Ballinlough grabs deserved success

Ballinlough Gale gained an overdue win in the finale at Gowran Park this afternoon when making all for Dylan Browne McMonagle.

The Pat Martin-trained gelding had been placed nine times in 13 runs before today and had been narrowly denied on a few occasions.

He attracted good support from 9/1 in the morning into 5/2 and bounced out in front in the race, run over just shy of a mile-and-six. Dani Barcelona challenged in the centre of the track entering the straight and there wasn't much between the pair going to the furlong pole.

Ballinlough Gale just started to assert inside the final furlong and went on to post a three-and-three-quarter length victory.

Martin said:- “We were really happy with him today coming into the race. We thought that we’d get to make it and stack them up as Dylan did.

“The game plan worked really well and relaxes better now than he used to. There is more substance to him and he’s a bit heavier than he was last year.

“He definitely deserved that to turn up as many times as he has and just get run out of it for a lack of toe rather than resolution. The mile and six suited him well.

“He tries really hard and I’m delighted for the owners. The reason we tried to win a maiden was they have other stock coming on and a maiden always looks a bit better on a page than winning a handicap. It is job done in a lot of ways but I’m delighted for the horse.

“I can’t say enough about Dylan and he’s instrumental in us having a good few winners more than we might have had.

“He could jump a hurdle. There is more substance to him this year, he’s more relaxed and he certainly stays well enough.”

(Quotes by Alan Magee)