WITH Defy Logic on the sidelines, Paul Nolan lacks a real star as such but in saying that, he can be relied upon to get the very best out of the horses that he has.
Over the last number of months, he has gone back to basics and bought some nice young store horses. Nolan said: “We are adopting a long term view with the young horses that we have. We have bought some smashing young horses this year. We found it hard to compete with the proven young horses so we have invested plenty of money on the young store horses and we hope that given time, that a couple of them might develop into above average types.
“We have a lovely Beneficial that we gave plenty for that goes well. There is a smashing horse there by Oscar, we have two by Robin Des Champs that we like and there is a fine horse by Stowaway that has done well. There are chasers down the line, but they are still babies and they will get all the time that they need. We are in no rush with them.”
A TON NOM
4yo b g
Early March – Night Fever
Brian Buckley
He is a nice horse that goes well. He was to go for a point-to-point but I think we’ll let him take his chance in a bumper. I think he will give a good account of himself in one and he jumps super and he is a horse that we think a bit of and is one for the future. He loves soft ground and he will go over hurdles fairly soon.
BEHEMOTH
5yo b g -348313F3
Presenting – South Queen Lady
Gigginstown House Stud
He disappointed us this time last year but better ground and fences have improved him a good bit. He got a bad cut the last day he ran and that has held us up a bit. We had hoped to get him to The Troytown but he ran out of time, so he might run somewhere over hurdles just to leave him spot on for Christmas. The Paddy Power at Leopardstown is the plan and no matter what the weather is, the ground up there is never that bad. I’d like to think there is more to come from him over fences and I’d say he will win a nice chase for us over three miles plus.
DICK DUNDEE
9yo b g -9922
King’s Theatre – Bayariyka
Paul Nolan
He was second over hurdles at Wexford on Tuesday but he is not nearly as good a horse over hurdles than he is over fences. He has been a great money spinner for the yard and he goes away on any ground. The handicapper probably has him over fences but he will more than likely go back over fences for the big handicap chase at Fairyhouse next Saturday. There are a couple of good chases around Christmas time for him at Leopardstown and Limerick. He is a good bit lower over hurdles and he will hopefully pick one up. Long term, The Grand Annual at Cheltenham is what we are looking at. He should be competitive in all those good handicap chases and with his rating we might try him in a good race somewhere along the way.
EMILY SINICO
4yo b m 57
Flemensfirth - Golden Odyssey
Mrs D.M. McGuire
She made her debut for us in Cork in very bad ground and I shouldn’t have run her. She was very free and she jumped nearly too well. She is just not strong enough to get home in that bad ground. She will improve for spring ground, but we’ll take our time with her and she will be a better horse over a fence.
FINE ARTICLE
5yo b g 21-41
Definite Article - Finemar Lady
Mrs K. Browne
He is the star of the show at the minute. He is a very nice horse and I was very happy with his run at Naas. He has a great engine and has a great attitude. He was very novicey over hurdles the last day and the dry autumn didn’t help us get enough schooling into him. He only had two weeks of schooling on the grass so he will come on a good bit for Naas. He will go for another maiden next weekend and how far he can go over hurdles remains to be seen. But we want to look after him as I think he will be a better horse over fences. He needs more time to learn about racing so he needs a season over hurdles. Mikey looked after him at Naas and he won’t be over-raced this season but we would love to run him at a good level over hurdles and that experience should stand to him for next season.
FINE THEATRE
4yo b g 0
King’s Theatre – Finemar Lady
Mrs. K. Browne
He is a half-brother to Fine Article and Joncol and he is another nice horse. We ran him in a bumper last spring but the ground was too fast for him that day. Despite that, he ran better than his finishing position would suggest. He was supposed to run in a point-to-point last spring but the ground dried up and we wanted to give him a run somewhere before he was left for the summer. I would say that he’ll go straight over hurdles and he jumps very well. He has a better technique over a hurdle than his brothers and I would like to get him started over hurdles this side of Christmas.
HORSE NO NAME
2010 b g P2-
Librettist – Zulbis
D.P. Sharkey
He is a horse that we got in France last year. He was a big weak horse when he came and we let him out for the summer. He has had a couple of stupid problems and is a bit free. He won on the flat and was second to a good horse over hurdles in France. He goes well and I would be hoping that he might be one for Christmas. He jumps well and he loves soft ground. I’d be disappointed if he didn’t win a maiden hurdle.
