Columns - Irish Examiner

Pat Keane

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

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

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)

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

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

Sat, 24 Oct, 2015

Bookmakers the only ones feeling blue after Air show

Ballydoyle has its share of big hitters when it comes to betting and they certainly weren’t found wanting with Air Force Blue in last Saturday’s Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket.

Sat, 17 Oct, 2015

Tipperary stewards do Irish racing a big favour

ONE has to conclude that the Tipperary stewards did Irish racing a big favour last Sunday, writes Pat Keane.

Sat, 10 Oct, 2015

Baffled by handicapper’s take on Beresford Stakes

One of the toughest gigs in racing has to be working as a handicapper.

Sat, 03 Oct, 2015

Leger stewards got it right

No sooner had the Leger at Doncaster on Saturday finished than a pal of mine rang to ask what I thought would happen at the subsequent stewards’ inquiry.

Sat, 19 Sep, 2015

Jim Bolger hasn’t half stood the test of time

Watching Jim Bolger’s Smash Williams streaking away with a Group 3 at the Curragh last Sunday, it struck me that here is a man who hasn’t half stood the test of time.

Sat, 05 Sep, 2015