CHIPPING Norton trainer Charlie Longsdon is backing Ballydine to be as good as his stable star and brother, Kilcooley, after he recorded his second success over hurdles at Newcastle on Saturday.

The five-year-old opened his account with an impressive victory at Stratford in October.

And his battling qualities were on show again to collar Jonniesofa on the run-in for a three-quarters of a length triumph in a novices’ hurdle over two miles and six furlongs under Tom O’Brien.

Longsdon said: “I think he’ll be every bit as good as Kilcooley. He’ll make a lovely staying chaser.”

Kilcooley will go for the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot on December 19 after Longsdon decided against running him in Saturday’s bet365 Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury on Richard Johnson’s advice.

The season’s leading rider was on board when the six-year-old ran his rivals ragged in the West Yorkshire Hurdle at Wetherby in October.

And Longsdon commented: “Richard said the Long Walk Hurdle would suit him better and he has got more experience in riding in those races than I have.”

Ballydine was the trainer’s second winner of the week after Apple Of Our Eye scored at Ludlow.

The five-year-old, owned and bred by Longsdon’s landlords, Christopher and Fran Marriott, looked to be going best when Policy Breach ran out at the last flight in a novices’ hurdle over two miles and five furlongs.

That left Brian Hughes’s mount to coast home by 37 lengths.