MANY apologies to Julie Donaghy Simpson, and Shawstown, for not including their racehorse to riding horse championship success at Newry Agricultural Show in last week’s column.
The section was judged by Denise Kelly Rice of the local Moorhill Stables who had Julie and her nine-year-old Olden Times gelding first topping the final line-up in the seven-strong Open class. Grace Ann Elliott was second here on the eight-year-old Ad Valorem gelding Adsup with Alex Wallace finishing third on Royal Sea Breeze, a 10-year-old Darsi gelding who, like Adsup, was once trained by Stuart Crawford.
A third-place finisher in the open at Corbeagh House in early December, the hurdle winner Kelsey, a nine-year-old Robin Des Champs gelding, was partnered by Joanne Hendron to win the retraining class ahead of the Katie Adams-ridden Enemy Engagement, an 11-year-old Desert King gelding who last ran in October 2014.
There were four entries in the retraining class and in the unraced class where the red rosette was presented to Libby Mooney, who won on Jasper, with Helen Brown placing second on the 12-year-old Pilsudski mare, Mila Belle Coeur.
The 10-year-old Helissio gelding Jasper, who was to stand reserve to Shawstown in the championship, is the last recorded produce out of the dual flat winner Shefoog. The bay is a half-brother to the 1998 Unfuwain gelding Undeniable (10 wins), the 2000 Mtoto mare Thunder Road (four wins and dam of Castlegrace Paddy) and the 2001 Imperial Ballet mare Imperialistic (five wins).
Shawstown, who finished a best-placed fourth in three point-to-point runs for Banbridge trainer Sarah Dawson, is the last of nine recorded foals out of the Nearly-A-Nose mare, Esther’s Dream. Last Sunday, Julie travelled down to Stradbally where she finished second in a very competitive ridden Irish Draught class on Chris Carter and Damien McCormack’s Cloonan Hector.
Back to Newry, the All-Ireland thoroughbred horse performance qualifier was won by Albert McDonald’s 14-year-old Tikkanen mare Beechburn Lass with the Crumlin owner also winning the show’s veteran horse class with the 19-year-old Kadeed gelding Mossbank.
CALEDON trainer Andy Oliver was in the winner’s enclosure last Sunday – at the National Hound Show in Stradbally Hall.
Andy, new joint-Master Tony Weir and a large number of South Tyrone members and supporters had a great day at the Co Laois venue where huntsman Ryan Carvill, assisted by Paddy Considine in his first season as professional whipper-in, showed many winners throughout the day, headlined by victory in the bitch championship for Peewitt. See Noel Mullins’s report in page 123 for further details.
IF you’re thinking of travelling down to the Dublin Horse Show next month and would like to do so without the trouble of driving, don’t forget to contact Joan Cunningham who is organising a daily return coach from Saintfield.
The coach will leave for the show at 7am each day and will depart the RDS showgrounds at 6pm. For the past two years, there has been a stop at Hillsborough. The cost of the journey is £16 per person and bookings must be made by Tuesday, July 23rd. Joan can be contacted on 07775860744 or email joancunningham1@gmail.com.
UNLESS he has a second career, we won’t be writing about Marwan Koukash’s Gabrial anymore following the announcement that the 10-year-old Dark Angel gelding has been retired.
Trained throughout his 93-race career by Richard Fahey, Gabrial won nine races, including first time out in a two-year-old maiden in May 2011 at his owner’s beloved Chester, was second 10 times (four times in group races) and finished third on 20 occasions. He amassed total earnings of £838,501.
Gabrial was bred at the Meadowlands Stud, Downpatrick by Brian Kennedy out of the Mtoto mare Guajira who had a filly this year by Ribchester.