Asian Master

He’ll go chasing, jumps very well and will run soon. The ground was just too firm to run him at Thurles this week. I thought he’d be a stayer last year, but then went and won a two-mile hurdle, so he shows me he has speed - I love that. What he showed me at Thurles last season surprised me, because he hadn’t been doing that type of work at home. To me, that means he could be top drawer.

Aurora Vega

She comes from a family that gets better with age, but she has it to do after her last run [when pulled up at Wexford]. She seems in good form but the jury is out at the moment.

Ballyburn

I’m not sure where he’ll go at Christmas. He might have to go to England. I’m not sure I want to go to Naas or Limerick with him. He’s your top draw for the whole year and there’s no race for him at Leopardstown. If the Racing Post Novice Chase was still there, that’s where he’d have gone and then on to the Dublin Racing Festival, but now there’s a Grade 2 race at Naas in January that doesn’t really fit, because if he goes there, he probably won’t run at the Dublin Racing Festival. It has lopsided the whole thing. Leopardstown was the same as Cheltenham, in terms of it being a left-handed track. Kempton’s option [the Grade 2 Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase] comes at the right time of year.

Ballygunner Castle

I’m very happy with how strong he is this year, having won two bumpers for us last season. He makes his debut over hurdles at Fairyhouse [today] over two miles, but could end up in the staying division.

Blue Lord

It’s good to have him back after missing the rest of last season after his run in the John Durkan. He’ll go to the Hilly Way.

Chapeau Du Soleil

He goes novice chasing. You’d think he’d be better off as a staying novice, but with his temperament, we’ll see what he does in his first couple of chases. I think he can be quite keen. It was great to win a valuable handicap with him at the Punchestown Festival last spring, but what he shows me at the start of the year, he doesn’t tend to show me at the end of the year - he’s getting older and more mature, so maybe it will come out over fences.

Charlus

A three-year-old who came to us from off the flat in France. He’ll be out well after Christmas; he’s just a bit back of himself at the moment. I’m looking forward to him in January or February.

Dancing City

He had a great season over hurdles, winning three Grade 1s. The plan is for him to go for a beginners’ chase.

Dinoblue

She’ll probably go to the Hilly Way, then something along the lines of the Opera Hat [or] Dublin Racing Festival. She was second in the Mares’ Chase last year and I’d imagine we were sort of looking at her as a Champion Chase mare this season, but we’ll keep our options open.

El Fabiolo

He missed a bit of time and mightn’t get a run until the Dublin Racing Festival. He’s back in riding and doing everything right. We’ll see if we can get another run into him before February, but he’s in good shape at the moment. He could be a Ryanair Chase horse. It depends with the Champion Chase, as we have other possible options to split for there too - if they all stay sound. He disappointed in his jumping at Sandown last year, which leads me to believe he might be better going slightly slower over the extended two miles and four furlongs in the Ryanair. We’ll give him an entry there and in the Champion Chase.

Energumene

The plan is to run in the Hilly Way Chase at Cork. Afterwards, we’ll probably miss Christmas and go for either the Clarence House or Dublin Racing Festival before hopefully moving on to Cheltenham, all being well. After missing last season, so far we’ve had no setbacks with him this year and we’re ready to go to Cork.

Fact To File

He was fantastic at Punchestown and learned a lot compared to what he would have learned as a novice. I think it will bring him on hugely. He was held tight by Fastorslow on the inside, being marked the whole time. If he gets a lot of daylight, he can let fly. Being by Poliglote, one would wonder if he’d stay [the Cheltenham Gold Cup trip], but he won the Brown Advisory over an extended three miles last year at Cheltenham, so I think another couple of furlongs up the hill should be okay. He’s a huge horse, over 17.2 hands, but a very athletic type. That’s what I loved about him from day one. He’s got such a kind temperament as well. He wasn’t entered in the King George. It was discussed, but he was left out. Now it will have to be discussed if he’ll be a supplementary entry - everything is open at this stage. All seemed good with him after last weekend. He ran at Christmas and the Dublin Racing Festival last year, whether connections want to change, I don’t know. They have Spillane’s Tower to think about as well and Corbetts Cross. Hopefully, Fact To File can bring the sort of class he showed at Cheltenham last year to the Gold Cup. He still has to get up there to do it, whereas Galopin has already done it. Galopin didn’t race until he was four, so a lot of people might say the French horses tail off, but he had an easy early life, like an Irish bumper horse. I’m not sure if he was broken until he was three. Even though he’s French, he had something like an Irish preparation, so I think he’s still on top of his game. I’m looking forward to seeing how he handles this year. I’d hate to be taking on the double Gold Cup winner, but the pretenders have to have their go.

