Jezki
He seems to be in good form, he came out of the race in Leopardstown well and then it probably was a blessing in disguise in a funny way that he made a mistake at the last because he didn’t get a hard race. He is going to work tomorrow morning on the grass, so we will see. We’re on schedule at the moment and everything, touching all wood, is going according to plan. He’s probably had a better year this year than he had last year, in that he’s finished close to Hurricane Fly twice. He hasn’t really had any hard races and he seems to like Cheltenham in the spring. As long as we have nice, safe ground, I’ll be happy. He seems to like it there and he doesn’t really appreciate very heavy ground. I think he’s more settled this year. It does help him, the hood, because he does settle better. He settled well the last day and as you see he’s very settled here at home. [Might you do something different with his headgear this time?] Hadn’t thought about it yet. But I can always change my mind, I’m a woman. [Have you been disappointed by his failure to win this season?] We’ve been beaten three times by Hurricane Fly. He’s a hard horse to beat in his own country. And maybe we should have beaten him and maybe we’re not as good as we think we are but I still think we’re good. Maybe he’s just a spring horse. His brother is, Jetson always runs much better in the spring than he does in the autumn and maybe they just like the bit of sun on their backs and a bit of warm weather. Cheltenham is a great place. I think some horses go there and they just light up and they just really enjoy it. They love the atmosphere. He’s a horse that likes being looked at and he enjoys the attention. He’s very easy, he likes his routine. He’ll probably go out to the field with Jetson and be out for half an hour to an hour. He’s very straightforward, he’s not narky, he doesn’t kick. When he gets to the races, he can do a bit of kicking when you’re saddling him up but basically he’s a very straightforward horse and gets on and does it. [Could you see him jumping a fence one day?] I don’t know. They haven’t been a family that have been chasers. Jenari did win his beginners chase. Jetson, though he won his beginners chase in Downpatrick, he hated jumping fences, he loathed it. Jered didn’t like jumping fences. So I don’t know. He’s such a good hurdler. We’ll just see what happens.
Jetson
He was a bit of a revelation last year. His first time out of handicap company, he went and beat the great Quevega at Punchestown. I think the jockeys were looking at each other and forgot that he was in front of them and I thought it probably was a bit of a fluke. But he’s been second in two Grade Ones this year, in the Hattons Grace and the Christmas Hurdle, both times beaten by Lieutenant Colonel and I wish to God he’d stayed jumping fences, it would have been a much nicer result. He goes for the World Hurdle, I think it’s very open. He loves Cheltenham, he’s run, I think, twice there and he stays well. So as long as it’s run to suit him, fast as they can go and he stays really well. At the age of 10, he’s made the transition into Graded company, which is quite funny. He’s a half-brother to Jezki.
Kabjoy
She’s a four-year-old filly, she won first time out over hurdles and she’s won on the Flat. She had two more runs in Graded races. I’m hoping to run her in the Fred Winter. I don’t know what handicap mark she’ll have, so it’ll be depending on what mark she has, whether she runs. She would like a bit of nice ground and she had a good break from Christmas for about four or five weeks. She’s back now and she’s going to work next week.
Burn And Turn
Second in the Galway Plate last year to Road To Riches, which is quite good form. She has had a break since she ran in November and she’s going to run in the 2m5f handicap chase, provided the ground is reasonably good. She always runs very well fresh, so I’d be happy that she would run a good race. She’s a good jumper and she ran well at Punchestown last year over 2m5f so I’m hopeful that it’s the right distance.
Modem
Is entered into the County Hurdle, I don’t know whether he’ll get into it. It’ll depend a bit, he’s running in a novice hurdle at Naas on Sunday. At the moment, I think he’s rated 129 and we’ll see what happens. He was moderate on the Flat, rated 76, I think. He was bought in the July sales and he arrived here, I must say, he was a complete lunatic. Anyway, we got him settled down. He is a very much improving horse. He’s a young horse, I just wasn’t tempted to put him in further than two miles at the moment. [in the Boylesports] He was just beaten by a better handicapped horse on the day, who had some very good form behind Annie Power. Without her, he was a good winner of it.
Sadler’sflaure
There’s an outside chance that he may go to Cheltenham but I think it’s probably unlikely. He’s entered in a couple of handicap chases there. He runs in Leopardstown on Saturday week in a handicap and it depends what happens there. He had a very good run and then a disastrous run in the Thyestes and he made a bad mistake the other day. But I’m only really getting to grips with him now. He was a good horse in France. When I got him, he hadn’t run for about a year and a half. At least he’s now run but it’s a learning curve for me in a big way. He made a terrible mistake at the first fence up the back [last time] and how he didn’t fall, I don’t know. He just never got going again after that. They keep telling me he stays but he can be a bit sulky and he likes being up there. I think 2m5f is probably his trip.
Rock On The Moor
Won [on Wednesday] at Punchestown. I’ve said to the owner, we’ll make no decision for a week, let the dust settle, see how the race is shaping up and then make a decision. She’s only entered in the mares race.
Macnicholson
He runs in Dundalk [on Friday] in an amateur flat race. Kate [Harrington] rides him and that’s his warm-up race for whatever he gets into. He’s low 130s but I don’t know what he’ll be given over there. He would probably get into the conditional jockeys’ race. If he does, Paddy Kennedy will probably ride. He rode Jetson round Cheltenham.
Ttebbob
He’s running today [and won at Clonmel]. He’s in the conditional jockeys race [at the Festival] and the Coral Cup. He was meant to qualify for the Pertemps and was sick at Christmas when he ran and so he’s on a bit of a recovery mission today. He could still go. It just depends on what happens today.
Hurricane Ridge
Hayley O’Connor will ride him in the charity race. He will look after her and hopefully give her a real good ride. I think he’s got a good chance. Every year, he gives his syndicate great fun because he always wins a couple of races.
