NORTH Co Dublin breeders Sean and Orla Gannon were celebrating another success last Sunday following the victory of the Gavin Cromwell-trained Sue Oscar in the five-year-old mares’ maiden at Borris House.

The Oscar bay, who had some good placed form, is the fourth foal out of Zaffaran Express, the winner of two hurdle races and listed-placed over timber. She is an own-sister to the mare Heltornic (whose six victories included two graded chases) and to the five-time winner Glenmoss Tara.

Also out of Zaffaran Express is the 2009 Winged Love gelding Winged Express, who won two points in this country and finished second twice over hurdles in England, and the 2011 Oscar gelding The Tailgater who, trained by Jonjo O’Neill for Paul and Clare Rooney, won a Catterick bumper at the beginning on the month on his second start.

Retained

The Gannons have a 2014 Kalanisi filly out of Zaffaran Express and, not achieving a good enough price at Tattersalls in November, have also retained the mare’s foal of this year, a Court Cave colt.

The couple are breeding out of three other young winning thoroughbred mares on their Gerrardstown Stud outside Ballyboughal where they also have a ‘clatter’ of Irish Sport Horses. During the winter, Orla hunts twice a week with the Fingal Harriers while during the summer she is the very busy District Commissioner of the large Ward Union Branch of the Irish Pony Club.

“We sold Sue Oscar as a three-year-old to Sean’s brother Tony and she runs in the colours of his wife, Susan Barton,” revealed Orla. “The plan is that she will return here to the farm to join our broodmare band.”