Punchestown Tue, 10th Dec, 2024  Sammy Smart it's great and I'm delighted to get the winner for Kevin (Haigney, owner) as he's been very patient. We hadn't bought him long when he got injured so was out for a while. We thought he could do that a long time ago but we got there in the end. He had a real solid run here before. He just seems to need plenty of time between his races, it's taken me a long time to work that out.

Fairyhouse Sat, 12th Oct, 2024  Born Bright I'm just so appreciative for these types of races for small trainers. I knew there was a bit of negative press about them but for the likes of me it really gives us a chance not to be competing with the Man Utds and Man Citys of this world when it comes to racing,. She won a point-to-point and my son got to ride her in a few bumpers but she wants good ground and it went soft in Sligo and Listowel. This was a race that really suited and it was local. She'll run away over hurdles now. She's home-bred, her sister Born Famous won six in Scotland and got black-type and Born Braver won two for Gavin Cromwell. She's the third one and we've a few more fillies at home so we're delighted.

Galway Tue, 8th Oct, 2024  Ragmans Corner He was a bit unlucky in Ballinrobe and Jack felt he didn't handle the track in Downpatrick,. This race looked winnable on his two runs before that. He was fourth in a maiden here on the Flat, and that was a very good run. He's a grand little horse, he was weak and took time but he's improving all the time. Jack said there are a couple more days in him. We'll try and get a mark with him on the Flat, he probably wouldn't be good enough to win a maiden but should be able to compete on the Flat at some stage. I'd say he's not a horse that will jump a fence, he's a bit small. When we ran him on maidens he ran well on winter ground but that would be his ground there. He shows nothing at home and it's very hard to be confident coming here with him. You'd be getting him scoped and taking bloods before he runs because boys were thinking he's dead in himself all week. I was thinking would I run him or not but the bloods were perfect so I said I'd take the chance.

Listowel Sat, 28th Sep, 2024  Donacheady Gale When Robbie Power won a maiden hurdle on this horse, he said 'John, I've ridden a lot of good horses and this is as nice a horse as I've ever ridden' but unfortunately I've had to bring him back following a lot of injuries. When he won his bumper he didn't just beat good horses, he hammered them, so I knew he was worth bringing back. He was always a top class horse. I hope the handicapper isn't too hard on him and if he gets into the Munster National, he'll go there.

Listowel Wed, 25th Sep, 2024  King Kali He was very good. We declared him on the chance of the rain coming and when it did it really suited him. We're delighted,. He had been running well in handicaps early on in the year and on his form I thought he had a right chance. We're waiting a while for him so it's nice to get a win with him.