Rain dance needed a fishers cross

rain due to arrive around noon

no worries it's lovely going

Not convinced he needs it soft, had little choice winning on that ground this season.

All in all soft not going to hurt AFC and certainly would inconvenience the 2nd fav so would help imo.

Ballycasey, impressive in a Leopardstown bumper last season, had cruised away with a maiden hurdle at Clonmel last month. Stepped up in grade at Thurles today, he made four previous winners look pedestrian, sauntering into the lead before the last and easing home by three lengths under Ruby Walsh.

While Willie Mullins has many other promising youngsters in his care, he seems in no doubt that this one is heading to the Festival. He must still choose between the Neptune Investments Novice Hurdle, over two miles and five furlongs, and the Albert Bartlett, over three miles, but feels sure that Ballycasey will prove still more potent on spring going. "He's the type that would prefer better ground," Mullins said. "I'm happy he handled this today because I thought it might be too soft." For now William Hill go 10-1 from 14-1 for the Albert Bartlett.

Rain Dance has worked

Bloody hope so I was dancing all night!

yes am on heavy too

best of luck to Harry too

THE RAIN CAME OIOI
THE HORSE CAME OIOI
**** me ap rode a winner oioi

Bloody love that horse!

This was the bet of the week. Pity really that Ballycasey came out. He would have been handed his ar*e too.

This was the bet of the week. Pity really that Ballycasey came out. He would have been handed his ar*e too.

I had the biggest bet of my life on AFC, previous to that my biggest bet was Cue Card in the Ryanair , couldn't believe this was 3/1 night before, for me it was a 5/4 shot even with Ballycasey, it was one of those times when you were thinking 'is this really as obvious or is it just me?', after TNO excellent display AFC looked as good a bet as you were ever likely to get, solid top notch form line with no real rival with similar profile AND it gets its ground, those tw were my naps for the festival, glad to say home with a decent wedge :-)

Well done eastayrshire.

I didn't have any money on AFC or CC but was thrilled to see them both win. They and Sprinter Sacre made my festival.

Seems like ages ago now.

Roll on next year