WHILE there are a number of ex-racehorses competing in this weekend’s Tattersalls International Horse Trials, one former amateur rider who jogged his horse up on Tuesday was Ciaran Moran.

Ciaran, who partnered 14 point-to-point winners from 2002 to 2006, is riding the Irish Sport Horse gelding Saunderscourt Flying Lad in the very competitive Cooley Farms CCI1* class for six and seven-year-olds. Going into yesterday’s cross-country phase, the combination, on a dressage score of 53 penalties, were lying in 37th place in the 56-strong field.

The now 15-year-old Woods Of Windsor gelding Shuil Coillte, on whom Moran finished third in a Fairyhouse bumper back in November 2005, is competing in the Tredstep Ireland CCI1* class for Junior riders where, on 51.5 penalties, he was lying 11th after dressage under Joanne Corish. Shuil Coillte, who finished sixth in the Ladies’ Cup at the 2010 Punchestown Festival on his final racecourse appearance, won three point-to-points for Ann Lambert.

Two places above Shuil Coillte after the dressage phase was Ballycarron Lad whom Stuart Crawford sent out to win two point-to-points and a novices’ handicap chase. Now 14 years of age, the Snurge gelding achieved a score of 50.7 under Izzy Riley.