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Ballywilliam Boy wins at 33/1 for Hourigan

Ballywilliam Boy and Mark McDonogh (right) get the better of Limetime AmbitionBallywilliam Boy and Mark McDonogh (right) get the better of Limetime Ambition
© Photo Healy Racing

Ballywilliam Boy (33/1) was a surprise winner of the Bar One Racing ‘We’ll Lay To Lose A Million’ Maiden Hurdle giving young jockey Mark McDonagh his second winner of the week.

McDonagh had scored on his previous ride, 18/1 chance Jody Ted at Wexford on Wednesday, and was patient on the sweet-travelling winner on this occasion.

The 6-year-old by the Galileo horse Vita Venturi made smooth headway to get into contention two out and hit the front before the last.

He ran on well to get the better of 10/11 favourite Lifetime Ambition by a length and three quarters with promising newcomer Feivel (33/1) back in third.

Winning trainer Michael Hourigan said: “I think he just might make into a nice horse. Jim Devine lost (five-time winner) Drumacoo here four weeks ago and he bought this horse since.

“He’s a christian to do anything with and we’ve always thought a lot of him. I thought he might have won a bumper but his future is over fences.”

Quotes from Alan Magee

About Mark Nunan
Mark has followed racing since he was a teenager and worked for many years as a broadcaster with the Irish version of Racecall. He joined the Press Association in 2019 and is also a contributor to the Racing Post. A native of Kildare, he now lives in Sligo.