THE late George Mernagh was a friend of many throughout the horse world in Northern Ireland who will have been pleased to learn that the trophy presented in his memory at the Tattersalls Ireland July Show was won by the Maghaberry-produced Acclaimed Angel.

The performance class for ex-racehorses took place on the first day of the show when the weather was a lot better than Sunday. Michelle Kane’s six-year-old Dark Angel gelding did a few racehorse to riding horse classes earlier in the season but the grey’s attention was quickly turned to jumping and he didn’t take long to make his mark.

Acclaimed Angel is not going to Dublin next week but Michelle is set to ride her 16-year-old Shernazar gelding Gimli’s Axe in the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing class at the RDS early on Saturday afternoon. Also catalogued is Philippa Baird’s 15-year-old Presenting gelding Amstecos, who was second last August to Forpadydeplaster, while Anna Ross, who was judging National Hunt foals in miserable weather at Bangor last Sunday, is due to partner the Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Imperial Commander and will be hoping to improve on her sixth place finish of last year.