ARVIKA Ligeonniere, the winner of 10 races when trained by Willie Mullins for Susannah Ricci, was crowned Irish Thoroughbred Marketing racehorse to riding horse champion under Louise Duffy at the Royal Meath Show last Sunday.

The now 10-year-old Arvico gelding was retired from racing having suffered a leg injury when landing the Normans Grove Chase at Fairyhouse in early April 2014. Duffy, who had previously enjoyed success on the eventing scene with the former Mullins-trained Assessed, got the French-bred bay some months later and produced him in the show ring early this year.

On Sunday, Arvika Ligeonniere, who was reserve champion in the Down Royal racehorse to riding horse league, won the Comfort Gut re-training class en route to the championship when he took the honours ahead of Richard Nolan’s open class winner, the Neil Walshe-partnered Silver Skirt.

The latter, an 11-year-old Silver Patriarch mare, is out of Presuming (by Mtoto), an own-sister to Presenting. Silver Skirt, who was bred by Old Moss Farm, was trained by Paul Cashman to win a mares’ maiden at Kilmallock in April 2010 on the last of 12 point-to-point outings.

An own-sister to the three-time winner Silver Friend and the only mare shown last Sunday, she has bred two foals. The first of these was Wilms Warrior, a four-year-old filly by Dubai Destination who was bought in for little money as a yearling. The second, a 2012 Robin Des Champs gelding, made €17,000 as a foal and €65,000 at Goffs’ Land Rover Sale in June.

OPPOSITION

Duffy had a class double on the day winning the unraced section with Striking Accord. Disappointingly however, there was no opposition to the 10-year-old Accordion gelding on whom Duffy had competed in the one-star classes at both Tattersalls and Millstreet international horse trials.

She plans to start eventing shortly on Arvika Ligeonniere who won the re-training league championship ahead of the 22-year-old Meneval gelding Horseface Jack (Alison Clancy) while Silver Skirt took the open league title ahead of the 13-year-old Beneficial gelding Glantara (Lois Chappell).

The class judges on Sunday were trainer Sabrina Harty (ride) and Fionnuala O’Reilly (ground) with Denise Colebrook and Hilary Gibson taking over them for the supreme championship.

ITM made a special presentation on Sunday to the highest-placed thoroughbred in the working hunter section and this was won by the 15-year-old Sadler’s Wells gelding Giuliani, ridden by Seamus Rodgers for Yvonne Armstrong.

Royal Meath Show,

Sunday, September 6th

Comfort Gut re-training class: 1, Arvika Ligeonniere (Louise Duffy), 10yo b g by Arvico - Daraka, by Akarad; 2, Princeton Plains (Caroline Harty), 9yo b g by Tagula - Lightstorm, by Darshaan; 3, Horseface Jack (Alison Clancy), 22yo b g by Meneval - Chapel Garden, by Good Thyne

Irish Thoroughbred Marketing open racehorse to riding horse class: 1, Silver Skirt (Neil Walshe), 11yo gr m by Silver Patriarch - Presuming, by Mtoto, bd Old Moss Farm; 2, Glantara (Lois Chappell), 13yo Beneficial - Beat That I, by Buckskin, bd Tony Harrington; 3, Its All Hunky Dory (Rebecca Rafter), 8yo br g by Expelled - Pede Gale, by Strong Gale, bd Ann Smurfit.

Unraced thoroughbred: 1, Striking Accord (Louise Duffy), 10yo b g by Accordion - Ridgewood Gem, by Ridgewood Ben.