Ballagh Star doubles up in Sligo nightcap Having landed the same race 12 months ago, the Yvonne Dunleavy-trained Ballagh Star made it back-to-back wins when staying on strongly to take the concluding Brenda Anderson Memorial Handicap Chase at Sligo. Sent off 3/1f under Danny Gilligan, the seven-year-old was always front rank before heading Seventy Eight Team after four out. Strongly pressed by He Fitz In after the next, the gelding had the measure of the latter named after jumping the last but had to battle hard to hold the late challenge of Tennesse Boy by half-a-length. Danny Gilligan, who was completing a double on the card, said: "We went steady enough and I was able to save a bit.He got into a great rhythm, jumped super throughout and dug deep from the back of the last. Yvonne is a Galway woman and I'm delighted to ride a winner for her. Patrick Dunleavy, husband of the winning trainer, said: "He won it last year and we kind of had a target all summer that this was where he was going to end up. "He came into form at the right time in his last couple of runs and once he goes beyond three miles, it suits him because stamina is his strong point. "He had a hard race in Ballinrobe but he spends a lot of time in the field and freshened up well. "Danny is a great rider and a great guy. He only lives about five miles from us. "Our son Niall rides him out at home so it's great for all the family." Additional reporting by Mark Nunan.
