Seamie Heffernan rides Innvincible Friend in the Ballyhane Stakes at Naas. © Photo Healy Racing
Five British-trained runners will contest Mondays feature race at Naas; the Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes. With a prize fund of €300,000, including €150,000 to the winner, the contest is the richest of the year at the County Kildare track.
Tom Dascombe is one of 16 trainers who has managed to claim prize money in the Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes previously and he is confident of making his latest trip from Lambourn a profitable one with Innvincible Friend
In a race that features two horses making their competitive debut, Innvincible Friend is the most experienced runner in the line-up with Monday being his seventh racecourse start. Dascombe has also booked Seamus Heffernan to partner the son of Inns Of Court.
The Irish Classic winning trainer said: “Innvincible Friend is a very experienced and very genuine horse and I'm sure he will run to his best.
“We've just put cheek-pieces on him for Monday as he can be a little bit lazy and I suppose that is why we've been able to run him so often! The ground doesn't bother him at all - you could run him down the M4 motorway or in a bog and it would be all the same to him.”
Dascombe saddled Ever Given to finish fourth in the race 2021 renewal of this race and he added: “It is a wonderful race and the owners are really keen to go. Owning racehorses is about having fun and if you can pay for it along the way is a bonus and I don't think this horse will be out of the prize money.
“Seamie Heffernan has kindly agreed to ride the horse and he has never done me any harm before so we are thrilled to have him booked and we can't wait until Monday now.”
Kevin Ryan has confirmed Jungle Mate one of two runners for owners the Bronte Collection, with the Hugo Palmer-trained Golden Trick also representing those connections.
Alice Haynes has booked Chris Hayes for Shayekh while Karl Burke will saddle That’s For Sure.
