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I have been a bit lackadaisical with these updates. Partly through being busy and partly due to frustration with how the horses have been performing. They’ve been running fine but fine is all and it would be nice to see them finding more late on. I’m not convinced there’s anything amiss. When you consider the performances individually there’s plenty to explain why they’re not winning. Handicap marks, ground preferences, trips and frame of races. The latter being the big one, plenty of mine go forward and it’s an all-duck-or-no-dinner tactic and may be worth revisiting. Anyway I’m doing my best to keep looking ahead and trust that it’ll distill out over the coming weeks. We send our first 2 year old colt racing today. He’s a Goresbridge breezer. He came to us with a touch of ringworm and was under the weather for a few weeks so we treated that and left him to his own devices. He moped away in the background and it took us a few weeks more to realise he was intractably lazy and he would stay moping indefinitely if we didn’t put a bomb under him. He’s been coming away since and is just about ready to start. He’s had 2 bits of work and the 2nd effort was better than his first and it would be my expectation his 2nd and 3rd efforts at the races will be far better than today’s. It’s exciting starting a 2 year old and while our 2 other 2 year old runners have been 2nd 3 times between them we’ve not had a winner. It’s a string we need to add to our bow to increase our client base. It’s a real Irish thing, whether it’s stores or yearlings, people love untapped potential. There’s an easily identifiable ceiling with most older horses, the dream lives on with babies. Most can cope with disappointment if and when it comes, it’s nice to be shooting for the stars in the meantime.

We send two to Naas tomorrow. We’ve two months to finish out and it feels like there’s a few there to help our cause. I don’t mind the 2 tomorrow. Global Pass is easier to make a case for. He was terrific at Killarney, just coming up short having done everything right. I thought 4 lbs was harsh, jumped well, plum draw, perfect passage and beaten, albeit narrowly, +4lbs. If he follows his trajectory he can defy that but I still think it’s wrong. Art World went up 11lbs on his first run but finished 12th, he’s still out of the handicap to the tune of 6lbs. Funnily enough I expected him to run better. His exercise had been good, it continues good and hopefully the run has tuned him in a little more. Barring he’s competitive tomorrow he won’t be staying long. Obviously sprinting can be very pace and positioning dependent. You can run your face off and not have the right ones around you and appear to disappoint. Anyway, a common refrain of mine, we all know what adequate looks like. We’ll see. The last time I was at Naas we had to unload on to a rough surface with bastard sharp stones. I really hope it’s sorted. I’m a bit precious but it makes me wince watching the horses walking across them. It’s not fair.

We take one to Tipperary this evening and it feels like we have ran out of time for an August winner. Daliyah is new to us and it’s impossible to know what to expect. She has been regressive with her previous trainer (pound for pound as good as there is anywhere) and it’s easy to see why. This lady is not giving herself a chance and she’s rushing through her exercise. If she was to do daily what I’d like to do with her we’d have no filly left. We leave her to her own devices, she spends plenty of time in a paddock. Today’s run will give us an idea of where we’re at. If she takes it well and comes forward then she may have a chance but it feels like it’s going to take time, if it happens at all. Watching brief therefore…

A delayed update and it will be brief. 3 runners today and time is running out in August for a winner. We’ve been on the wrong side of a few close finishes but that’s the nature of things I suppose. Dandy Belle is first for us and a repeat of her first run for us has her running well again. She’ll have to improve however as this is a deeper race. Whether she has or not is unclear given it’s only 10 days since she ran. We haven’t put any pressure on her and have trusted the race will have had a positive effect. She’s a lovely filly and time will do her no harm. 2 go in the 75 sprint handicap and T For Tango is the obvious one of ours. I’m drawing a line through his last run assuming tactics were wrong (my fault). He’s well drawn and Rory’s 10lbs will be no harm. He doesn’t give the impression he’s roaring back to the horse he was. Hopefully he can get back on track to gradually getting there. Art World is interesting, he’s about 50lbs wrong at the weights and it was not my expectation that he would run for us. I undertook to train him for a short period of time and send him home if he was showing at home what he has been showing on the track recently. Here we are, his exercise is good and for a horse that has been in the wilderness he’s entitled to a run and have a look/see. The priority is to get his mark up and then we can plan for him. As things stand he can’t get in anywhere so today will dictate whether we persist with him or not. I’d be astonished if he didn’t take a step back towards being a horse that’s entitled to be in training. We’ll see.

