Ballyshannon Rose (left)© Photo Healy Racing
Ballyshannon Rose will miss her longterm Irish Grand National target, as trainer Paul Fahey has failed to qualify his Grade 2 winner for the €500,000 Easter Monday race.
A four-time staying hurdle winner, the daughter of Doyen won a Thurles Grade 2 novice chase in January but trainer Fahey has since run out of time to qualify her for the April 18 showpiece race.
Ballyshannon Rose, whose owner Fiona Hughes passed away last month, exited at the fourth-last fence at Navan yesterday and Fahey reports “the only reason we ran her yesterday was to qualify for the Irish National but she isn't qualified.
“She is perfect this morning and it was just one of those things that happen. It was a communication error and she unshipped poor Donie (McInerney). She was running a nice race and we'd have loved to have seen her finishing, but that's the joys of horses.”
Fahey explained “you have to finish in the first three over 2m5f or more, to be able to run. The race in Thurles was down as 2m4f and 170 yards, so we were 50 yards short of qualifying.
“She then finished second at Naas over 2m4f so can't get into it this year as you have to qualify by March 15.”
Regarding future plans, he said “the (Irish Stallion Farms EBF) final at Punchestown is probably the place for her now.”
