Ballyoisin back to his best in Fortria Chase with successful defence of crown

There is plenty to like about an on-song Ballyoisin and Enda Bolger’s smart chaser called the tune from the front to land back-to-back victories in the Grade 2 Fortria Chase at Navan.

Sent to post an odds-on favourite 12 months ago when running his rivals ragged, Ballyoisin came into Sunday’s heat very much on a retrieval mission after posting a couple of poor efforts over hurdles and was allowed to go off a 9-2 chance.

However, Ballyoisin confirmed his love for jumping fences at speed and beat a pair of Cheltenham Festival winners and a
Grade 1-winning novice chaser from last season comfortably under Mark Walsh.

The rider, who was following up a most impressive victory aboard the Gordon Elliott-trained Andy Dufresne in the 2m4f maiden hurdle 35 minutes earlier, said: "It was brilliant and he jumped superbly. I was slightly worried about the going as his best form is on good ground, but he was the fit horse in the race and definitely came on for his last run."

Walsh elected to make the best of his way home from the front but, from an early stage in the straight, it was clear it was not going to be a walkover as Hardline and A Plus Tard were sitting on his heels and seemingly travelling well.

However, when Walsh went for Ballyoisin at the back of the last he picked up well to pull two and three-quarter lengths clear of last season's Close Brothers winner A Plus Tard with Hardline finishing third. Racing Post Arkle winner Duc Des Genievres finished a well-beaten fourth.

“That was nice,” trainer Bolger said. “We thought we had fitness on our side but I was just a bit scared that the ground might be a bit too heavy for him. He bossed it all the way and jumping is his forte."

Where Ballyoisin goes next is yet to be decided, although the ground will certainly be a major consideration.

Bolger added: “I don't know where we're going to go next with him. We went on to Leopardstown last year and it didn't work out.

“He may be just put away for the spring. We'll see what the boss [JP McManus] and Frank [Berry] say.

“A place like here is up his alley with the line of fences down the back. I thought Leopardstown would really suit him, with the good ground, but it didn't go his way last year.

“They are good horses in behind him there today and to give them weight as well. It was a good performance all around.”

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