Just the one runner this evening in Killarney. I wouldn’t have expected to run Global Pass so soon after his last run. He’s immature and it was my intention to give him a couple of weeks before turning him out again. He’s his own worst enemy, he has been eating well and even though his routine has been fairly light since he ran, he appears in good form and has put his hand up to run again. I’m glad we have as he has been well drawn and hopefully he can run well again. This is a project, he’s all legs and Billy finds him very immature in his races. Changing legs constantly, going from hard on the bridle to behind it to back on it again. He’s flattening out a little late on and it all points to weakness. Anything belong to him was 4 before becoming anything and they won’t be as tall as this lad. Anyway, I’m hopeful but won’t be disappointed as long as he runs nicely again.

These horses have been running fine, trying to eke out a winner is proving tricky. We send 3 to Leopardstown this evening in search of a winner. 2 appear legitimate contenders, so fingers crossed. T For Tango is first and he ran a great race last Thursday. He took a split second to find his stride and when he did the filly was motoring and he couldn’t get past her. Several have suggested he hung fire and whether it’s true or not it’s the last thing I want to hear. He has achieved plenty in a short space of time and he’s doing terrific. If he needs a little longer for him to realise he enjoys competition as much as he should then he can have it. If he continues on his current trajectory I will be thrilled. That has him competitive without him being a certainty by any manner or means. Global Pass was 20/1 before racing was abandoned Monday night so I can’t claim to having been overly disappointed to be taking him  home. Today he’s vying for favouritism and with his draw and on the back of last week’s run I can see why. He took that run well and is entitled to improve plenty. My one reservation is he is tall and babyish in appearance. He is half the horse he’s going to become. Sometimes those types can be best fresh and the fairly quick back up may not be ideal. That is conjecture however and the facts remain he is well, eating and moving well and should run his race. Cautious Approach runs in the maiden for a lovely bunch of people that I have really enjoyed getting to know. This lady arrived Valentine’s Day, exercised through to May end but didn’t show enough to run her at that stage. She had a break, strengthened and worked adequately last week so we’ve decided to get her started. She’s a big ‘ol unit that gives you a good feel in her comfort zone but she loses her composure a little when you ask her to quicken. She’ll probably run a little like that and a good experience and to finish out her race is the priority.

We have one runner tomorrow in Gowran. She’s a first 2 year old runner for us this year. It’s not her first run however and all the hard work has been done with her. She came from Johnny Murtagh and the whole thing was very amicable. He was complimentary about the filly and the lads that owned her. I think there’s an assumption of a fall out in these instances, not here. Anyway, seems harsh but I’m delighted to have her! She’s a big girl, well, bigger than the other 2 year olds we have. We only have her 11 days and I’m on the fence. Our normal modus operandi is to train a horse in a set routine until they reach a level. Then we take them away to work, it’s proper work and the lads that ride come back and say “yeah, run” or “nope”. It gives us an idea of fitness and ability level and you have (or should have) an idea of what to expect based on that work and how they take it. In this instance Dandy Belle came race fit and there’s no point in working her when she can run. We’re in the dark therefore but I think she’s more than capable off her mark. She may take a bit of time to catch up with her size and that final furlong over any trip off any mark may be a challenge for the time being. We’ll know more about her after tomorrow but there’s fun to be had with her if we mind her.

