licence in a few months time.

Cravat gets on top for Lyons and Keane

He keeps a bit for himself and the quicker they go the better. Six furlongs is ideal for him when they go quick as he can travel into it. When he gets to the front he waits for the others. He can go from six furlongs to a mile but they just don’t go quick enough for him over a mile. He’ll run all over the winter. The handicapper can’t be too hard on him, and when he tells us he’s fresh again we’ll keep him going. David Spratt set up Gaelic Thoroughbreds and there is a syndicate with three two-year-olds and three older horses. Joe Bracken and Joe Horan both from Clane are here today and they are involved in the syndicate. They are getting great sport out of it and they used to own Joe Eile. This year they have bought three new yearlings to go to war with and a couple of older horses as well. It’s an initiative that has really progressed this year and the yearlings we bought are quite expensive.

Brave bounces back to form

The handicap reassessment was a big help as it’s brought him back into the 45-65 bracket,. He’d a very good run when he was second (at Navan in September) but after that the rain came at Fairyhouse and it was very heavy and the last day he just found the seven (furlongs) too far. If there are races for him I’ll keep coming up over the winter. He won here before and he likes it.

Conduct gains deserved win

He thoroughly deserved it as he’s run very well in defeat,. He was probably unlucky as he blew up the first time, then got into trouble and then got left in front and was done late on. Shane said he’s still green enough in front and wandered a bit. He’s a big horse that’s improving and is certainly putting on weight which is a good sign. We love him at home, and hopefully he’ll go on from here.

Birrane strikes again with Dandy

Everything is just coming together in the last couple of weeks and all the horses are peaking. I’ve been doing a lot of beach work and swimming with them. This horse will be campaigned here over the winter, and I’ve a couple more nice horses still to come here as well.

Alcander justifies support in finale

He’s done it well and that better surface is a help to us. He was lame after running one day at Leopardstown and it worked out that he fractured his pelvis. We had to give him a long time standing in during the season and when we got him back to run the ground was gone against him. He also got very worked up in the stalls another day at Leopardstown so we got him put in late today. They went a good pace here and he settled well.