I’M ALL YOU NEED
4yo b m 29
King’s Theatre - Jolie Landaise
Philip Byrne
She is a lovely filly and ran well when second on her debut at Sligo to a horse of Shay Barry’s that has since made a lot of money at the sales. She is a well-bred filly from a good French family but she ran badly the last day. She is better than that. There is no mares’ bumper for her before Christmas so she’ll go for the Listed Mares Bumper at Navan on Sunday. She jumps really well and she will win her races.
ILLTAKEITFROMHERE
6yo b g -53F222F4
King’s Theatre – La Scarlet
Philip Byrne
The lads that own him have knocked a great bit of sport out of him and while he has to win for them, he rarely runs a bad race. He has been very consistent. There should be a race or two to be won with him and we’ll give him a break now and have him back for the spring. He would be unlucky not to get his head in front somewhere along the way.
IS LOVE ALIVE
5yo ch g 1343410-
Presenting – Love Origny
Gigginstown House Stud
He won his maiden hurdle at Leopardstown last season on a bit of better ground. We think a fence will make an awful difference to him. He is a big scopey horse that had a bit of a setback a while ago and we would have loved to have had him out for the better ground in the autumn. He is fine again now and we’ll try and get him started somewhere over fences and then aim him at a beginners chase at Christmas time. He is a nice horse.
JUPITOR
8yo b g /5421871-02
Milan – Pristina
L & K Syndicate
He is a consistent horse and the lads that own him have knocked great sport out of him. He won well at Fairyhouse last year and he won again since at Limerick. He was a bit unlucky at the weekend as he pecked at the back of the second last but he generally jumps super. He loves soft ground and he’ll go for The Porterstown Chase next weekend at Fairyhouse. He will go for all those good staying handicap chases and The Paddy Power at Christmas would be an option for him if the ground came up soft.
KING VUVUZELA
7yo b g /713140-54
Flemensfirth – Coolgavney Girl
Red Menace Syndicate
I thought he’d win at the weekend but he still ran a nice race to be fourth to what looked a nice horse of Liz Doyle’s. He won that good two-mile handicap chase for us on Stephen’s Day at Leopardstown and he has developed into a good servant. We found that he had a bit of back trouble after he ran at Punchestown in the spring and there is a chance that he could go back to Leopardstown for the same race that he won last year.
KENNADY
4yo b g 9071
Kalanasi – Zafilly
CJ Partnership
We were very disappointed with his first three starts. We thought he would win his bumper at Killarney and that week we had three bumpers winners and on his homework, we thought that he was the best of them. But we changed tactics with him last week at Clonmel and he won well. He’ll go back over hurdles now and he has always worked like a good horse so hopefully he will go on and develop into a nice horse over hurdles for the winter.
LIKE IT A LOT
5yo b g 3/2042-54F
Kayf Tara – Michelle’s Ella
Barry Connell
He is a nice horse for Barry that has been beaten a short-head in a bumper and a maiden hurdle. He was unlucky the last day over fences and he’ll go for a beginners’ chase soon. Hopefully he will develop into a decent staying chaser over the winter. He is lightly-raced and there is a good day in him.
LIKE IT OR NOT
2008 b g 2/1/5-
Kayf Tara – Michelle’s Ella
Barry Connell
He is a very nice horse that we hope to run over hurdles after Christmas. He has been working away well and he should be up to winning a maiden hurdle. We’ll get the next day out of the way first but he loves heavy ground and if he improved at all, he might develop into a horse that should be good enough to run away in novice hurdles for the season.
NOBLE PRINCE
10yo b g /541072-P8
Montjeu – Noble Pearl
Jerry Spain
He has been a great horse for us and he has changed hands and will run in open lightweights for a good friend of ours Jerry Spain. He will ride him himself and he is ready to go now. If he could win an open somewhere, he could go to Leopardstown for The Hunters Chase on Hennessey Day. That is the dream and he is still enjoying the game.
NEED TO TALK
6yo b g 10/
King’s Theatre – Rouge Storm
J.P. McManus
He is a good horse with a real good engine. J.P. bought him and we really fancied him for the point-to-point bumper at Fairyhouse but he lost his action that day. Typical of one of J.P.’s, he was given all the time and he is back with us now and we are in no rush with him. We might start him back in a maiden hurdle and if we have to wait for Christmas time, so be it. He is a nice horse and is well worth waiting for.
ONEFORLILL
6yo b m 22-15
Stowaway - Chamber Of Secrets
Denis Moore
She is a consistent mare. She has won a bumper and the form of her run at Listowel worked out well. She ran at Thurles on Thursday and very unfortunately, she was injured and will now be retired for breeding.
