Performance Review

March 2025

March signals the beginning of the turf season but with only four fixtures on grass during the month, there wasn’t a massive amount of action to speak about. Still, five of our seven individual runners finished in the prize money and it was good to see some nice reappearance runs in the process.

We’re really pleased to have Enfranchise in training with us this season for Annette Mee and it was a lovely first start of the year for her when second in the Listed Devoy Stakes at Naas. Given she has form over a good bit further than the extended mile and a quarter there, hopefully it bodes well for the rest of the year with her. We’ll now take a look at the Vintage Crop Stakes at Navan over a mile and three quarters.

Stag Night wasn’t beaten far in either of his first two runs of the year in sprint handicaps at the Curragh. I think it looks like six furlongs might be a bit far for him on the basis of what he’s been showing, and maybe slower ground could help his chances too.

After a couple of solid runs at two, Sabina Kelly’s Made U Blush started her three-year-old season with a good third at Leopardstown. Time will tell as to how strong that maiden is but we might try stepping her up to an extended ten furlongs at Cork for another maiden in early May.

Another mare who showed up well on her first start after a break between runs was Party Dress, who finished fifth in a competitive, 18-runner Curragh handicap over a mile and a half.

It turned out to be a tactically-run race, with the winner seemingly at an advantage making all from the front, and I hope there could be more good days with our mare in different circumstances. She’s now run very well the twice she’s raced at the Curragh, having been third in a 20-runner handicap there last year too.

It’s still very much early days in the new season, but fingers crossed we can build on some nice runs during the month and turn them into winners as the year progresses.