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Mark Nunan

Mark Nunan

Tough sort Ballinaboola Steel gains third win of campaign

Wed 23rd Sep 2020, 16:05

Ballinaboola Steel and Bryan Cooper (yellow) beat West Cork Wildway (far side)Ballinaboola Steel and Bryan Cooper (yellow) beat West Cork Wildway (far side)
© Photo Healy Racing

Fifth here on Monday, Ballinaboola Steel (17/2) fared better on his second start of the week in the Devon Inn Hotel Handicap Hurdle as he galloped on strongly up the stands’ side to beat West Cork Wildway (4/1) by three quarters of a length.

The 5/2 favourite Premium Package had to give best before the final flight and finished third.

The winner, after missing a year and a half, has thrived on a busy schedule since racing resumed in June and this success added to two wins at Wexford earlier in the campaign for in-form handler ‘Shark’ Hanlon.

Winning rider Bryan Cooper said: "I probably should have committed a bit sooner with him on Monday, he was only beaten three lengths.

“The horse was in good form yesterday morning so he said he'd run him again.

“The three miles definitely helped him, he travelled a bit better, and I was a winner everywhere really — I travelled great. The bit more ease in the ground suited him as well.

“He's a tough old sort, he's on the go a while now. It was a good performance because he hasn't been lightly campaigned.”

Additional reporting by Gary Carson

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.