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Pat Keane

Vautour hard to fancy in Cheltenham Gold Cup

Vautour hard to fancy in Cheltenham Gold Cup

My immediate reaction, after Willie Mullins’ Vautour had failed to cope with Cue Card in the King George at Kempton on St Stephen’s Day, was to dismiss him as a possible Cheltenham Gold Cup winner.

Sat, 02 Jan, 2016

Cheltenham Racing Festival 2015 - Tuesday

Ordinary NH punters becoming disillusioned

We could certainly do with competitive racing in Ireland over the Christmas period, given some of what has gone on of late.  

Sat, 19 Dec, 2015

Horse Racing from Puncherstown

Henry de Bromhead entitled to feel very disillusioned after defeat of Special Tiara at Sandown

Henry de Bromhead was entitled to feel utterly disillusioned, following the defeat of his Special Tiara in the Grade 1 Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown last Saturday.

Sat, 12 Dec, 2015

Alpha Des Obeaux a star of Irish racing waiting to happen

Alpha Des Obeaux a star of Irish racing waiting to happen

Some day soon, very soon, Mouse Morris’ Alpha Des Obeaux is going to fulfil his undoubted potential and we will want to be with him.

Sat, 05 Dec, 2015

Wow factor was missing with Vautour at Ascot

Wow factor was missing with Vautour at Ascot

We can dress it up in any manner we want, but there is simply no denying that the wow factor was missing with Vautour at Ascot last Saturday.

Sat, 28 Nov, 2015

Champion Hurdle now looks far more interesting

Champion Hurdle now looks far more interesting

Well, the dust has settled somewhat on Faugheen’s shock defeat behind Nichols Canyon in the Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown last Sunday, a result that seemed to leave both Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh totally perplexed.

Sat, 21 Nov, 2015

Kitten Rock looks the horse to propel Edward O’Grady back to big time

Kitten Rock looks the horse to propel Edward O’Grady back to big time

Not too many trainers can be chasing Cheltenham festival glory 41 years after enjoying their initial success at the meeting.

Sat, 14 Nov, 2015

Mark Walsh in pole position to eventually land JP McManus job

Mark Walsh in pole position to eventually land JP McManus job

I don’t know if Mark Walsh will ever follow Tony McCoy and Barry Geraghty as first jockey to J P McManus, but there seems little doubt he is at least in pole position.

Sat, 07 Nov, 2015

Rivals making hay while Willie Mullins is away (but not for long)

Rivals making hay while Willie Mullins is away (but not for long)

Anyone glancing through the entries for National Hunt racing in Ireland over the last few weeks may have noticed the lack of activity on the part of Willie Mullins.

Sat, 31 Oct, 2015

O’Brien riposte to Gleneagles criticism on the button

O’Brien riposte to Gleneagles criticism on the button

Aidan O’Brien tossed the toys, at least some of them, out of the cot in Tuesday’s Racing Post.

Sat, 24 Oct, 2015