Fairyhouse Wed, 5th Feb, 2025  Chosen Diamond we’re a long time trying to get his head in front over hurdles and he’s not a baby at this stage. I was saying if he wasn’t in the frame today we’d just got back chasing as we might have some chance. He works well but has disappointed us a few days although was unlucky last year on a couple of days. Philip Byrnes gave him a great spin today and actually beat him two runs, so he knew what he was riding. He kept him out on a bit of the fresher ground as along the rail it was very tacky and chopped up in there. He really had to empty the tank from the last home to get there. I didn’t think he was going to get there but it’s great to get it. There is no plan but we’ll find something for him.

Punchestown Mon, 3rd Feb, 2025  Duffys Hodey he received a 9lb penalty for winning the last day and Tiernan obviously lost 2lb of his claim since, so I associated that as 11lb. We decided to drop him in today and I think they got racing too early, which really suited us, and Tiernan gave him a cool ride.

Leopardstown Sat, 1st Feb, 2025  An Peann Dearg It’s great for Jim and Sonja (Buckley), they are very important people in the yard and it’s great to have them here and win a big pot. He travelled well, something similar to the last day, but he probably hit the line a little bit stronger. We could see it today, but the handicapper can see it as well!

Fairyhouse Thu, 16th Jan, 2025  Duffys Hodey I would hate to come up against the runner-up (Blue Reed) over two miles - he would have won a furlong!. Tiernan’s 7lb is invaluable: he rides very well and I’m very lucky to have him on the team. It was very hard for him to sit where he was there and ride the race he did, but he did it. Tiernan was a big asset today. The horse has been a rock of consistency and I thought he ran well at Limerick in Christmas.

Punchestown Mon, 13th Jan, 2025  Will The Wise Will The Wise was disappointing the last couple of days and we couldn’t really put our finger on why and we still don’t know why. Keith (Donoghue) said he was much happier everywhere in the race. He travelled, jumped and stayed going. Hopefully we are back on track now. I don’t know where we’ll go next. I really liked him to start with and ran him in a Grade 2 novice at Navan, but he ran terrible. We’ll make a plan from here.

Leopardstown Thu, 26th Dec, 2024  An Peann Dearg I honestly didn't give him that much of a chance. I was hoping he'd run respectably,. He had a good run the last day. Jim was the one you wanted to come here and he was dead right so we're very happy. Sean said he tends to go a little bit right so he jumped off on the inside but then he moved to the outside because he seemed to be happier out there. I thought he was very good over the last few fences and that's what sealed it for him. I thought he'd win jumping the last but then they sort of quickened again a little bit and he barely got up. Thankfully he was on the right side of the nod. We had a nice winner in Limerick in Release The Beast. He did it very nicely and I'd say he's a nice young horse, he looks to be better over a fence. He's owned by the same sort of men so they are all delighted.

Clonmel Tue, 3rd Dec, 2024  Duffys Hodey He has plenty little bits of problems and his owners have been hugely patient. It is my own yard's syndicate involving a few friends, locals and a cousin is involved as well. They are a great bunch and they have this horse and Committee Meeting on the go. This lad had been placed a few times but it just wasn't happening, so deserved this. We'll head to Limerick at Christmas for another handicap and hopefully he isn't murdered for winning today.