Ballyburke

Ballyburke put in a nice effort to finish third to Our Girl Salley in what looked like a decent two-and-a-half-mile maiden hurdle at Navan on Sunday. Philip Rothwell’s gelding travelled well for David Casey, just held in around mid-division and kept to the outside of runners. He jumped okay, if a bit too big at a couple of his hurdles, but he was still travelling well in the main group on the turn for home. He did get tired early in the straight just when Our Girl Salley picked up well in front, but he still kept on nicely into third, under a mainly hands and heels ride from Casey.

This was a fairly pleasing effort from Ballyburke on his first ever start over hurdles and on his seasonal debut. He won a bumper at Navan last February in really impressive fashion but despite that he was fairly weak in the market here. Nevertheless, there was a lot to like about the way he travelled through the race and it is understandable that lack of a race-fitness probably just found him out when he got a bit tired up the straight. This looked like a fairly useful maiden hurdle, even allowing for the fact that the favourite Jetson was brought down before entering the straight. There should be a lot more to come from Ballyburke now with this experience under his belt, and he will be of interest in another maiden hurdle next time out.

7th November 2010