West Of Bally primed to strike in Limerick maiden hurdle
Eric McNamara's West Of Bally goes in the Conference & Banqueting Facilities At Limerick Racecourse Maiden Hurdle at 12:35 on Tuesday. Pic: Healy Racing
Limerick hosts a seven-race card this afternoon and the Eric McNamara-trained West Of Bally looks the right type to get punters off to a winning start in the Conference & Banqueting Facilities At Limerick Racecourse Maiden Hurdle, a race which is confined to horses which have not finished in the first four in any race under rules.
The four-year-old, who finished fourth and second in two point to points, finished a well beaten seventh on his bumper debut but fared quite nicely on his only outing to date over hurdles. On the latter occasion, contesting a maiden late last month in Galway, he was out the back most of the way but stayed on quite nicely into fifth place behind Eachtotheirown.
One of the more pleasing aspects of the performance was his jumping, which was particularly good for one of so little experience. Being by Westerner out of an Oscar mare, he should enjoy the more testing conditions this afternoon, and given this is not a strong race, natural improvement from that outing ought to make him very hard to beat this time.
Conditions will be testing, and that will play to the strengths of Nettuno Italia, who can get off the mark for her career by taking the Follow Us On Instagram @Limerick Races Handicap Hurdle.
The five-year-old, trained by Ross O’Sullivan, showed promise towards the end of last season, and on his return to action, in a two-and-a-half-mile handicap in Roscommon, he was sent off favourite to make the breakthrough. On the good ground, it proved too sharp for him, and even three miles on soft-to-heavy going last time out at Fairyhouse was just about an adequate test.
He was noted making good late progress on the more recent outing and the benefit of the two runs this season should have him primed and ready to produce his very best. This is a good opportunity and he can make it count, chiefly at the expense of Barryroe Madam and Sallap.
12:35 West Of Bally (nap)
1:05 Torps
1:35 She’s On Line
2:05 Kingdom Calling
2:35 Johnny Cakes
3:05 Nettuno Italia (nb)
3:35 Tip Of The Wings
12:35 Butch Coolidge
1:05 Justatan
1:35 Bhean Saibhre
2:05 Lenjoleur De Palma
2:35 Happy Dreams
3:05 Barryroe Madam
3:35 Mossy Way
