The field for the 24-strong €300,000 Irish EBF Ballyhane S. was revealed on Friday. Led by the unbeaten Sacred Bridge (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}), the race will begin at 2:25 p.m. at Naas Racecourse on Aug. 2. Her Ger Lyons stablemate Recurrent Dream (Ire) (Elzaam {Aus}) sports a win over the course and distance, and they will be joined in the lineup by their yardmate Jarvis (Ire) (Profitable {Ire}).
The Brighton winner Dusky Prince (Ire) (Prince Of Lir {Ire}) and the aforementioned Recurrent Dream are both running for the €50,000 Ballyhane Bonus, as they are both by Ballyhane stallions. Dusky Prince's latest run was an off-the-board finish in the Listed Windsor Castle S. at Royal Ascot in June.
Said trainer Archie Watson of Dusky Prince, “Dusky Prince is a very solid colt. He won nicely at Brighton on his debut and things just didn't go his way since. He missed the break in the Woodcote and it was horrible ground that day and then things just happened too quick for him at Royal Ascot back over five furlongs in the Windsor Castle.
“The step back up in trip on Monday will be a help and this was a race we were keen to support and with Dusky Prince being by Prince Of Lir and the bonus for a winner by Prince Of Lir it was certainly worth having a crack at.”
Other intriguing entrants include the dual winner Bosh (Ire) (Profitable {Ire}), who is trained by Richard Hannon, while Kevin Ryan fields the pair of Aleezdancer (Ire) (Fast Company {Ire}) and Smullen (Ire) (Camacho {GB}). Ever Given (Ire) (Kodi Bear {Ire}) hails from the Tom Dascombe barn and won the Unibet Deposit £10 Get £40 Bonus Nursery H. at Goodwood on Friday. The winning Missing Matron (Ire) (Vocalised) will start for Jim Bolger.
In its second year, the race is restricted to juveniles that are EBF eligible and whose sire established a median price of not more than €75,000 at the 2020 yearling sales. The races's winning breeder will receive a free nomination to one of the Ballyhane sires courtesy of Ballyhane Stud. In addition, if the winner is by a Ballyhane Stud stallion, there is a €50,000 bonus on top of the €300,000 purse. The racecourse has also partnered with the Barretstown children's charity to raise funds during the Ballyhane S.
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