Ballymoy

19th-Jan-2019

The key to this race may lie in the Haydock race just before Christmas that Ballymoy won and in which Better Getalong finished second.

You can argue the case for Better Getalong.  He is a very likeable horse, that was his first run of the season, and he meets Ballymoy on 5lb better terms.  Better Getalong was on my radar, but Ballymoy is a horse that I have liked for a little while, and I think that he will come out on top again, even off a 5lb higher mark.

Nigel Twiston-Davies' horse is progressive, and he seemed to really appreciate the step up to two and a half miles last time. It was officially heavy ground that day at Haydock, but the times on the day suggest that it was much faster than that, that it wasn’t very different to forecast conditions today, good to soft. Also, the slight step up in trip and the switch to a stiffer track should suit him.

He is only six, and he has the potential to got higher than the handicap rating of 147 off which he races today.

Better Getalong is a danger, and it is a pity that he is taking on Ballymoy again, because he was on my radar as a horse to follow. However, it is not a given that he will improve from that Haydock run, he goes well fresh, his record after a break of 50 days or more reads 2111P2, and I prefer Ballymoy.

Thosedaysaregone is an obvious danger, but it really wasn’t a good race that he won last Saturday at Wetherby when he was seriously well backed.  This is a much tougher race and he is 9lb higher. He may well win, but he is shorter than he should be in my book.

Seddon is also a danger, and Colonial Dreams and New Quay could run well, but I think that Ballymoy is the most likely winner of the race.

BALLYMOY WON (ADV 9/2, SP 4/1)