Grand National Festival: Ballyandy the Champion Bumper choice

David Metcalf | April 7, 2016

Ballyandy to hold Court in Champion Bumper

Ballyandy looks capable of giving weight all round to land the Grade 2 Weatherbys Private Bank Champion Standard Open NH Flat Race at Aintree (17.15).

The Nigel Twiston-Davies trained five-year-old has won four of his five starts, and was very impressive on his penultimate outing when landing a Listed contest at Newbury.

After travelling strongly throughout, Ballyandy took up the running rounding the home turn and powered clear to score by nine lengths.

One to keep onside

It was a most taking performance, especially given that fact that Ballyandy was giving weight to all his rivals, and one which suggested he was a well-above average performer who needed keeping firmly onside.

That view was confirmed when the son of Kay Tara landed the Grade 1 Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival last month in gutsy fashion.

Ballyandy got shuffled back into midfield after getting trapped behind a weakening rival four furlongs from home but rallied strongly two out to take up the running inside the last.

He then held on gamely by a nose from the fast finishing Battleford, and it was a terrific effort given how the race panned out.