Performance Review

October 2025

It’s been a strong couple of months for us as the turf season nears its end, and a four-timer during the month of October meant we had sent out eight winners in the space of 24 days. We’re delighted to be finishing off the year well, and hopefully there’ll be another winner or two to come on the all-weather once the turf racing wraps up.

We were all relieved when what looked a suitable maiden for Phoenix Pairc was rescheduled after an abandonment at Dundalk recently, and, thankfully, she made no mistake when getting off the mark for the Ciaran O’Reilly and the COR Racing Syndicate. She had been stacking some nice, consistent runs together and the race conditions at Dundalk suited her. Her form has also got a boost since, with the runner-up from her maiden winning well next time out.

Phoenix Pairc gets off the mark at Dundalk

We’ve had plenty of good days with Stag Night over the years, and he won for the fifth season in a row when coming home in front in a five-furlong sprint handicap at Navan this month. We had actually planned on running him a few weeks earlier at the Curragh when he burst through the stalls - something he’d never done before - but we got him recertified and there were no issues this time.

We don’t get to run him all that often because he won’t handle hard ground due to his feet. He’s been a great servant to the yard, though, and Billy Lee got a good tune out of him here in Amanda’s colours.

Another good day with Stag Night

Another stalwart of the yard who always pops up to win a race or two every season is Mogwli, and he landed his eighth race for us at the age of eight in a mile handicap at Bellewstown. He obviously seems to like it around there.

Mogwli's eighth win at the age of eight

It was actually the start of a great couple of days at Bellewstown for our apprentice Megan Telford-Kelly, who came back a day later to win on Edergole's Angel in another mile handicap. Megan is coming on leaps and bounds and we were very happy to see her riding four winners for us this season.

As for the filly, she’s very well bred, as a half-sister to two blacktype horses and another smart sprint handicapper, so it was a big result to see her get her head in front for the first time. Well done to her winning owners, Chapelrock Ventures Ltd.

Megan wins on Edergole's Angel at Bellewstown

Our tally of winners for October came to four, but it actually briefly touched five when Navy Waters crossed the line in front in the October Handicap at Leopardstown, only for her to later be demoted to second in the stewards’ room due to interference with the runner-up. We felt it was unfair on the filly to lose the race because she showed she had the ability to win it. Every time that Nathan Crosse used his stick, she sprinted forwards, albeit sideways.

We opted to appeal against the stewards’ verdict on the day, but didn’t have the decision go our way. I’m not sure we had the most fair hearing in the appeal, but we have to accept the panel’s decision. I still think she’s a progressive filly for her owner-breeder Miceal Sammon.

We had a few other close calls fail to bounce in our favour during the month too. Sanctijude just got nabbed on the line by a nose in a mile maiden for fillies’ at Gowran - the third time she’s been second this season. Being a two-year-old filly, I wish that she hadn’t hit the front as early as she did on the day. It meant she was there to be picked off late by one ridden to run home well. Our filly still ran a good race in defeat for the Deegans. I think she deserves a change of luck.

Speaking of fillies knocking on the door, there can’t be many more consistent sprint maidens in the country than Lunigiana and I hope it’s only a matter of time before she clicks after being chinned by a short-head at Navan. She’ll head to Dundalk for something similar next month.

At the Curragh, Great Mover ran a cracker to finish second by a head in a driving finish - nearly bringing up back-to-back wins after getting off the mark at Gowran a month earlier. She’s a three-year-old who is progressing nicely through the ranks for the Probity Racing Syndicate. You’d have to be pleased with her. A cut in the ground seems to suit her well.

Steel Magnolia was another to be beaten only a head at Bellewstown in a five-furlong handicap; it was a rock-solid run. She showed up well again next time out at the Curragh when up in grade and drawn away from where the main action took shape. She could be one to head to Dundalk for something over the winter.

Happy Henry hit the crossbar in second in a sprint handicap at Navan, and there’s every chance that was the best run of his career. He might just have struck the front a little sooner than ideal. We’re thinking about going back to Dundalk with him for a six-furlong handicap over the winter too.

I’m not sure why Chapel Lane ran disappointingly at Leopardstown earlier in the season but it was more like it from him when staying on for third in a mile maiden for two-year-olds at Thurles this month. He’s a grand, big horse with scope to improve at three. I think he’ll do even better when stepping up to a mile and a quarter.

Bundle Of Interest also wasn’t beaten far when third in a Gowran handicap over seven furlongs - continuing a consistent string of runs on the grass this season. She got her first win on the board this year and I think she’ll only strengthen again into 2026, being quite a big filly. She could be one to get sharper in her racing next year.

It was obviously a successful few weeks for the yard and we’re delighted to keep the winners flowing, but - as you can probably gather - it very easily could have been an even better spell if we had a bit of luck on our side.

Most importantly, our horses are finishing out the year strongly. There’s not much more we can ask when the vast majority are running as well as they are.