A SIZEABLE number of northern-owned, trained or bred thoroughbreds finished in the placings at the Eventing Ireland one-day event at Dirraw Farm, Finvoy last Saturday.

Owned by EI’s vice-chairperson, Georgia Stubington, who was on commentary duty at the event in Tattersalls on Sunday, September Son finished fifth in the EI110 under his owner’s daughter, Lucca.

The 11-year-old September Storm gelding, who was bred by Alan Steele out of the Welsh Term mare Regal Pageant, ran in the colours of Ronald Lilley when trained in Scotland by Ian Duncan for whom he ran in a bumper and three hurdle races before the plug was pulled on his racing career.

In a small field at the same level but for amateurs, Hay Aussie finished third under owner/rider Aoibheann Morgan. This 13-year-old grey gelding by Reefscape ran unplaced in a bumper, a maiden hurdle and a point-to-point maiden in 2014 when trained by Barney Jones. In the EI100 Amateur class, Emily Morris finished second on her own Florida Bud, an unraced 18-year-old bay gelding by Florida Son who was bred out of the Buster King mare Finmarie by Enda McKee.

A name to hop off the page was that of Killultagh Bella who, on her second start in this discipline, finished sixth in the EI90 Amateur class under her owner, Sinead Boyd.

Killultagh

This six-year-old Presenting mare was bred by Sinead’s father Frank out of Killultagh Lady (by Insan), an own-sister to Killultagh Storm (whose eight wins included the Grade A Dan Moore Chase) and dam previously of the dual hurdle winner, Crown Of Gold (by Flemensfirth). Killultagh Bella ran twice for Willie Mullins in 2020, finishing sixth of 10 in a Punchestown bumper in January and ninth of 14 in a maiden hurdle at Roscommon in September.

There were two horses of interest in the unrestricted EI90 both of whom completed on their dressage scores.

Striking on his debut under Jonny Steele was Alfred Buller’s unraced home-bred Lyons Legacy who carries a GB suffix. A five-year-old gelding by Winged Love, the bay is the fifth of seven recorded foals out of the Zaffaran mare Lady Of Scarvagh who won twice over hurdles and twice over fences when trained by Michael Scudamore.

Finishing second, on her fourth start, was the Mountain High mare Doubt Me Now who was ridden by Gemma Goodrich for Carole Young.

This unraced six-year-old was bred by Stephen Magee and is the last of seven recorded foals out of the Old Vic mare Old Promises, a half-sister to Spendid (by Tidaro) and dam previously of the dual winner Promising Anshan (by Anshan).

In the second division of the training class, the EI80 (T), Rachel Ferres finished third on her own Woodbury Tampa, a six-year-old gelding by Born To Sea out of Gold Blended, by Goldmark. This bay, who was bred by Rathasker Stud, fell and pulled up in two four-year-old maidens when trained by Stuart Crawford.