WE'VE enjoyed a great year with our flat horses, but all the good winter horses are back on the go again and we took a good few of them to The Curragh earlier in the week and I was delighted with them.

We’ve had plenty of rain this autumn and hopefully we’ll have a ‘normal’ winter this year.

This time twelve months ago, everyone was pulling their hair out, waiting for the rain to arrive and as a result, the early part of last season was very frustrating, but the ground is what you’d call, good jumping ground everywhere at the moment, which is great.

Just to be on the safe side, we will wait for a bit more rain before we roll out some of the winter horses. They look great and have plenty done and we’ve been able to get a few away.

 I love this time of the year, as you can see the how much the younger horses have strengthened up and matured over the summer.

I have the horses where I want them to be – it’s a long season and you need all the boxes ticked before you get their season underway and as I said, I just want to get to see a bit more rain before I start wheeling out the winter horses.

We run two at Down Royal on Saturday and it looks a terrific card and my thoughts on them are below.

1.15pm

Exultation (Robert Power)

He is a lovely big horse that we like. He will improve a lot for this, as it will be his first run and traditionally this is a very good maiden hurdle. Our horse has plenty done and he is a good moving horse that will appreciate the good ground. He has schooled well and I think he will run a nice race.

1.50pm

Polished Steel (Robert Power)

He is in very good form and he’ll take his chance in this good handicap hurdle. He is a horse that likes a bit of nice ground and he has been working well and despite the fact that he hasn’t run since the spring, I am expecting a big run from him. He is a horse that always seems to run well fresh and I am very happy with him. He’s in good shape.