Ballycasey and Ruby Walsh were nimble over the last at Navan© Photo Healy Racing
Those that invested at 4/6 were surely worried as Ballycasey found himself in a moderate third position at the fourth last in the Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Beginners Chase at Navan. They needn't have fretted though as the grey eventually convincingly brought up a double (after Moyle Park for Mrs Susannah Ricci, Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh. Mount Colah set a good gallop under Noel McParlan, followed by 2/1 second favourite Ned Buntline
That one's bid for glory was hindered by jumping to the left and from before the last there was an inevitability about the result as Ballycasey got to grips with the pace-setters. He crossed the line eight lengths to the good from Mount Colah with a half length back to Ned Buntline.
"He jumped fantastic and he had been schooling brilliantly.
"He liked that bit of better ground. Ruby said he was going as fast as he wanted to and he'll probably go up in trip now but it was great that he was able to win over that distance.
"He'll go for a novice race at Christmas and I'll try and twist dad's arm and get him to run him in the four mile race (at Cheltenham)," reflected Patrick Mullins in the aftermath.
Walsh's summation of things went as follows: "We were stepping on it every step of the way – the two in front in fairness to them never missed a beat and never gave me a chance to get comfortable or catch up on them.
"The good ones can win dropped back in trip as you need to have some bit of speed and you'd love the way he jumped and kept at it."
Boylesports go 14s from 20s Ballycasey for the RSA Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
B.M. Cash, rider of Mr Cosmopolitan trained by J.T.R.Dreaper, reported to the Stewards' Secretaries that his mount jumped left throughout and made a bad mistake at the ditch.
R.M. Power, rider of Monelissio trained by Peter Casey, reported to the Stewards' Secretaries that his mount never travelled and jumped carefully throughout.
(AM & EM)
