Great start to 2021 for all the team when Stay With Me won the Irishinjuredjockeys.com Handicap at Dundalk today in fine style.
She's a lovely big mare who took time to come right but we took the patient approach with her because we've always felt there's lots of ability to tap into when she had matured enough to use it.
She showed great battling qualities from the front today and as the race was run I was always feeling confident she'd be difficult to pass. She's a very tough and genuine mare and when she gets into her stride like that in front she takes a bit of catching. Chris Hayes gave her a lovely ride again. A man riding in top form at the moment and great to have him on our side.
She was unlucky on a recent run at Dundalk when only caught on the last bob of the head and this was a fully deserved win for her. We'll probably come back here for another 1m 4f handicap in a couple of week's time and see can she follow up on this win. I see her main future being over hurdles and fences. For such a big mare she is wonderfully athletic and jumps for fun. I think she'll really come into her own when she goes jumping.
She is owned by my brother Brian and it was nice to get another winner on the board for him. Many thanks to all my team who are the reason we can have these successes. Today's meeting was one of 4 added by HRI in response to the large number of entries we saw at Dundalk before Christmas. Great bit of initiative by HRI to add the new meetings and certainly very much appreciated by our team.