Bally Longford 5/4 @ Killarney

Paul Ferguson has one selection for us on Thursday; Bally Longford in the Killarney 19:10. Compare odds and bet.

Killarney stages a decent four-runner novice chase this evening, won last year by subsequent Cheltenham Festival winner Spring Heeled, and this year’s renewal can go the way of Bally Longford (7:10).

The former Willie Mullins trained six-year-old jumped really well when making a winning debut over fences on his start for Henry De Bromhead, when he had his former stable-mate Indevan back in fifth.

His main market rival has since got off the mark over fences, while the selection was in the process of throwing down a challenge to another Mullins inmate here last month.  The winner Alelchi Inois followed up impressively at Galway and, assuming that fall hasn’t left its mark, Bally Longford sets the standard.  Priced up as short as 4-5 with Boylesports overnight, he was available at 11-8 with Paddy Power, so the race clearly divides opinions of the Irish odds compilers.

At York, hopefully Oaks and King George heroine Taghrooda maintains her unbeaten record in the feature Yorkshire Oaks, while at Newton Abbot the bumper looks worth paying attention to.

Upsanddowns was a wide-margin winner at Kilbeggan last June and he went on to chase home Wicklow Brave and Western Boy in a strong contest at Tipperary in October.  That form is particularly strong and he is hugely respected under a 7lb penalty on debut for Evan Williams, though he faces a nicely bred newcomer from the John Ferguson yard.  This looks a decent race for the time of year.

Thursday’s selection:
7:10 Killarney: Bally Longford; 5/4 Paddy Power

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