UNFORTUNATELY, there was no joy for the northern-connected entries in last Saturday’s Irish Thoroughbred Marketing racehorse to riding horse class at the Stena Line Dublin Horse Show but there was plenty of success in other sections of the show for exhibitors known in the racing and bloodstock worlds.
Youngstock
Pride of place has to go Dessie Gibson who ruled the roost in the youngstock division as his two-year-old, Greenhall Treasure Island (by Island Commander), and yearling, Aidensfield Candy King (by Sligo Candy Boy), were crowned supreme champion and reserve supreme champion.
The Dromara showman filled the same positions at Balmoral in May but with two different horses which is some achievement in the one season.
One very proud father was Co Tyrone trainer Mervyn Torrens whose daughter Jennifer won the junior equitation championship in Simmonscourt on Sunday.
The competition is over a round of show jumps but is judged on the performance of the rider not on jumping faults or time. Jennifer rides the racehorses when she has time and has plans to apply for a qualified rider’s licence.
Sign up for St Patrick’s Coast Endurance
ANYONE planning on taking part in the fifth St Patrick’s Coast Endurance Ride, which is being staged this day fortnight, on Saturday, September 1st, should note that entries must be made in advance and that all horses and ponies must have up-to-date vaccinations.
The ride, no matter which option you choose, begins and ends at Downpatrick Racecourse where, that evening, there will be a farmers and prize-giving barbeque with stabling and camping available.
There will be a prize for the best ex-racehorse and details of this, the various distances, loops, terrain and the scoring system can be found on the Ride’s website.
‘Folly’ Watson for Downpatrick win
IT was disappointing that there was just one northern-trained winner at Downpatrick last Sunday, Folly Dat in the two-mile, six-furlong Molson Coors Handicap Hurdle, and the Keith Watson-trained seven-year-old also had to survive a stewards’ enquiry before connections could relax.
A daughter of Generous, Folly Dat was bred by her Dromore owners, John and Carol Taylor, and is the second foal, and second winner, out of the unraced Luso mare Maldagora.
The first is the 2010 gelding Blue Empyrean (also by Generous) who won a bumper when trained by Gordon Elliott and two chases in January when transferred to the care of Watson.
GROUP 1 WIN
On the same afternoon, at Hoppegarten in Germany, the Martin and Cecil McCracken-bred Best Solution won the Group 1 Longines Grosser Preis von Berlin worth £97,345 to the winner.
Trained by Saeed bin Suroor and once again ridden by Patsy Cosgrave, the four-year-old Kodiac colt was winning for the seventh time in his career. He is out of the Kingmambo mare Al Andalyya.
Thailand trip for style prize
THE next meeting at Downpatrick is on Bank Holiday Monday, August 25th.
Yes, we know there is racing but there are some amazing prizes on offer in the Style Stakes.
The winner of the Rekorderlig Cider most appropriately dressed lady competition can look forward to a trip for two to Thailand for seven nights of luxury hotel accommodation, two of which will be spent in Bangkok and the other five in Phuket.
Hannon Travel.ie is offering the winner of their best dressed gentleman competition a luxurious seven-day cruise for two taking in Spain, France, Italy and Malta with flights from Dublin.
MOST STYLISH
It’s never too early to think of Christmas so perhaps the Downpatrick Racecourse most stylish hat and accessories competition should be considered as the prize is a trip with flights for two to the Christmas market in Vienna where you can enjoy a three-night stay in a four-star hotel close to St Stephen’s Cathedral.
Finally, there is the famous Downpatrick ‘Ladies Upstyle Hair Competition’ which this year is sponsored by the AJC Group who are offering a trip with flights for two to Nice with a three-night stay in the five-star Hotel Le Negresco on the Promenade des Anglais.