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NEWSBOY’S 1-2-3 1 BALNASLOW 2 BARRAKILLA 3 GALLERY EXHIBITION
BALNASLOW, an excellent second 12 months ago, gets the vote to go one better.
Having finished fifth in the Foxhunter Chase at Cheltenham in 2017, Graham McKeever’s charge took to the Grand National fences like a duck to water in chasing home Dineur in this event last year.
This season, the 11-yearold son of Presenting went to the Festival on the back of just one point-to-point run, when pulled up at Kirkistown in February.
Sent off at 28-1 for the amateurs’ Gold Cup, Balnaslow turned in a fine effort to take seventh – half a length behind sixthplaced Grand Vision – to Pacha Du Polder.
The 2015 and 2016 On The Fringe victor Unioniste (ninth), (10th), Sir Jack Yeats (12th), Warden Hill Wells De (15th), Lune (pulled up) and Wonderful Charm (pulled up) were all behind. He can put his experience of the world famous obstacles to good use under top amateur Derek O’Connor. Of the remainder, the Fergal O’Brien-trained Barrakilla enters calculations, along with 2016 Topham Chase fifth, Gallery Exhibition ridden by amputee rider Guy Disney.