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Henry De Bromhead has great team of horses this season
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Honeysuckle is enjoying her retirement
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A good start to the season with a winner at Cheltenham
Season gets going now
I love this time of year. The winter season is just about to swing into action, the winter horses are in now, they're all going through their paces. All the dreams are still alive.
Henry has a lovely team of horses for the winter. I'm very lucky to be associated with a yard that has such a strong team of nice horses.
I really enjoy riding the young horses at this time of year in maiden hurdles, horses who have won or run well in point-to-points or in bumpers, horses who have come from France with good reputations.
It's exciting now, seeing how they are going to progress. And then there are the established horses, the top-class performers, back again this season.
Honeysuckle enjoying retirement
Of course, this season will be different, with no Honeysuckle. She has been such a huge part of the last five seasons for me and for all of us. It's still strange to go past her stable and not see her there. She is enjoying her retirement now, on Kenny Alexander's farm in Scotland, in foal to Walk In The Park.
I will always remember her last race, her win in the Mares' Hurdle last March. Back at Cheltenham again, the guts that she showed to get back up the hill one last time, the reception that she got when she came back into the winner's enclosure. That was a memorable day.
It was a memorable Cheltenham Festival, with Envoi Allen winning the Ryanair Chase too, with Henry and Heather and all their extended family there, Georgia and Mia were there too. It was a special day.
Bright start to the season
The winter season has started rolling already. It was really nice to go back to Cheltenham on Saturday and ride Dancing On My Own to victory in the two-mile handicap chase.
He had run at Cheltenham a few times before Saturday, and he hadn't run that well there, so it was great that he was able to go there again and win. Haddex Des Obeaux fell at the last when we were upsides, but my horse wasn't beaten at the time. It would have been a good race between us.
Dancing On My Own was very good in winning the Red Rum Chase at Aintree in April, and now he has proven that he can be effective at Cheltenham too. He is nine now, but it looks like he has progressed again.
It was great to get Quilixios back on track too at Limerick last Sunday after such a long layoff. It's two-and-a-half years now since he won the Triumph Hurdle, and he only raced three times the following season.
He missed all of last season, so it was brilliant to get him back, back to win his beginners' chase on his first run over fences. He did very well to find a leg too after making a bad mistake at the last.
Henry has done a great job with him, and Cheveley Park have been very patient. It will be exciting to see him again, stepped up in grade over fences.
It was brilliant to see Minella Indo back in the winner's enclosure as well after the Irish Daily Star Chase at Punchestown almost three weeks ago. He gave me a great spin, he's such an enjoyable horse to ride. He's so straightforward, I love riding him.
That was his first run since the Gold Cup, and he did everything well. He got into a lovely rhythm in front and won nicely. It was great to see him back.
Envoi Allen was beaten in the PWC Champion Chase at Gowran Park on his return. It was disappointing, but hopefully he can get back on track the next day. He seems in great form at home since the run.
There is lots to look forward to this season.
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