It’s been a pleasure and a privilege

THE reception I got going out and coming in before riding in my last race at Punchestown yesterday was unbelievable (left).

I don’t think I got a reception like it when Sizing John won the Gold Cup at the track in 2017. It was unreal.

I’ve had a fantastic career. I’ve enjoyed every minute of it and I have no regrets.

I’ve had some fantastic days at Punchestown. It’s been a great meeting for me and I can’t remember not leaving the Festival without riding a winner for Jessica Harrington (inset) and thankfully I rode one this year as well so it’s great.

I was hoping to have a crack at Honeysuckle on Teahupoo, unfortunately it wasn’t to be, but the reception both going in and coming out was just unbelievable and made me feel privileged.

On today’s action, the Mares Champion Hurdle is a one horse race in

my opinion and I believe Epatante can give JP Mcmanus and Nicky Henderson a Grade 1 win on the final day of the meeting.

I just think she is in a different league to these, no disrespect to Telmesomethinggirl, Marie’s Rock and Mrs Milner, but I think Epatante’s performance at Aintree was extremely good.

She was unlucky at Cheltenham where she would definitely have finished closer to Honeysuckle in the Champion Hurdle only for a mistake at the last.

She wouldn’t have beaten Honeysuckle, but she probably would have only been beaten by a length and a half. She’s a

Champion Hurdle winner and her performance when upped in trip at Aintree was breathtaking.

I don’t think the Ballymore Champion Four Year Old Hurdle is as clear cut for Vauban as the Mares is for Epatante, but he will be very hard to beat.

Back going right handed will definitely suit Vauban and I fancy him to follow up his Triumph Hurdle success. He’s a very classy horse.

In the handicap hurdle, you have The Shunter at top weight. It’s very competitive, but I think Heia for Willie Mullins is very interesting.

She’s got 10st 8lbs on her back for the owner of Honeysuckle and maybe one at a slightly bigger price is Irascible.

He bounced back to form last time at Cork over two and a half miles. This trip will definitely suit him.

He finished mid-division in the County Hurdle, but this distance is better for him so they would be two for me against the field.

There are a lot of horses with questions to answer in the Colm Quinn BMW Handicap Chase.

I think Regina Dracones of Tom Gibney’s has a good chance.

Jack Foley is taking a valuable five pounds off. He’s going to be crowned champion conditional this evening and I can see him signing off the campaign with a winner in a valuable handicap chase on Regina Dracones.

She’s become a very consistent mare. She was second on her last start and won before that at Fairyhouse. This trip should suit her and she’s the one for me here.