BALNASLOW, the hunter chaser much loved by the late Peggy Hagan, is adapting well to his new career outside racing and has already picked up rosettes, in two different codes, under Islandmagee’s Shannon Baird.

The 2007 Presenting gelding, who won a point-to-point maiden at Loughanmore in October 2011 for landowner Wilson Dennison and resident trainer Colin McKeever, was at one time in the care of Willie Mullins, for whom he won a bumper, a maiden hurdle and two chases, and then briefly in the Gordon Elliott yard.

Having been sold by Gigginstown House Stud, the bay subsequently found his way back to Co Antrim where, from the autumn of 2016 until the end of the 2018/19 season, he was trained by Graham McKeever.

Balnaslow really found his niche as a hunter chaser, winning at Punchestown and Aintree and being placed many times in top company in that sphere and also in point-to-points.

Following the death of Peggy, the horse moved into the ownership of her daughter, Margaret Simpson, and it was in the latter’s colours that he had his final outing back at Punchestown in May last year.

Gelled

Shannon, who works in the mornings for McKeever and in the afternoons for Stuart Crawford (helping Patricia Duffin with her youngstock between times), began riding Balnaslow in February, having been persuaded to do so by Graham and Steven Crawford. The partnership quickly gelled and they won an intro dressage competition at the Knockagh View Equestrian Centre in early March.

All plans for the horse were then put on hold because of the lockdown so he spent about six weeks out on grass, while Shannon found herself out of work at Crawfords until recently.

“I had hoped to take Balnaslow to Balmoral and Dublin for the racehorse to riding horse classes, but now I’m aiming for them next year,” she said.

“My target now for this year is the Northern Ireland Festival in Cavan but, with all the county shows cancelled, it’s hard to find somewhere with a lot of atmosphere. The local shows are great but usually it’s quiet.

“Most recently, I took him to Ardnacashel where we were on grass for the racehorse to riding horse class not on a surface. When he came off the lorry he thought he was at a point-to-point and boiled over on me.

“However, after I lunged him for a time and then cooled him down, he was as good as gold. I was over the moon when we came second and can’t wait to get out again.”

Shannon competed successfully in a lot of working hunter competitions and side saddle classes, both in Ireland and Britain, some years ago and says she would be willing to travel across the water with Balnaslow and tackle some performance classes in the future with the now 13-year-old.

“I wouldn’t mind taking him to the Royal Highland, which is a show I love, the Royal Yorkshire and the Royal International,” said the 25-year-old.

In the loop

“We’ll play it by ear,” she continued. “As I see him every day, Graham knows exactly what I’m doing with the horse and I like to keep Margaret informed about him as well. I’ll let her know if we are competing anywhere or if I have any issues with the horse – it’s nice to keep her in the loop.”

On his first racecourse start for Graham, Balnaslow was partnered by Derek O’Connor to finish second in the Christmas hunters’ chase at Down Royal where a flat meeting was staged last Friday. The sole northern success came through the Paul Traynor-trained Shumaker in the extended 10-furlong handicap. Next Sunday, August 9th, jump racing takes place at Downpatrick.

Ronan McNally’s placing skills were seen to good effect again on Thursday evening when The Trigger, this time ridden by Mark Walsh, brought up a four-timer in the three-mile handicap hurdle.