Ballycullen Boy one to note for next year’s Plate
He jumped like a stag and was full of running when we were brought down by Baily Breeze at the ninth.
I’m not for a minute trying to say he was going to win, it was much too far out to be coming to that conclusion.
But he was travelling powerfully and if I had managed to swerve Baily Breeze, would not have allowed the tempo of the contest to slacken in any way.
I wouldn’t have kicked on, but would certainly have maintained the gallop and there’s no doubt would have headed down into the dip in front. Whether he would have got up the hill, we will never know.
I thought it was a great training performance by Liam Burke and Kevin Coleman gave Sir Frederick a terrific ride.
It hasn’t really been my week. When Ballycullen Boy fell at the second last on Tuesday evening, I looked sure to score on Adamant Approach.
But it wasn’t to be and he just couldn’t hold First Row. Adamant Approach’s jumping was just a bit sketchy.
Ballycullen Boy is definitely the horse to take out of that race. I thought he would jump away to his left, as he had done at Limerick previously. But, except for the first fence, to my eyes, he jumped perfectly all the way, at least to two out.
Don’t be surprised if he is back here in twelve months time contesting the Plate. Given the right weight, I wouldn’t mind riding him!
As I said it hasn’t been the best of weeks and nothing went right for me yesterday. Mind you, I am still standing! I was brought down five out on Reisk Superman in the opener and have little doubt he would have won.
He was absolutely bombing and we were really out of luck. The horse that sent us spinning to the turf looked sure to fall left, but instead went right. Such are the joys of National Hunt racing.
Then Emotional Article found two miles and a furlong all too short in the next. Have no worries, however, this is a horse who is going to win a nice prize over two and a half or two miles and six.
If you backed Hegrid each-way in the Galway Hurdle then I hope it was with a bookmaker who paid five places.
He was just too slow and we were flat to the boards passing the stands. He needs to step up to two and a half.
There is only one race open to professional National Hunt jockeys tonight, the Tony O’Malley Memorial Handicap Chase.
I partner Torrid Kentavr for James Lambe and he’s an each-way possibility. I was aboard the last time the ten-year-old won a race.
That was at Punchestown back in May when he won nicely by four and a half lengths. It was a better performance than you might think.
Because of the low sun both the fourth and third last fences were omitted. That was very much against Torrid Kentavr.
He loves jumping fences and the more of them the better. He overcame the drawback and won well and I’m expecting another big run. One word of warning, however, the drier the surface the better his chance.
Tony Martin is having a good week and I like the look of his Dream Champion in the first, the Guinness Handicap Hurdle.
I’m well aware he was hammered by the handicapper after only winning by a length at Listowel. He could still have a few pounds in hand, though, and the more I looked at the race the more I kept coming back to him.
