Although charges of masochism may be levelled at this column for the following selection, it still could be worth giving the infuriating Balla Sola one last chance in tomorrow's featured Derrinstown Stud Bridcatcher Nursery at Naas. Balla Sola has been the sort of beast that allows bookmaker's bags to bulge. His unfortunate sequence has included having the bit go through his mouth at Galway, sweating away his chance in the stalls at the Curragh, a slipped saddle at Leopardstown and last time out, when everything looked ideal for him at Listowel, Balla Sola refused to settle and got caught close home by Karakorum.
In the circumstances then, one might deduce that Balla Sola is the sort of unlucky colt that punters should avoid like the plague. Yet even though he has yet to win, the impression remains from his five races that Balla Sola is a horse with above average ability who could get it all together successfully in a significant race. Tomorrow's could be that race.
This £25,000 event is always an ultra competetive, fiercely run sprint and that, along with the drop back to six furlongs, will mean that Balla Sola will have to be going at a fair lick to repeat his Listowel pulling exploits.
Significantly the form of that race has been boosted with Karakorum winning a Listed race at the Curragh last Saturday after a less than clear passage and a fully functional, and fortunate, Balla Sola could be well handicapped in this context.
The Birdcatcher context has centred recently on Jim Bolger who has won this five times since 1990. Bolger runs Mitra and Apache Red tomorrow and the latter is hard to get away from as a live danger to everyone.
Apache Red looked slightly unlucky in the Houghton sales race at Newmarket last week when ninth to the Dewhurst candidate Tamarisk and is over 10lbs ahead of the handicapper for tomorrow's race.
Aidan O'Brien though has the biggest representation of all with five and it could be that Flame Violet runs the best of them. However, if Balla Sola can negotiate the stalls ordeal coolly, this can be the day when his follower's loyalty can finally pay off.
The other significant contest at Naas is the Listed Retza and Soudavar Garnet Stakes where the O'Brien camp can get back on the winning trail courtesy of Theano. The filly disappointed when only ninth to Wizard King at Tipperary last Sunday but that can be ignored as she was slowly into her stride and never got in a serious blow afterwards. Faster away tomorrow and Theano will be a tough nut for the likes of Tout A Coup and Via Verbano to crack.
Another O'Brien, Charles, looks to have the solution to the Castlemartin Stud Maiden in the shape of Rainswept. This flashy looking chestnut was the subject of good reports before his debut at the Curragh last month but took a long time to get the hang of the game and his winning chance was gone at half way.
Nevertheless, once he got into his stride, Rainswept finished to some effect behind Yorba Linda and Mempari and with that experience, and a furlong extra to travel, he should get off the mark.
The opening maiden could fall to Dermot Weld's well bred Eljamil who showed a lot of early speed on his debut at Tralee and will be ideally suited by the five furlongs while in contrast, the three-mile Coughlan Handicap Hurdle, will place a premium on stamina which will suit Metastasio down to the ground.
A bumper Jackpot around the £500,000 mark is expected to be on offer for finding the first six winners at Ascot today.
After another difficult day the pool, which had swelled to £335,905, was only partially won.
Two punters were successful to a stake of 10p and collected £28,849 while a another nailed the first six winners to a 9p and collected £21,464.
This leaves £238,492.58 in the pot with plenty of interest expected for today's competitive Ascot card.
"Fingers crossed the weather won't spoil things, but if Ascot is called off the Jackpot won't be switched to another meeting tomorrow," said Tote spokesman Rob Hartnett.
