Ballyoisin defies market weakness to make winning comeback

The long-absent Ballyoisin was the star attraction on the card at Ballinrobe and made a pleasing reappearance to take the Corrib Oil Steeplechase.

Mark Walsh, completing a double after winning on earlier on Flying Scotsman let his mount stride on in customary fashion and the 10-year-old, without being at his flamboyant best, put in some good leaps on the way around.

Walsh allowed him to go in and fiddle the last two fences and he went away from the last to readily account for Exit Poll by four and a quarter lengths.

Uneasy in the market all day, the well-treated 162-rated winner was returned the 1/1 favourite having opened at 4/7 this morning.

It was a ninth win over the larger obstacles for the Presenting gelding.

A relieved winning trainer Enda Bolger said: “If he was a human being you would call him Paul McGrath, he’s had so many chips taken out of his knees! Ger Kelly and the crowd down in Fethard Equine have done a great job to hold him together for us.

“I’m just glad to get that out of the way and he may go for the Fortria again at Navan in October. He’s won that a couple of times.

“He’s better going left-handed, all his good form is at the likes of Killarney and Navan. The conditions of the race suited him today and it’s good to have him back.”

Quotes from Alan Magee