Punchestown Thu, 2nd May, 2024  Maxxum I was really looking forward to getting back on board him anyways. I tried to ride him very similar to when I won at Leopardstown on him, just keeping it simple on him,. he just got into a lovely rhythm and wasn't for catching. Carl seems to only win 100 grand handicaps!. He's a great fella, he's working full time in the yard and he deserves every bit of success he's getting. He doesn't do anything wrong and keeps it very simple. He was running a great race the last day in Fairyhouse and took a false step after the second last and fell. We came here fresh today, took a chance, and it worked out great.

Fairyhouse Sun, 31st Mar, 2024  Mirazur West It was a good performance. Mark changed tactics today and it seemed to make a big difference to the horse. He likes to jump and gallop and looks tailor made for novice chasing next year. After the disappointment of Naas it was nice for him to come out and do that and we’ll look and see what’s left for him for the rest of the season.

Naas Sun, 10th Mar, 2024  Hillsdale It wasn't the plan to make it. The last day he looked home and hosed, he's a quirky fella,. He's very difficult, he's not for young lads to ride out or anything. Keith did a great job with him. He ran away the last day but I'd say the ground was a lot heavier in Fairyhouse. I'm delighted with the way he battled there, it's great. We'll try him again and he'll go chasing next year, he's a big horse. The owner (Brian Pierce) isn't here, he's a good supporter of ours.

Naas Sun, 10th Mar, 2024  Hillsdale It wasn't the plan to make it. The last day he looked home and hosed, he's a quirky fella,. He's very difficult, he's not for young lads to ride out or anything. Keith did a great job with him. He ran away the last day but I'd say the ground was a lot heavier in Fairyhouse. I'm delighted with the way he battled there, it's great. We'll try him again and he'll go chasing next year, he's a big horse. The owner (Brian Pierce) isn't here, he's a good supporter of ours.

Naas Sun, 25th Feb, 2024  William Munny I’m astonished the price this horse went off. I thought he should have been even money favourite on the back of his form. The horse of Willie’s that he beat the last day was backed as if money was going out of fashion and they were clear of the rest. He’s hardly having a blow there and it was like a piece of work. He’s very unusual for a Westerner as they normally don’t win bumpers, they improve when they get a hurdle and a fence. I’m definitely not taking him to Cheltenham. I don’t like giving them more than two runs in winners bumpers but I’m going to bring this lad to Punchestown for the Champion Bumper, and I think he’s the one to beat in it. In my view he’s the best bumper horse in the country. His work has been very good since in won in Navan. I’m hoping he’ll be a Grade 1 horse over a hurdle next year. Finny Maguire gets very limited opportunities but in my view he’s a fantastic rider. The best bumper rider in the country by a mile. I think he’s had five rides for me this year and four winners.

Naas Sun, 25th Feb, 2024  Ferny Hollow I was happy with him to do that after such a long lay-off. Hopefully, now he stays sound so that we can keep him that way. He popped over a few hurdles and a few fences yesterday morning and I was happy with him. The conditions of this race suited him a bit better than last week (Red Mills Chase at Gowran Park). I think he’s still young enough to put in a career best over fences. He just has to overcome this first run and come back sound and we’ll see where we go.

Naas Sun, 25th Feb, 2024  Ferny Hollow I was happy with him to do that after such a long lay-off. Hopefully, now he stays sound so that we can keep him that way. He popped over a few hurdles and a few fences yesterday morning and I was happy with him. The conditions of this race suited him a bit better than last week (Red Mills Chase at Gowran Park). I think he’s still young enough to put in a career best over fences. He just has to overcome this first run and come back sound and we’ll see where we go.

Naas Sun, 25th Feb, 2024  Ferny Hollow I was happy with him to do that after such a long lay-off. Hopefully now he stays sound so that we can keep him that way. He popped over a few hurdles and a few fences yesterday morning and I was happy with him. The conditions of this race suited him a bit better than last week (at Gowran). I think he’s still young enough to put in a career best over fences. He just has to overcome this first run and come back sound and we’ll see where we go. Paul felt looking at the make up of the race that there would be plenty of pace and we didn’t feel there was much point in taking them on after such a break. He settled lovely and even though he’s free going, once you settle him in he listens and responds to you. We were happy to use those tactics and hoped that if he got around safe and sound that he’d be the fastest horse in the straight which he was. He’s entered in Cheltenham. It may be a big ask on his second run but we’ll have a look. It may come a bit soon. It will be all about how he comes out of the race in the next week, and we’ll probably look for easier options for the time being.

Punchestown Mon, 5th Feb, 2024  Pipers Boreen We were hopeful after the run the last day. To be fair her maiden runs weren’t bad, she’d always stay on well but was green and it’s taken a long time for the penny to drop. She showed a good attitude and is great to jump. The jump at the last probably sealed it for her.

Leopardstown Sat, 3rd Feb, 2024  Maxxum Carl is a good lad. He’s well able to ride and just needs to tidy himself up a little bit now, get on the simulator. He’s a good lad and works hard,. Maxxum is a bit hot and cold and I thought the ground might have gone a bit soft for him. When you are in these handicaps, you never know. We said we’d keep it simple, pop him out handy and see what happens.

