Performance Review

September

We saw a couple of lovely fillies get off the mark for us in September, starting with Godolphin's Mother Country at Gowran early in the month.

I thought it was a really nice win, her second of the season. Billy Lee was very positive on her and she did it all the hard way with a game performance. Her prime objective will be the Listed Garnet Stakes at Naas on October 17 and then we'll see whether or not she stays in training next year.

A really nice win for Mother Country at Gowran

Red Wasp is a good, speedy filly and I was delighted to see her win second time up at Down Royal during the month. We'll look towards a five-furlong handicap at the Curragh next month. She's owned by John Davies, a long-standing supporter of ours who also owned my first Listed winner at Ayr back in 2013 (Hurryupharriet in the Harry Rosebery Stakes).

I thought Epona Plays ran well in a muddling Matron Stakes on Irish Champions Weekend to finish fifth. Both Billy and I felt that she probably just got shuffled back too far early on and couldn't do anything about it after that. She's had a great season and will have a crack at another Group 1 in the Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket next month.

On the same weekend there was a great run from Insinuendo in a strong Blandford Stakes. She was unlucky not to pick up more black type in fourth. We'll see whether she gets an invite for a valuable race in Bahrain this November.

Red Wasp wins at Down Royal

Coill Na Sionainne is as honest as the day is long and had some good runs during the month, particularly when just touched off at Cork. She tries hard and should have three wins under her belt this season. If they were all like her, our job would be straightforward.

Fictitious Lady went close at Bellewstown too after opening her account at the same track the time before. It was a good run and she seems to enjoy coming home well from off the pace like that. We'll try to get her a bit of black type next. If she keeps running as she has the last twice, we'd like to think that she might be able to place in one of those stakes races.

There was a good run from Give Her A Squeeze in a fillies' maiden at Clonmel in September, only finding a smart filly trained by Kevin Prendergast too good, while Punakha has been knocking on the door in maidens and deserves a change of luck. She ran well again at the Curragh when third and we'll possibly look at a fillies' maiden at Gowran next month for her.

Royal Canford is a good, honest filly who didn't run badly from a tough draw at Leopardstown on Irish Champions Weekend. I think if she'd have gotten away a little better early on that she might have won on her next start at Listowel when beaten half a length in third. She's already earned black type this season and has an entry for the sales in November, but we'll keep trying to get the best out of her before then.

We also saw Pepper Streak run another decent race on her first start on the all-weather at Dundalk. She's been showing up well and hopefully we'll be able to get her head in front before the end of the year for her owner-breeder Pat Cosgrove.

Naturally things are winding down on the track as we enter the final few weeks of the turf season, but we've been busy lately in terms of stocking up our team for next year. We recently picked up five yearlings at Goffs and we'll aim to find a few more when we go back there in November. Plenty to look forward to as we head into the coming months.