We head to Ballinrobe for only the 2nd time tomorrow. Our previous runner bombed but it was lovely to see the place. Picturesque setting, brilliant stable yard and a terrific crowd and atmosphere. Our first runner is El Chalten. We suspected she was a long term prospect before starting her last Monday and she categorically proved it. She struggled to lie up on ground much quicker than ideal and showed little if I’m honest. Gary was holding out a glimmer of hope for her afterwards on the basis that she looked like getting tailed off with 2 to run but finished half adequately. The longer trip and juice in the ground is in her favour. The fact that it’s much more competitive tomorrow and the tight turning track means Gary Carroll will have his work cut out even getting her to repeat her first run. Global Pass runs in the extended 9f 70 handicap later on the card. I loved his first run. Drawn wide, he stayed wide and looked like getting involved when blowing up late on. I expected to find an opportunity for him to get involved on his next run. I think I’ve failed. It’s a very competitive race for it’s grade and we’ve been drawn in the carpark. He’s a tall, lanky thing that will only improve with time and racing will only help him. Rory rides and if it happens that things spread out and he got a good trip he should run well again. The likelihood of being trapped 6 wide or behind a wall of horses has to be odds on however. We’re going through a bit of a transition at the moment. Between sales of horses and resting those that were busy early doors we’re short on stalwarts. We’re pulling a few babies together at present but we’re facing in to a slightly quieter time. It’s a peculiar existence this training game. Taking the time to stand still and observe or enjoy what’s going on has been a big failure on my part this year. Just getting up earlier and earlier furiously trying to find the next one isn’t sustainable. It’s the middle of August and I’m tired and worried. The first one I know why but not a reason in the world for the second one. Bad draws, head defeats, injuries excoriate you. Social media has been terrific for us and I have not had a negative experience but it’s worth keeping the above in mind. Many small to medium sized trainers in the same boat. Be kind

We had a bit of luck at this track last year but for whatever reason we have had one horse run to form here this year. Looking for that to change tonight. T For Tango turns out again quickly after a nice first run for us Monday last. We were hoping for signs of life and they were definitely there but he needs to build on that now. The small field forced me to declare. He appears to have taken the race well, eating and moving well since. He had a breeze yesterday and appeared as bright as a button. He’s a bonny, active little fella so he could fool us. Hopefully not. Global Pass is our other runner. Colm Sharkey, the bloodstock agent wanted me to consider this fella. He ticked a lot of boxes as an individual, a fine big, good looking horse. His recent form waa deplorable but we took a chance on him and at the moment I’m happy we did. He came with a reputation for temperament issues but had been straightforward and his routine exercise is good. His draw puts paid to any chance he might have had but I’d love to see him travel amongst horses and finish out his race.  We’re optimistic he can. Revisiting his temperament, I’m open to the possibility that he could have a meltdown at the races given his history and pedigree. (Exceed And Excels are fiery, out of a Kings Best mare = recipe for trouble) His conduct is immaculate at home so we’ll give him the benefit of the doubt for today.

After neglecting our last runner I have to take care to keep these updates up to date. For anyone looking at these write ups and following any positivity consider yourself lucky I didn’t write anything pre Alans Pride Tuesday last. I was very optimistic. He had worked well the Friday before, had been bouncing since and when he was drawn 1 I thought everything was in place for a Galway winner. I wasn’t the only one as he seemed well backed. He ran like a drain, jumped poorly, travelled without his usual zest and was first beaten. Usually it’s immediately obvious why they bomb. Not this time. I had him checked out, heart listened to, scoped, jogged up. Nothing came to light. Perplexed. Anyway that’s the past and tomorrow we have 2 newcomers, for us at least. El Chalten starts her career tomorrow. She’s a filly I bought as a yearling and I cursed myself every day of her 2 year old year and the first 3 months of her 3 year old year. She showed nothing, no action and peevish about exercise and life in general. She has improved in the last 6 weeks but will continue to do so. I think she’ll be this time next year, a trip and testing conditions. She’s very fit funnily enough but I expect they’ll put her on her head and if she could pass a couple late on I’d be more than pleased . T For Tango is new to us. I bought him at the recent July sale and while he’s running in my father’s name he is owned by a partnership. Takes a bit of signing and emailing to put those partnerships in place and Galway scuppered that. Lads couldn’t tie their laces not to mind firing up a computer and a printer. Anyway run he does. He has completely lost his way and several have suggested he’s one to do well for us. I hope so but I’ll take a bit of convincing. He’s settled in to our routine and tomorrow will be an interesting start. A dramatic revival would be a surprise but one I could stomach a lot easier than Tuesday last’s.