Ballymac Ruso 2-1 favourite for International
College Causeway was withdrawn due to a chest muscle injury that could also jeopardise his chances of contesting the Boylesports Champion Stakes at Shelbourne Park on Saturday week. He was replaced in the line-up by the Gerry Holian trained Cash Dream which won the Lynch Family Race of Champions at Tralee recently.
The Matt Dartnall trained Ballymac Ruso was initially put in at 7-4 by Boylesports after he drew the five box to give owner Patsy Byrne another victory in this richest invitation race in this part of the world.
But there was an immediate flood of money for Cash Dream and Accordello. There was a number of bets of €2,000 to €200 and €1,000 to €100 about Accordello and he was cut from 10-1 into 7-1, while Cash Dream dropped from 7-1 to 5-1 after bets including a few of €1,400 to €200 and €700 to €100. In the face of this money Ballymac Ruso moved out to 2-1 from 7-4 and Skywalker Queen was extended to 3-1 from 11-4.
Blue Square English Derby winner Kinda Ready will wear red in the big race with the sponsors quoting him at 6-1 to win the €25,000 prize.
Ballymac Ruso was given a trial around the Dundalk 550 yards on Monday night when he clocked 30.10, while at the same session the recent Oaks winner Skywalker Queen went around in 30.04. Irish Derby champion Shelbourne Aston, which clocked 28.57 in a Monday afternoon spin over the 525 distance, has drawn three in the big race and that is the jacket he wore when winning the big one at Shelbourne last September. He is a close third favourite at 7-2
Draw for Sunday’s 550 yard contest is: 1 Kinda Ready; 2 Cash Dream; 3 Shelbourne Aston; 4 Accordello (m); 5 Ballymac Ruso (m); 6 Skywalker Queen (w).
Boylesports bet: 2 Ballymac Ruso; 3 Skywalker Queen; 7-2 Shelbourne Aston; 5 Cash Dream; 6 Kinda Ready; 7 Accordello.
