12.30: HE'S A HARDY BLOKE (SEAN FLANAGAN/NOEL MEADE) 1.03: GJOURNI (PAUL TOWNEND/WILLIE MULLINS) 1.38: PATS PICK (SEAN FLANAGAN/NOEL MEADE) 2.13: MADISON TO MONROE - EW - (PADDY KENNEDY/JESSICA HARRINGTON) 2.43: PETERSTOWN - EW - (BRIEN KANE (5)/TOM GIBNEY) 3.23: GRAND PARTNER - EW - (JACK FOLEY (7)/TOM MULLINS) 3.55: ANGEL'S DAWN (DEREK O'CONNOR/SAM CURLING)
Selections for Tramore – Jan. 1st 2021
12.20: NOT AVAILABLE (RACHAEL BLACKMORE/HENRY DE BROMHEAD) 12.52: COLONEL LESLIE - EW - (CONOR ORR (3)/JAMES DULLEA) 1.27: MINELLA ESCAPE (RACHAEL BLACKMORE/HENRY DE BROMHEAD) 2.02: DELIRIOUS LOVE (JONATHAN MOORE/GAVIN CROMWELL) 2.37: AL BOUM PHOTO (PAUL TOWNEND/WILLIE MULLINS) Paul Townend and Al Boum Photo begin their bid for a Gold Cup hat-trick in familiar Tramore 3.10:... Continue Reading →
Niall hangs up the Boots and goes for the Slippers after decorated career
One of the formative chapters in the construction of a large portion of my life revolving around horse racing came to an end today when Niall 'Slippers' Madden hung up his riding Boots and went for the Slippers after a wonderfully decorated career in the plate. From Irish racing's 'footwear family' - Dad Niall 'Boots'... Continue Reading →
Boylan Talks Sport Hurling Team Of The Year
STEPHEN O'KEEFFE - WATERFORD 2. SEAN FINN - LIMERICK 3. DAN MORRISSEY - LIMERICK 4. RONAN MAHER - TIPPERARY 5. TADHG DE BURCA - WATERFORD 6. CILLIAN BUCKLEY - KILKENNY 7. KYLE HAYES - LIMERICK 8. MICHAEL BREEN - Tipperary 9. JOHNNY COEN - Galway 10. JOE CANNING - GALWAY 11. CIAN LYNCH - LIMERICK... Continue Reading →
Selections for Punchestown – Dec. 31st 2020
12.30: OPPOSITES ATTRACT (CONOR MAXWELL/DERMOT MCLOUGHLIN) 1.05: SCREAMING COLOYRS - EW - (DANNY HAND (7)/BILL DURCAN) 1.35: AWAY TO SEA - EW - (BRYAN COOPER/JOE MURPHY) 2.05: BACHASSON (PAUL TOWNEND/WILLIE MULLINS) Paul Townend dons the extremely lucky O'Connell silks at Punchestown tomorrow 2.40: DEBUCHET (JONATHAN MOORE/GAVIN CROMWELL) Debuchet showed a nice level of improvement on... Continue Reading →
Rockstar drowned out in Machine-driven crescendo
When one's life has revolved around sport as much as it has in this seat, tying down a single favourite sporting moment - or indeed a compilation thereof - would be akin to asking Elvis Presley which one of his Number One records were his favourite. Were pressure put on the occupant of this seat... Continue Reading →
Supporting actor lands all the plaudits yet again
In the preceding offering on these pages mention was afforded to the wonderful renewal of the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in 2005. In no way was Hardy Eustace a back number - he could hardly be having won it the previous season - but, for whatever reason, the vast majority of the debate and rancor... Continue Reading →
Lack of a gallop leaves Anderson searching for fluidity and answers
March 2005, Cheltenham. Day one of the Festival. The race that's not only the highlight of the day, but of that entire year for us that are hopelessly devoted to jump racing. Or maybe many years. Hardy Eustace, the venerable old Massey Ferguson 390T, the old dog for the hard road, turns for home with... Continue Reading →
Selections for Limerick – Dec. 29th 2020
11.55: NO GREY AREAS (PAT KING (5)/MARTIN HASSETT) 12.30: ET DITE - EW - (DANNY MULLINS/WILLIE MULLINS) 1.05: MIRACLE IN MEDINAH (JODY MCGARVEY/GORDON ELLIOTT) 1.40: WOLFE PRINCE (JONATHAN MOORE/GAVIN CROMWELL) 2.15: UPOURDAT (GARY NOONAN (7)/PADDY NEVILLE) The inspirational Paddy Merrigan is Assistant Trainer to Co Clare handler Paddy Neville 2.50: PAIRC NA NGAEL - EW... Continue Reading →
Selections for Leopardstown – Dec. 29th 2020
12.05: MORATORIUM - EW - (EOIN O'CONNELL (2)/GORDON ELLIOTT) 12.40: STATTLER (PAUL TOWNEND/WILLIE MULLINS) 1.15: CONCERTISTA (PAUL TOWNEND/WILLIE MULLINS) 1.50: MONKFISH (PAUL TOWNEND/WILLIE MULLINS) 2.25: ASPIRE TOWER (RACHAEL BLACKMORE/HENRY DE BROMHEAD) 3.00: VISIONARIAN (KEVIN SEXTON/PETER FAHEY) Peter Fahey's horses are in fine form 3.35: HOLLOW GAMES (JAMIE CODD/GORDON ELLIOTT)