Ballystone a second Galway winner for McConnell

Trainer John McConnell recorded his second success at this years festival as Ballystone won the Kenny Galway Peugeot Handicap Hurdle under Alex Harvey.

Both McConnell and Harvey had been amongst the winners on Friday night, as Intense Approach landed the Beginners Chase.

A lightly raced seven-year-old having just his fifth start for the stable, Ballystone had been successful in his maiden hurdle over the minimum trip for Tom Gibney.

Stepping up in distance here, the son of Shirocco saw it out well. Never far from the pace, the 14/1 chance tracked the leaders after three out, before coming through to chase Chance Another One after the penultimate flight.

Closing after jumping the last, Ballystone led early on the run-in, staying on to score by a length from the aforementioned Chance Another One.

Alex Harvey said: “He’s a lovely horse, very genuine. I got a lovely run around on the inside and it was just a matter of holding onto him and pressing the button.

“He put his head down on the run-in and galloped away to the line.

“The ground was in question as he wants a bit of nicer ground. To be honest it’s just the slow side of good bar the straight which is borderline heavy.

“He’s progressive and I can’t wait to see him over a fence.

“I’ve been coming here since I was a kid and you dream about having a winner so to have two in the week is unbelievable.”

Additional reporting by Alan Magee.