IT’S a year to the day since Mall Dini hit us hard and I couldn’t believe my fellow Galway man, Pat Kelly, managed to win the Pertemps again, this year with Presenting Percy.

I was told about this horse by a good source weeks ago but then I heard connections were complaining about the weight and, to be honest, I forgot about the horse. When he hit the front my heart sank and I thought ‘what have I done?’ but thankfully my team here had managed it well and it wasn’t too bad a result. If Mall Dini had won the last it would have been a total disaster. Lots of punters had doubled the two Kelly horses in our shops back home. It’s awful to be cheering against your own but business is business and, boy, was I glad to see Mall Dini finish out of the first four! The horse ran very well though. Pat is a great trainer.

Looking back on Thursday’s results you would think it must have been carnage but actually it wasn’t that bad. I think punters were a bit shy about steaming into Willie and Ruby after the first two days, though Yorkhill was very well backed. In fact that was the worst result of the day.

Un De Sceaux was another strong favourite to win but, unlike in other years, you now have Gordon Elliott and Gigginstown taking on these Mullins hotpots and both camps have their followers. Competition is healthy and it makes for a lively betting market too.

Nichols Canyon did us a favour in the Stayers’ Hurdle. It might have been well backed in the shops at home but it wasn’t on the track. We were just happy to see Unowhatimeanharry beaten.

Road To Respect was another winner for us – I didn’t even know he was in the race! Let’s Dance was well backed but there was money for a few others in this race too, so it wasn’t at all as bad as it looked. I have to admit we didn’t lay a penny on Domesday Book, the 40/1 winner of the last. We wouldn’t have minded seeing Derek O’Connor, another Galway man, hold on with Pendra. He was a winner for us too. The two best-backed horses – Squouateur and Southfield Royal- both fell and after that we just wanted Mall Dini out of the frame.

Looking ahead, I like Master Blueyes in the Triumph – I’m a Frank Sinatra fan – and I think 5/1 about Cue Card is too big in the Gold Cup.