Thornton picks up Ballycassidy ride

Andrew Thornton has landed the plum ride on Ballycassidy in the Hewlett-Packard Galway Plate.

Irish jockey Barry Geraghty rode Peter Bowen’s improving seven-year-old to victory in the Tote Scoop6 Summer Plate at Market Rasen last time but he will be on local hope Lord Of The Turf in tomorrow’s €150,000 feature.

Ballycassidy, who will be bidding for his fourth straight win from as many starts since being bought by Bowen at Doncaster in May, has to overcome a 14lb rise in the weights.

“Andrew is a good pilot,” the Haverfordwest trainer said.

“The horse went over there Sunday afternoon. He travelled well and everything seems fine.

“He’s done well since Market Rasen. You wouldn’t know he’d had a race.

“The only thing is that he hasn’t as yet had a hard race – no doubt he’ll have one this time.

“The good to soft ground shouldn’t be a problem. Over hurdles he was a better horse on softish ground.”