From the Curragh to Tipperary!
29th May 2010

Having found the Curragh an unhappy hunting ground since taking out my trainer’s licence it was a relief and a big thrill to finally get a win with Bangalore Gold, the 11-2 favourite, in the 1m Premier Handicap on Saturday.

A four-year-old by Elusive City, Bangalore Gold, well ridden by Colm, built on the promise of his seasonal return on his first outing for the yard at Leopardstown, defeating Drombeg Dawn and 23 others in good style, in the process overcoming a low draw in stall two. We were pleased with the efforts of our other two runners in the race, Maundy Money ran on to be a creditable fourth, while Separate Ways finished a respectable tenth.

The Handicapper handed Bangalore Gold a 9lb hike in the ratings, taking his new mark up to an all-time high of 100. He could be sent to Royal Ascot next month, where a tilt at the Royal Hunt Cup or a crack at the Buckingham Handicap could be on the agenda.

 It was frustrating Maundy Money was put up 2lbs, the gelding continues to pay for his consistency in these types of races and his losing sequence stretches back to July 2008. However, all roads will lead back to his beloved Galway for a twin assault on the Tote Mile, a race he ran second in last year, and the 7f Premier Handicap on the final day. Before heading to the West, Maundy Money will possibly return to the Curragh for a tilt at a 1m Premier Handicap on Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby day. Separate Ways will also be aimed at the Galway Festival, a venue where he was just touched off in a 1m ½ f last year.

Speaking of Galway, Hampstead Heath, unbeaten in two starts over fences, is a possible candidate for the Galway Plate. I elected to give him a break after winning at Killarney and it is possible he may not run before Galway.

On Thursday, Empirico provided us with a local success when swooping fast and late to seize the 5f handicap at Tipperary, showing a smart turn of foot to register his first success on turf to add to his earlier win at Dundalk in late March. Plans are fluid for the son of Oasis Dream, who will now race off a new mark of 74 after the Handicapper put him up 9lbs.

Dandy Boy, winner of the Victoria Cup at Ascot earlier in the month, continues to please me with in his build-up to the Royal Hunt Cup, a ₤100,000 handicap on the second day of Royal Ascot. He was installed one of the market leaders when the entries were announced recently, a top-priced 12-1 in the ante-post list.

News of another stable flag-bearer Santo Padre, winner of the Portland Handicap in September, is positive after a sustaining a setback while running in a Listed race at Cork in late April, putting him on the sidelines. On the instructions of the vet I had to give him a few weeks box rest before resuming training. All going well I hope to have the Santo Padre back in action in July.

At Leopardstown on Sunday, Maal and Spirit of Xaar will contest the 1m 1f Handicap, a valuable prize with a purse of €21,500. It’s hard to split the pair, the latter, owned by his breeder Tom Molan, finished a creditable fourth last time. The form of the race looks rock solid, the third [Bangalore Gold] and runner-up [Lord Kenmare] advertised the form in style on Saturday. Maal, one of the favourites in the yard, is former winner at the Dublin venue, and goes there on the back of a solid third in a similar event at Cork in April. I had considered taking the gelding to Ffos Las for a ₤16,000 1m 2f Handicap but elected not to make the trip as he would have been 6lbs wrong at the weights. At some stage later in the summer I’m eager to run Maal in Britain provided I find a suitable opportunity. I believe he’d be ideally suited by the strongly-run races in England, as he tends to be free in his races.

I was delighted to welcome an exciting recruit to the stable after owner Adrian Nolan asked me to train Hebridean, a classy type with Group 3 victory in his CV. Arguably his greatest effort came at Goodwood in 2008 when attempting to give Conduit, the dual Breeders’ Cup Turf and King George & Queen Elizabeth winner, 3lbs when third to the Sir Michael Stoute-trained colt in the Gordon Stakes when under the care of Aidan O’Brien. Since then Hebridean has had a short hurdling spell with Paul Nicholls, winning a Grade 2 at Kempton, before joining Luca Cumani. The five-year-old has settled in well to his new surroundings and is a welcome addition to the yard.