Ferny Hollow

He goes to the Hilly Way and we’ll see what happens there if he stays sound. He just seems to find a new way to get injured every year; last year was a completely different injury to before. He’s nine but has no miles on the clock, he’ll be competitive in some good races.

Final Demand

A really exciting prospect, who won a point-to-point on his debut as a five-year-old in March. He’s huge and does everything nicely. I’d imagine he’ll go hurdling shortly and could be one for the staying division.

Fishery Lane

We were due to run him over hurdles at Thurles on Thursday, but we took him out on account of the ground. He’s ready to run. We’ll go hurdling, he looks a nice type. We probably asked him big questions last season and his fifth in the Champion Bumper was a strong run. To me, one of the best races every year at Cheltenham is the Bumper - you could nearly back the first 20 home blind the following season.

Fleur Au Fusil

A lovely mare, who won the Grade 2 mares’ bumper at the Dublin Racing Festival last season. Unfortunately, she won’t run this year, which is disappointing for the Reillys.

Fou De Toi

A three-year-old, who looks a nice type [and was third on his only hurdles start at Auteuil in May]. We don’t know much about him yet, but he looks really nice on the gallops. I’d imagine he’ll be out at or after Christmas.

Funiculi Funicula

A real nice one, who has yet to run for us. Finished second on debut at Auteuil over hurdles [in October 2023].

Fun Fun Fun

We’ll get her out shortly over fences. She jumps well and I’d imagine she’ll start at two miles. Fences might settle her down to get two and a half miles.

Gaelic Warrior

He missed a bit of time, but is back again. He’ll go to Leopardstown over two miles at Christmas and then the Dublin Racing Festival, I imagine. Otherwise, we could look at the Clarence House because going right-handed around Ascot would suit him, but it’s more than likely we’ll go Leopardstown-Leopardstown-Champion Chase. We took him out of the King George, because I wasn’t going to run him over three miles on his first run of the season. If he’d had a run in the Durkan, we would probably have looked at the King George.

Galopin Des Champs

I thought he ran a cracker in the John Durkan. He did all the donkey work, while a lot of the rest were waiting in behind and had a go at him at the second-last. He was still there going to the last. I thought for his first run, it was a hell of a run. I took an awful lot out of it. We were beaten by two good novices, but it’s easier to challenge after cruising around behind than when you’ve been up there like he was. He’d had a thorn in a joint in the lead up to Punchestown; it was in an awkward place and we couldn’t get it out, so he had a little hold up.

He had a few weeks off after we got it out, and missing that time was crucial, I thought. I wanted to get a run into him before Christmas and took a chance. I was very happy and so was Paul [Townend]. Now we know he’s a three-mile-plus horse with the way he gallops and jumps. Grangeclare West was disappointing in the race, but he was the one who jumped out with Galopin. He was fitter than Galopin, but yet couldn’t finish, so that tells me the pace they went early - it would have taken them out of it going forward compared with those getting a lead. I’d imagine he’ll follow the same plan that worked before, going from Leopardstown at Christmas to the Dublin Racing Festival, Cheltenham and Punchestown.

High Class Hero

A staying novice chaser. We haven’t got a lot of our novice chasers out due to the ground and he falls into that category.

I Am Maximus

He’ll run at Christmas and I think will follow the same path as last season from there. He’ll go for the Bobbyjo and then kick on to Aintree for another crack at the Grand National.

Il Etait Temps

He was ready to run, but unfortunately got a little infection last week. Infections can be so sore that I thought he’d initially broken a bone in a front leg, but it was actually an infection that had to be washed out. He’s going to miss three weeks, meaning he’ll sit out Christmas, but hopefully he’ll be back for the Dublin Racing Festival or wherever we can get him back. I think he could stay three miles. Will he be one for the Gold Cup or Ryanair? Those are the sort of decisions to be made with him.

Ile Atlantique

A nice horse for novice chasing, I’d imagine in the staying division. He’s one we’ve liked from a young horse. Sometimes these horses go on and sometimes they don’t, but you hope it’ll come out in them at some stage.

