Doubles all round Via in-foal Ballycroy Lawman stands at Ballylinch Stud in County Kilkenny for 20,000 Euros and 35 minutes on from his big win with Just The Judge in the Ethiad Airways Irish 1,000 Guineas, his name was up in lights again after Via Ballycroy's win in the big field Texacloth Handicap at the Curragh. There was further black and amber cheer here as Via Ballycroy was ridden by Graiguenamanagh man Shane Foley and he was completing a 155/1 double with Michael Halford as they'd earlier combined to triumph in the second, another large field handicap, with Paddy The Celeb. Foley expertly engineered an opening on Via Ballycroy when it looked like she'd be denied a run at the two furlong pole. Despite giving a flash of her tail inside the last, the eventual victor, an 11/1 chance, stayed on well to beat Arbitrageur, Srucahan (didn't get a clear run and finished well) and Lake George by half a length, a short head and a half a length. Halford revealed: "She's a lovely filly and she loves that fast ground. She's trained on well (hadn't run since early November). "She's in foal to Cape Cross so we'll try and get a bit of black-type for her. "He did well to get out from where he was. She might also come back here for the Scurry – we'll try and get a big pot with her." The gambled-on Your Pal Tal (around 16s this morning into 7/1 favourite) finished 21st. (GC & EM)
