Performance Review

March 2024

It’s great to have the turf season up and running for 2024, and even better to set the ball rolling with a winner this month from our small number of runners.

Stag Night is now up to a mark of 95 after notching his fourth win for us in a five-furlong handicap at Cork, building on a good second on his comeback at the Curragh.

I was delighted for Danny Power to ride his first winner, in Amanda’s colours. He’s a 16-year-old from Waterford who works hard, and it was nice to use his claim with the ground so testing. This horse has the option of going back to the Curragh in early April for another sprint handicap.

Stag Night's wins at Cork

We also rattled the crossbar on the opening day of the season with Mogwli. He’s been a great servant and ran a cracker when second in an apprentice handicap. I’m sure he’ll tick along through the season and tends to give the young riders in the yard plenty of experience.

Our old favourite Downforce is still in good form at the age of 12 and showed some spark when fourth on the same card at the Curragh in a 20-runner handicap. If the ground stays on the testing side, hopefully he’ll run again soon in another sprint handicap.

Finally, there was a positive return to the track from All Lies Ahead in the Listed Cork Stakes over six furlongs during the month. She lost plenty of ground at the start and ran well to finish as close as she did in the circumstances. It’s not ideal that she got nudged up the handicap for the run but fingers crossed this start will set her up nicely for the rest of the season.

Overall, it’s been a mild spring - and a very wet one. That rain has made it hard to work the horses on grass, but I’m fairly happy with how the string has been coming along. We can’t wait for the better ground to arrive as the season develops.