PAULEEN O’CONNELL
5yo b m
Flemensfirth – River Mill
Robert Hennelly
She is a smashing big mare and she will go for the Listed Mares’ Bumper at Navan on Sunday. She may as well start off there. She stays well and Navan will suit her. We hope that she runs a nice race and on her homework, we think that she might be good enough to win a mares’ bumper before we send her over hurdles.
PRESAVITA
4yo b m 4-15
Presenting – Savitha
Martin O’Sullivan
She is a lovely filly that won her bumper at Wexford and we fancied her to follow up at Cork, We have no idea why she ran so badly but we’ll put a line through that. We’ll keep her away from bad ground as much as we can and she will appreciate better ground. She is a nice mare.
ROOSTER BYRON
3yo b g
Oscar – Our Song
CRB Bloodstock
He is a nice horse that we will take our time with. We will let him tell us when he is ready and he is one of a number of very nice young horses that we like. He is by the right sire and his work at home has been good from day one.
SARDINIA
4yo b g 010-
Galileo – Shouk
Mrs Anne Coffey
He is a nice horse that we bought out of Ballydoyle last year. He won his maiden hurdle but he has disappointed us a bit and winter will be a problem for him. He’ll be ready to run again around Christmas time and once the ground dries out in the spring, he could be okay. He will run away on the flat as well next year.
SELECTIVE HEARING
2009 ch m 0
Flemensfirth – Accordeon Royale
James F. Mernagh
She runs at in the mares’ bumper at Navan tomorrow (Sunday) and she is a well bred mare that has taken a bit of time. We’ll see how she gets on at the weekend but she is a fine big mare that should improve with a bit more time and racing.
SHADOW PLAY
4yo b g 6
Kalanisi - Lindas Present
Philip J. Reynolds
I was a bit disappointed with him on Sunday but it looked a very good bumper and plenty of winners will come out of the race. We like him and we thought that he’d run a bit better but he has come out the race well and the track was a bit tight for him. He would prefer softer ground and we probably made too much use of him. We’ll change tactics a bit the next day and I think he can win his bumper before he goes over hurdles.
SHUILAMACH
7yo b m /3532-6
Presenting – Shuilan
Robert B. Hodgins
She has been a consistent mare that always runs well but probably saves a bit for herself. She jumps well and she loves the muck. The further she goes the better and I think she can win a maiden hurdle. If she can do that, she should be able to win a beginners’ chase. She has a lovely page and she is owned by a very loyal man who has been with us for a long time.
SOLITA
5yo b m P/0-16741122
King’s Theatre - Wind Over Water
Robert Hennelly
She has done well for us this season and she has won a couple and ran a good race on ground that may have been a bit soft for her when second at Wexford on Tuesday. She got black type in the Brown Lad at Naas. We’ll freshen her up now and give her six weeks on the walker and she’ll go for the good mares’ handicap hurdle on Hennessey Day at Leopardstown.
SUPREME HOPE
5yo b m 44
Definite Article - Dochas Supreme
Robert B. Hodgins
She is a tough filly that has yet to get her ground. She was fourth in her two bumpers and she jumps well. Softer ground will help her a bit. She jumps well and I think she is a nice filly and we’ll give her another chance in a bumper before we send her over hurdles. There are races to be won with her.
THE MOOCH
2008 b g -34F35
Bach - Bonne Inagh
R.G. English
He is a grand summer horse that has been running consistently. He is on a break at the minute but he likes the good ground. I think he should be capable of winning his chase and he could mix it over hurdles and fences when he comes back.
THEATRE MILL
6yo b g -1P24294
King’s Theatre – River Mil
Modebest Group Holdings Ltd
He has a fair engine but he has disappointed us a bit. We felt early on that he was a decent horse but he ran too free and his last run, he wasn’t the same horse. There is another race in him and he is best fresh. A break will crown him and he’ll be back for the spring. If things go right for him, he could yet develop into a decent handicap chaser.
TRIPLETS JOY
5yo b m 16-5143
Arcadio – Stoned Imaculate
D.J. Stafford
She has won her maiden hurdle and she ran well behind Mrs MacVeale at Thurles and that form has worked out very well. She won at Fairyhouse Thursday and she is a tough mare that is still improving. We’ll look for a beginners’ chase as jumping and staying are her biggest assets and I think she will be a better chaser.
UNNAMED
2010 b g
Morozov – Bold Euro
Sean Breen
He is a gorgeous horse and he is working away well. He jumps super and likely start off in a point to point.