Impaire Et Passe

He didn’t go chasing last year, but will this time. Hopefully, we’ll get him out at Fairyhouse [today]. I think he’s got every chance of being a top novice this season. He could easily be a two-miler, but won a Grade 1 over two and a half miles at Aintree last season, so has the chance to stay at that trip either. As the season goes on, we’ll let him and the other novice chasers tell us their preferred distances.

It’s For Me

I’m really looking forward to getting him out over fences. He jumps well. His last form over hurdles was fantastic [when beating Caldwell Potter in a maiden hurdle] and his work at home was better than that. I was really looking forward to getting him out last Christmas, but he missed the rest of the season. I think he’ll make into a real decent novice chaser.

Jade De Grugy

A Grade 1 winner at Fairyhouse on her last start, she just had a setback the other day, so will miss the first half of the season. I think she’ll stay hurdling.

Jasmin De Veux

Last season’s Champion Bumper winner, I thought he looked one for the staying division, but I was reminded this morning that he won at Cheltenham with lots of speed. After one or two runs, it will tell us which division he’ll go for. I’m thinking of more of a staying trip.

Jimmy Du Seuil

He’s back in good order. His run at Cheltenham last year behind Ballyburn was extraordinary. Hopefully, he can reproduce that as he goes over fences.

Kalix Delabarriere

He’s a very good horse, won his bumper at Ballinrobe in May [beating subsequent Cheltenham listed winner Seo Linn]. He was balloted out of the Goffs Defender Bumper, when we thought he’d have gone very close in that. The Ballinrobe bumper was the only option for him after Punchestown. We think he’s top drawer.

Karafon

Ran well on his first start for us last Christmas [when fifth in a Grade 2 juvenile hurdle]. Hopefully, he’s one of our better ones [for novice hurdling] this season.

Kargese

A very good four-year-old last season. She’s hard on herself and is a very tough mare. Because she was so hard on herself in her races last season, I’m not going to run her until after Christmas this time. We’ll prepare her for the Mares’ Hurdle and could go to the International meeting at Cheltenham, given Grade 1 winners can’t run in the Grade 3 mares’ hurdle at Leopardstown over Christmas. She mightn’t be seen in Ireland until the Punchestown Festival, if they haven’t put in another rule to ban good horses then! I think this filly has grown and got stronger.

Karniquet

He was very good earlier this week at Tramore, when winning a maiden hurdle on his first start for us. Hopefully, he’ll come out again at Christmas.

Karoline Banbou

A little more backward, but a nice type who came to us from France [when second in a Grade 2 AQPS bumper at Saint-Cloud]. A four-year-old filly, she’s one who could be top drawer and goes over hurdles.

Kawaboomga

A very good horse. He was placed over hurdles at Auteuil and will be in the batch of horses ready to come out over hurdles.

Keping

Another who came to us from France. I might just put him by for the season, he went lame the other day.

Kopek Des Bordes

A really nice individual for novice hurdling, who won well at Fairyhouse last Easter. I couldn’t say what division he might fall into yet, as I haven’t enough done with him.

Lossiemouth

She starts off [tomorrow] at Fairyhouse and then could go to the International Hurdle at Cheltenham, then the Champion Hurdle. We’ll probably keep her and State Man apart before the Cheltenham. Everyone wants competition with these horses taking each other on every week, but then what’s the point in going to Cheltenham? It would be like opening your presents before Christmas. You need to have a final after quarter-finals and semi-finals leading up to it.

The Mares’ Hurdle isn’t on my mind for her unless she disappoints before Cheltenham. The Champion was the plan with her for the last two years. I’m very happy with her ahead of this weekend. I think she’s ready. She has no problem with two or two and a half miles, which is what you need for a Champion Hurdle.

Majborough

He goes novice chasing. We’re sort of caught between a rock and a hard place with him as a four-year-old turning five. He’s a big, mature horse. The first day he came into the place, I said to J.P. [McManus] that this horse looked like a fully-fledged chaser already. I’m looking forward to seeing him over fences. I know the four-year-olds don’t get an allowance like they used to; maybe they don’t need it, I don’t know. He takes his chance and jumps well.

In terms of trip, it depends which race we start him off. I never mind if they start at two or two and a half miles. I think he’s going to be a two-miler, but as a Triumph Hurdle winner, I think he’ll turn out to be a two-and-a-half horse or three-miler, maybe a Gold Cup horse later in his career. There’s an option for him before Christmas or else we could wait for a beginners’ chase at Leopardstown at Christmas. He’s just ready to run. We want a good dig in the ground and wouldn’t like to run him in dry conditions at the moment.