Leopardstown Sat, 3rd Feb, 2024  Maxxum Carl is a good lad. He’s well able to ride and just needs to tidy himself up a little bit now, get on the simulator. He’s a good lad and works hard,. Maxxum is a bit hot and cold and I thought the ground might have gone a bit soft for him. When you are in these handicaps, you never know. We said we’d keep it simple, pop him out handy and see what happens.

Leopardstown Sat, 3rd Feb, 2024  Maxxum Carl is a good lad. He’s well able to ride and just needs to tidy himself up a little bit now, get on the simulator. He’s a good lad and works hard,. Maxxum is a bit hot and cold and I thought the ground might have gone a bit soft for him. When you are in these handicaps, you never know. We said we’d keep it simple, pop him out handy and see what happens.

Leopardstown Sat, 3rd Feb, 2024  Maxxum It's special to get a winner today. Jumped off handy and sat second, I was always in a lovely rhythm throughout the race. Gordon had good trust in me and told me to keep it simple. Carl is a good lad. He's well able to ride and just needs to tidy himself up a little bit now, get on the simulator. He's a good lad and works hard. Maxxum is a bit hot and cold and I thought the ground might have gone a bit soft for him. When you are in these handicaps you never know. We said we'd keep it simple, pop him out handy and see what happens.

Navan Sat, 20th Jan, 2024  William Munny We knew we'd win a bumper with him. He's a six-year-old so he's had loads of time. He has been to a schooling race before and ran okay. He was very keen last year and with the extra year, and a bit of maturity, he's settling better. When they went no pace there I was just afraid he might be doing a bit too much in that ground. I think he'll come on for it because he was very green. When Finny went to put him into the gap between the two favourites he didn't really know what he was at or where he was going. Eventually he got through it and they had to keep quickening. He's very fit, he's not having much of a blow there. He's very unlike a Westerner, they are normally big strapping horses, he looks like a bumper horse. I don't know how good he's going to be down the line but he's definitely a nice horse to have. I'd say he might run in Fairyhouse or somewhere like that. I don't think I'll be going across the water with him but he's probably entitled to if you wanted to. It's great to get one on the board. When you give them two-and-a-half years, and give them the time, it's nice to get the reward for it because it doesn't always happen. We're thrilled.

Fairyhouse Sat, 13th Jan, 2024  Saddle Her Up She had a great run in Leopardstown (fourth), I dropped her back two furlongs and she stayed it perfect today and Sean gave her a lovely ride. She can be a bit keen and she has to make the running but today she settled in behind the front-runner, relaxed from there and did everything right. She ran well in Galway and she was fourth behind Ballyburn, although well beaten. Dropping back into mares maiden hurdle, that's her level. Hopefully she'll go on and do a bit more for the owner. Clodagh is from Fermoy, she's no relation.

Clonmel Thu, 11th Jan, 2024  Casey West I took a chance coming here so soon after Limerick and he is also way better going left-handed. I have him for two point-to-point and two hunter chases and he had finished second three times. Aintree is left-handed and I think now we are qualified to run in the Foxhunters Chase there. He'll go back point-to-pointing now but going left-handed, over a short hunters chase trip and the fences over there, will suit. This lad has a bit of class, has to be ridden positively and while he'll go on better ground, wouldn't want it too quick.

Clonmel Thu, 11th Jan, 2024  Casey West I took a chance coming here so soon after Limerick and he is also way better going left-handed. I have him for two point-to-point and two hunter chases and he had finished second three times. Aintree is left-handed and I think now we are qualified to run in the Foxhunters Chase there. He'll go back point-to-pointing now but going left-handed, over a short hunters chase trip and the fences over there, will suit. This lad has a bit of class, has to be ridden positively and while he'll go on better ground, wouldn't want it too quick.

Limerick Thu, 28th Dec, 2023  The Story So Far The owners are local to me in Ballingarry so it is great for them,. The horse hit a flat spot turning in and that happened to him in Navan too before staying on. He is an out-and-out three-miler so it was a bonus to win a bumper. He is a very nice horse, we bought him as a foal and he'll probably go jumping a hurdle now.

Leopardstown Tue, 26th Dec, 2023  No Flies On Him We're absolutely thrilled with him,. I chose him as a three-year-old at the Derby Sale, JP very kindly let me pick one out. He in turn then sent him for a proper education, to boarding school, to Derek O'Connor who did a fantastic job with him. Then he came back to me this autumn. He has a wonderful pedigree, his great grandmother is the dam of Makybe Diva who won three Melbourne Cups. He looks like a very promising horse. I've had a lot of swans in the last few years and they've all turned out to be geese but I think this fella might stay a swan. Mark said that there wasn't any great pace so he was very happy to be in front. He jumped superb and maybe got a little bit lonely after the last but he was very happy with him. I suppose I'll be told what to do with him but I wouldn't mind stepping him up. The horse that was second to him in his point-to-point (Jango Baie) won first time out at Ascot for Nicky Henderson. He runs in a Grade 1 at Aintree today so it will be interesting to see how he runs. He'll have to be entered in Grade 1s anyway and fingers crossed I think he might just get there. He's got size and scope and he's only a four-year-old. I think there is going to be tremendous improvement in him, I hope so. Hopefully he stays lucky, stays right and healthy. I've been waiting for one like this for too long, thank-God the number six bus has arrived and I'd love if a second one would arrive in a hurry.