Oxx aware of Baliyana task

JOHN Oxx admits Baliyana is up against it in the Ballygallon Stud Debutante Stakes at the Curragh tomorrow.

The Group Two contest has attracted a host of well-regarded fillies, including Jim Bolger’s Albany Stakes winner Cuis Ghaire and Dermot Weld’s impressive Galway scorer Rare Ransom.

But Baliyana comes with a pretty tall reputation herself and was sent off 11-10 favourite for her debut, in which she finished third behind the reopposing Oui Say Oui. “She’s shown us a bit at home. She had a run a month ago over six furlongs and ran well so she’ll be happier over seven,” said Oxx. “We don’t know how she’d handle it if the ground got very soft, we would have to find out.