Maughreen

On her bumper form, hopefully she’ll be set for a nice season. It’ll be after Christmas before she comes out, as she’s just not firing at the moment.

Murcia

A three-year-old, who looks a good type from France. She could be anything, a really nice one.

Mystical Power

He’ll run in the [Susannah] Ricci colours this year. He goes to Newcastle [today] for the Fighting Fifth. I believe they’ve been watering there - Nicky [Henderson] must have rang them, as we wouldn’t have wanted the water on for Mystical Power! He’ll go on the ground and is fit and well. I had thought about running him over fences - he is a hell of a jumper over a fence. We’ve schooled him a couple of times. If this hurdling lark doesn’t go well for him, he can go novice chasing – probably next year. He could be the best Galileo to ever run over fences... Maybe he could be like Faugheen and go as a 12-year-old! He’s so sharp, he could go down the two-mile route.

Quantum Boy

A point-to-point winner on his only start last winter. He’ll miss this season.

Redemption Day

He’s ready for action and I want to run him shortly. He stuck to bumpers for a few seasons due to setbacks; I don’t like going novice hurdling when I don’t have the full season to work with. Hopefully, he can win a maiden hurdle and progress towards Cheltenham.

Salvator Mundi

Another who is ready to come out. He had a little early-season setback, but will come out around Christmas or after. He could be anything.

State Man

I thought he ran a cracker when second in the Morgiana. Three weeks ago, he was very big and I was wondering if I’d ever have him ready for the race. I’d say he went there a bit heavy. However, like the John Durkan, I felt all mine were a bit backward, but maybe horses from other yards were backward as well. I was very happy that he got to the front. I think that’ll blow the cobwebs away and should leave him right for Leopardstown at Christmas. He’ll follow the same path as last season.

Supersundae

Won his maiden hurdle at Ballinrobe in May. He had a little setback, so I think he’ll be more of a Christmas type.

Tullyhill

We’re looking at starting him over fences, but the ground is too good for him to run at the moment. I was disappointed with him at times last season, I’m not sure if I was hard enough on him, so I’m making the point of being harder on him this time around.

Willy De Houelle

He runs [tomorrow] at Fairyhouse in a Grade 3 hurdle, his first start for us. His French form worked out well behind their top three-year-old Nietzsche Has.

You Proof

He goes to Fairyhouse [today] for a bumper on his first run for us. I think he’s a nice horse.

If this might be his strongest team of horses ever

I don’t know, it’s hard to say we’ll have stronger than last year. Last season was extraordinary, as my sweet bowl [the British Trainers’ Championship trophy] will attest to!

The biggest lesson he learned from his late father Paddy

It’s something which I didn’t think I learned - patience. I’m surprised at myself with the patience I have with horses, and probably frustrate a lot of owners.

But that’s why I think I’m so lucky with the owners I have, that they buy into the patience and wait. That’s a huge thing in a horse’s life, for someone to wait for the horse to come along rather than forcing them.

Whether he’ll try to win the British title again

If things present themselves, yes. We’ll keep an eye. There’s a nice sprinkle of British owners, who don’t mind going across, so it works well.

The Hilly Way Chase’s place in the calendar

I’m wondering would the Hilly Way benefit from coming forward a week in the season like John Durkan did? It always clashed with that race before and when we run in the Hilly Way now, we won’t run at Christmas. It’s very tight. I wonder would it benefit the race, Cork and Irish racing to move that meeting. That just came to focus when you see the success of the John Durkan.

Christmas at Closutton

We’re in the entertainment business, and also agriculture. We have to look after our animals. Christmas Day is usually great fun. We get a lot of ex-staff coming in to ride out and friends of ours who want to come in.

We have people arriving in Santa suits and it’s usually a bit of fun. We have to get all the runners out for the week - that’s a lot of horses. If it’s a nice morning, it’s great fun, but if it’s wet, we just try to get the work done, horses in and everyone away by 11 or 12 o’clock.

It’s like with farming, with racing this is all part of life. The same goes with an actor in a pantomime. At times like Christmas, you might say that you’d love to be doing what the other guys are doing, going down town enjoying Christmas for the week or 10 days over the New Year period, not working, but I think it balances out in our favour over the whole year. We’re all blessed to be in racing.

People who are in it, love it - that’s it. If you’re not that way inclined, that’s different, but we know it’s a seven-day a week job.