Dundalk & Banna Boirche love story continues

It would hardly be overstating things now to say that Banna Boirche is one of the most popular horses to have performed on Dundalk's polytrack and the attractive big six-year-old defied a ten stone three pound burden under Shane Foley in the Crowne Plaza Race & Stay Package Handicap.

In gaining his eight win at the Dowdallshill venue, Banna Boirche got there late under Foley (his sixth win on the Lucky Owners-sired gelding) to catch and pass the front-running Elusive Ridge by a neck. Billyford didn't get a clear run in the final furlong and finished a further length back in third.

Things didn't go right for the gamble of the contest Lightening Stricks (9/1 this morning into 11/4) and he faded into seventh whilst Vastitas was injured at the stalls and that 10/1 chance had to be withdrawn.

Michael Halford trains Banna Boirche for Northerner Paul Rooney and he said: "It was a good weight carrying performance and he just loves it around here. Shane gets a good tune out of him.

"We may try him on grass now on fast ground over a mile and see if we can break his duck on grass." (AM & EM)