Naas © Photo Healy Racing
The fifth renewal of the €300,000 Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes at Naas promises to be one of the most competitive yet.
The Johnny Murtagh-trained Amazing Athena and Joe Murphy’s Shiota bring course and distance success to Monday’s race while Aidan O’Brien, who won the first renewal of the Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes in 2020, will be represented by the 102-rated Heavens Gate and Right And True.
Joseph O’Brien, who won the 2022 renewal, has declared And So To Bed, Midnight Strike and Elzem who runs in the nursery at Galway this afternoon.
Having taken the fourth and fifth place prize money last year, Sheila Lavery will be represented by Roaming Eyes and Tino Pai
Li Ban, trained by Raphael Freire, and George Boughey's Violet Love are two interesting raiders from Britain
Joe Foley, owner of Ballyhane Stud, commented: "This race continues to capture the attention of owners and trainers from both sides of the Irish Sea.
"A full field of 24 of these horses will get the chance to race next Monday and with prize money down to 12th place half of the field will come away with money ranging from €150,000 to €4,000.
This shows how a valuable race like the €300,000 Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes is such a centrepiece for connections of two year olds to target each year.”
Racegoers will also be able to get close up to the Lexus Melbourne Cup which will be on display at Naas Racecourse on Monday. An action-packed seven race card will begin at 2.20pm and further details can be found at naasracecourse.com.
